Let's go see the natural Akita cedars [1] The striking natural Akita cedars

Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) is a tree native to Japan, and fossils dating back approximately 5.3 million years have been found in Akita Prefecture. Archaeological investigations have shown that humans used cedar wood during the early Jomon period. Later, around 850 AD (early Heian period),cedar timbers were discovered on the outer wall of the Hotta-no-saku site (Daisen City/National Historic Site), which was a frontline base for the Yamato court army that attacked from the south to subdue the people who had lived in the area up to that point.

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi built Fushimi Castle, he used Akita cedar, which made it famous

During the Edo period, the Kubota Domain (Akita Domain) was established in the Akita region, and large amounts of Akita cedar were used in the construction of castles and castle towns, and even after the many major fires that occurred in Edo, huge amounts of cedar were sent to Edo from Noshiro Port (Noshiro City). As a result, Akita cedar was a major source of revenue for the Kubota Domain, but due to continued cutting, much of the natural forest was cut down and lost in the latter half of the Edo period

It wasn't until after 2000 that full-scale protection of Akita cedars began

Akita cedar continued to be used heavily after the Meiji period, and was continuously cut down, including natural forests and old trees planted during the Edo period. Of course, plantations continued, but it takes more than 50 years for cedar trees to grow and be usable as building materials. This difficult time for Akita cedar continued until the end of the 1900s

It wasn't until the 2000s that this trend finally began to slow down. Forest management, which was premised on logging, was replaced by a conservation-centered policy, and logging of natural forests was banned, with only trees planted before the Meiji era that were 80 to 100 years old being allowed to be cut down. Akita cedars were finally protected, but it was too late, and by that time there were almost no natural Akita cedars left

Natural Akita cedar forests are defined as forests that meet the following conditions: "the Yoneshiro River basin(northern Akita Prefecture), with a forest age of 150 years or more, a diameter of 54 cm or more (68 cm or more for particularly good trees), a height of 33 m or more, composed almost entirely of cedar trees, densely packed with trees making the forest interior dark, with long trunks and straight stems from the base of the trees, and growing vigorously."

A natural Akita cedar tree and a protected forest that can be visited

named,special natural Akita cedar trees, we introduce natural Akita cedar forests, focusing on

The tallest natural Akita cedar in Japan [Kimimachi Cedar]

The tallest natural Akita cedar in Japan, known as "Kimimachi cedar" is located within the "Nibunamizusawa Cedar Rare Population Protection Forest."

The Nifu Mizusawa Cedar Rare Population Protected Forest is a natural Akita cedar forest located approximately 19km south of JR Futatsui Station (Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City), past an artificial cedar forest. The protected forest is a precious forest that has remained in its natural state with almost no logging since the Meiji era, and is home to approximately 2,800 natural Akita cedar trees. The average age of the trees is said to be 250 years, and the sight of the cedars growing to about 50m tall, competing with each other as they reach higher and higher, is a spectacular sight

The Kimimachi Cedar is the tallest natural Akita cedar in Japan, standing 58 meters tall with a trunk circumference of 5.15 meters and estimated to be about 250 years old. In the surrounding area, there arethe Mokkun Cedar,CedarKoibumithe KimimachiAkitaBijin Cedar, and Tashiro Cedar, and a walking trail that can be completed in about 30 minutes is maintained within the protected forest.

 Kimimachi Cedar has been selected as one of the 100 Giants of the Forest

Information about the tallest natural Akita cedar in Japan [Kimimachi Cedar]

• Name: Kimimachi Cedar
• Age: 250 years (estimated)
• Tree height: Approximately 58m
• Trunk circumference: 5.15m
• Location: Tashiro Mizusawa, Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City, Akita Prefecture
• For inquiries, please contact: Futatsui Town Tourism Association
• Phone number: 0185-73-5075
• Free to wander around
• Beware of animals such as bears and deer
• URL:Kimimachi Sugi
• access:
  • Public transportation: Approximately 15 minutes by taxi from Futatsui Station on the JR Ou Main Line
  • By car: Approximately 20 minutes from Noshiro Minami IC on the Akita Expressway, there are signs along the way

Google Map

The oldest tree in Akita Prefecture is the "Kobu Cedar," marked by a huge knob

[Kobu Cedar] isVillagein KamikoaniKami-Oonaizawa Nature Observation and Education Forest, and its age is estimated to be between 200 and 300 years old.

