Ginkgo tree of Zenpuku-ji, Sacred ginkgo tree and natural monument in Moto-Azabu, Minato, Japan

The Ginkgo tree of Zenpuku-ji is a towering specimen reaching over 20 meters high, with aerial roots hanging from its branches that create a distinctive drooping pattern. The tree commands attention from the moment you enter the temple grounds due to its remarkable size and form.

According to temple tradition, the tree grew from the walking staff that the monk Shinran planted in the ground when he left Zenpuku-ji in 1229. It was designated a national natural monument on 10 October 1926. In the US air raid of 25 May 1945 the main hall burned down and the tree lost its upper trunk, but it sprouted again near the base.

The tree is called Sakasa-Ichō ("upside-down ginkgo") or Otsue-Ichō ("staff ginkgo") because, by tradition, Shinran planted his walking staff in the ground here in 1229 and it took root. A stone marker reading "Founder's Staff Ginkgo" and a bronze statue of Shinran stand beside it. A legend links it as a sibling tree to the ginkgo of Kōfuku-ji in Shinagawa, grown from a branch that the monk Ryōkai received from Zenpuku-ji.

The tree stands within the grounds of Zenpuku-ji at 1-6-21 Moto-Azabu, Minato, about 300 metres or a five-minute walk from Azabu-Juban Station on the Toei Oedo and Tokyo Metro Namboku lines. A stone marker inscribed "Soshi Shonin On-tsue Icho-ju" and a bronze statue of Shinran stand beside it.

The tree displays a remarkable ability to recover from severe injury and destruction. This resilience turned it into a symbol of renewal and hope in local history.