IshikawaTravel

Hayakano's Great Cedar—the Great Cedar Witnessed by the Emperor (栢野の大杉（天覧の大杉）)

Flow of the course

Previous stop: Tour the lavish lobby decorated with lacquerware inlay and coffered ceilings, then stroll casually along Yuge Kaido street

About 30 min from the previous stop

About 60 min here

About this spot

Standing within the grounds of Sugawara Shrine deep in the foothills beyond Yamanaka Hot Spring town, this is a nationally designated natural monument cedar tree. With an age estimated at 2,300 years, a trunk circumference of approximately 11 meters, and a height of some 54 meters, its magnificent form is also affectionately known as 'the Great Cedar Witnessed by the Emperor.' A floating wooden boardwalk protects the tree's roots along the approach path, and as you walk among the towering cedar grove, you cannot help but hold your breath at its overwhelming scale. Conclude your day with this timeless beauty—a different kind of natural splendor from the valley.

Tips

About a 10-minute drive from Yamanaka Hot Spring town. A few parking spaces are available in front of the shrine gate. Please walk only on the wooden boardwalk along the approach, as it protects the tree's roots. At the gate-front tea house, the local specialty grass dumplings are popular—if open, make sure to grab some as a souvenir. The shrine grounds are a tranquil sacred space, so it's best to spend your time here slowly and quietly.