The most distinctive feature of the knotted cedar is the large, bulging bump (bump) that rises from about eye level. The bump is only present in that area, and the rest of the tree is a normal cedar. However, the tree is estimated to be 200-300 years old, with a trunk circumference of 3.8m and a height of 40m, and was selected as one of the "100 Giants of the Forest" in 2000 (Heisei 12). It is one of the oldest natural Akita cedars in Akita Prefecture

The longest knot is 2.2m, and the trunk has a circumference of 6.6m. The surrounding cedar forest is full of old, straight trees that are about 50m tall, and this is the only one with a knot. It has a truly mystical appearance

The cause of this bump is unclear. Generally, there are several reasons why bumps form on trees, such as disease or to protect against wounds, but the arborist who examined the tree could not identify the cause

The Kamiouchisawa Nature Observation Education Forest has been thinned and preserved for research into cedar trees and other plants

The Kamiouchisawa Nature Observation Educational Forest, where the knotty cedars are found, was established in 1924 (Taisho 13) as a natural forest harvesting test site, and the growth conditions of the natural cedars have been observed and investigated. In 1988 (Showa 63), it was designated a Nature Observation Educational Forest to preserve the beautiful appearance of the natural cedars and utilize them as a place for villagers to relax and learn about the forest environment. The education forest is home to over 700 natural Akita cedars, each 200 to 300 years old, as well as knotty cedars and many giant trees over 50 meters tall, including the 56-meter-tall Futamata no Ki. The cedar forest in the Mountain Village Square just before the Kamiouchisawa Nature Observation Educational Forest is a man-made forest with trees 50 to 80 years old, and the difference from a natural forest is clear

To get to the Kobu Cedar, park your car in the Yamamura Hiroba parking lot, where there is a toilet, and walk along the footpath. The Kobu Cedar has been selected as one of the 100 Giants of the Forest

※Note

To reach "Yamamura Hiroba" and "Ouchizawa Nature Observation and Education Forest" [Kobu Sugi], you would normally take a village road that follows the former forest railway line from the center of Futatsui-machi, Noshiro City. However, due to damage to the road shoulder caused by heavy rains in 2024, the road is currently closed as of July 2025. It is scheduled to reopen in March 2026. Before going, be sureKami-Koani Village (phone number: 0186-77-2221)to contact

Kobu Cedar Information

• Name: Kobu Cedar ("Mountain Village Square" and "Ouchizawa Nature Observation Education Forest")
• Age: 200-300 years (estimated)
• Tree height: Approximately 40m
• Trunk circumference: normal part 3.77m / knobby part 6.6m
• Contact: Kamikoani Village
• Phone number: 0186-77-2221
• Location: National Forest, Obayashi, Kamiouchisawa, Kamikoani Village, Kitaakita District, Akita Prefecture
• Free to wander around
• Beware of animals such as bears and deer
• URL:Kobusugi
• access:
  • Public transportation: Approximately 45 minutes by car from Takanosu Station on the JR Ou Main Line
  • By car: Approximately 35 minutes from Gojome IC or Hachirogata IC on the Akita Expressway

Two branched trunks grow upwards, leaning close together [Meoto Cedar]

"Husband and Wife Cedar) is a natural Akita cedar tree with two trunks that branched off from the base and stand close together. It is estimated to be 200 to 300 years old, with a trunk circumference of 12 meters and a height of 36 meters.

where the "Meoto Sugi" (Husband and Wife Cedar) trees are locatedThe Nibetsu Nature Recreation Forest, is part of the Taiheizan PrefecturalNatural Park and Nibetsu National Forest,, centered around Mt. Taiheizan, a 1170m-high mountain towering east of Akita City. This cedar forest was originally a private mountain of the Satake clan and has been carefully protected since the Edo period. It is now protected as a nature recreation forest.

Meoto Cedar has also been selected as one of the Top 100 Giants of the Forest

The Nibetsu Forest Museum, where you can learn about forests, is also an ideal base for exploring the Nibetsu Natural Recreational Forest

located within the Nibetsu Nature Recreation ForestThe Nibetsu Forest Museum, is a facility where you can learn about Akita cedar and the forests of Nibetsu. It also exhibits the former Nibetsu Forest Railway and scenes of timber rafting. To stroll through the Meoto Sugi (Husband and Wife Cedar) and the forest of natural Akita cedar, it is convenient to use the Nibetsu Forest Museum's parking lot.

