Jōmon Sugi

Jōmon Sugi is an ancient Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) on the north side of Mt. Miyanoura in Yakushima, a small island 80km from Japan’s southern island of Kyushu.

Officially discovered in 1968, ‘Jōmon’ is thought to be Japan’s largest conifer and oldest tree. It stands 25.3m high, around 5m wide and is between 2,000 and 7,000 years old, with the former proven as a minimum.

Jōmon’s 1968 discovery was the catalyst for a movement to protect Yakushima’s forests, ultimately leading to the site’s 1993 designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Access was then restricted to a new observation deck 15m from its base.

The name’s first part is a reference to Japan’s prehistoric Jōmon period, characterised by hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists. The second part is the local name for the species.

Other famous ‘Sugi’ on the ten-hour trail include Meoto (Great King), Daio (hugging couple) and the 430+ year-old Wilson’s Stump (above), named after the English botanist.

‘Sugi’ is the only species of Cupressaceae. It’s an evergreen of up to 70m high and 5m wide that grows fastest in deep, well-drained, warm, moist soil but struggles in cold, dry or poor conditions. Its usual lifespan is 200-300 years.

Also known as Japanese redwood, this cedar has a fibrous red-brown bark, small round cones and flat, needle-like green leaves that bronze during winter. It’s cultivated as an ornamental tree in temperate areas like Europe and North America – we’ve even got one at Val de la Mare.

Jōmon Sugi cover photo by Σ64, own work CC BY 3.0 (Wiki)

‍

**Additional images text**

Japanese cedar and cypress are responsible for a steady rise in hay fever in Japan since the 1960s, with 38.8% of people affected specifically by cedar pollinosis.

‍

**Additional images text**

Cryptomeria makes up 60% of forest and 20% of all land in the Azores, where it was extensively introduced and cultivated from the 1960s.

‍

**Additional images text**

In April 2009 Jōmon Sugi was twinned with Tāne Mahuta, the kauri in New Zealand. (add link)

‍