Great Ginkgo of Hida Kokubun-ji, Ancient ginkgo tree at Hida Kokubun-ji Temple in Takayama, Japan
The Great Ginkgo of Hida Kokubun-ji is a giant tree that rises about 28 meters tall with massive branches extending across the temple grounds and providing natural shelter. Its wide canopy casts deep shade and dominates the temple courtyard with an imposing, spreading crown.
The tree has stood at the temple since around 746 CE when Emperor Shōmu founded Hida Kokubun-ji during the Nara period. Its presence links the era of early Buddhist temple establishment with today's visitors.
The tree holds the status of a National Natural Monument and symbolizes how nature and Buddhist temple spaces work together, something visitors can feel while walking around the grounds.
The tree is accessible year-round during temple hours for visitors to observe and enjoy. The best time to visit is autumn, when the leaves turn yellow and transform the entire temple grounds.
The tree is over 1,250 years old and ranks among Japan's oldest specimens, growing beside the temple's three-story pagoda. This long coexistence with the pagoda makes the site a place where nature and human creation have stood together across centuries.
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