※Note

As of July 2025, the forest road leading to the Nibetsu Forest Museum is closed due to damage caused by heavy rains in 2024, and therefore the Nibetsu Forest Museum is currently closed. While it is possible to reach the "Meoto Sugi" (Husband and Wife Cedar) in the Nibetsu Nature Recreation Forest by walking along the trails within the Taiheizan Prefectural Natural Park, this requires full mountaineering equipment and is not recommended. Currently, restoration work is underway, and the road is expected to reopen in 2027. For inquiries, pleasecontact the Tohoku Regional Forest Officeat

Meoto Cedar Information

• Name: Meoto Cedar (within Nibetsu Natural Recreation Forest)
• Age: 200-300 years (estimated)
• Tree height: Approximately 36m
• Trunk circumference: approx. 12m
• Contact: Tohoku Forest Office
• Phone number: 018-836-2214
• Address: Akita Prefecture, Akita City, Nibetsu, Tsurusawa National Forest, 010-0824
• Free to wander around
• Beware of animals such as bears and deer

Nibetsu Forest Museum

• Facility name: Nibetsu Forest Museum
• Location: 22nd Forest Section, Nibetsu Tsumzawa National Forest, Akita City, Akita Prefecture
• Opening days: Early May to early November
• Opening hours:
  • May to September: 10:00 to 17:00
  • October and November: 10:00-16:00
• Closed: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays (except public holidays)
• URL:Nibetsu Forest Museum
• access:
  • Public transportation: Akita Shinkansen, JR Ou Main Line, Uetsu Main Line, approximately 50 minutes by car from Akita Station
  • By car: Approximately 50 minutes from Akita Chuo IC on the Akita Expressway

Google Map

The Osugi Cedar of Mt. Ob is estimated to be 1,000 years old and has the largest trunk circumference in Akita Prefecture

"Obuyama Giant Cedar" is a natural Akita cedar tree said to be over 1,000 years old (unconfirmed), standing tall on a steep slope at an altitude of 450m along the Kawaguchi Valley within the "Makimahiru Prefectural Natural Park," which stretches across the mountainous region of eastern Akita Prefecture, spanning Daisen City and Misato Town.

The trunk circumference is 12.4 meters, making it the thickest in Akita Prefecture. Furthermore, there are two other natural giant cedar trees in the surrounding area with trunk circumferences exceeding 8 meters, and togetherObuyama Giant Cedar Grovethey are designated as a natural monument of Daisen City as the

To get to the [Obuyama Giant Cedar]: If using public transport, take the Uetsu Kotsu bus from JR Daisen Station to Kawaguchi Onsen "OshuSanso" in Kawaguchi Valley within "Maki Mahiru Prefectural Natural Park," and then walk from there (about 45 minutes one way). If driving, park your car at the entrance to Kawaguchi Valley, a little before "Oshu Sanso," and it's about a 60-minute walk. "Oshu Sanso" has a natural hot spring (sodium-calcium sulfate spring), and day-use bathing is available (600 yen for adults), so even if you're driving, it's recommended to include a visit to the hot spring in your schedule and use the "Oshu Sanso" parking lot.

Information about the Great Cedar of Mt. Ob

• Name: Obuyama's Great Cedar
• Age (estimated): Over 1,000 years old
• Tree height: 34m
• Trunk circumference: 12.4m
• Location: Ota, Ota-cho, Daisen City, and other locations
• Contact: Daisen City Ota Branch Office Citizen Services Division
• Phone number: 0187-88-1111
• Free to wander around
• Beware of animals such as bears and deer
• URL:Obyama Giant Cedar / Maki Mahiru Prefectural Natural Park
• access:
  • Public transportation: Akita Shinkansen, JR Ou Main Line, Tazawako Line: Approximately 25 minutes by car from Omagari to the entrance to Kawaguchi Valley, then approximately 60 minutes on foot from the parking lot, or take the Ugo Kotsu bus bound for Ou Sanso to the last stop and walk approximately 45 minutes
  • By car: Approximately 30 minutes by car from Omagari IC on the Akita Expressway to the entrance to Kawaguchi Valley, then approximately 60 minutes on foot from the parking lot

Google Map

Eight branches grew from one tree [Honai's Eight Cedars]

"Hōnai Eight Cedars" are located in a forest area at an altitude of about 120m in Higashi-Yuri Hōnai, in the eastern part of Yurihonjō City at the foot of Mt. Chōkai. When they were first discovered, a single cedar tree had split into eight trunks from the middle, hence the name "Hōnai Eight Cedars." Currently, six trunks that branched out from about 3m above the ground and one dead trunk remain, making a total of seven. The "Hōnai Eight Cedars" are a designated natural monument of Akita Prefecture. At the base of the tree is a small shrine said to have been there since the Edo period. It is an important sacred tree for the local people and has been carefully protected for generations.

With a trunk circumference of 11.50m and a height of 40m, the tree is estimated to be 700, 500, or 300 years old, but there is no doubt that it is an ancient natural Akita cedar. Because the trunk circumference is so large, the place where it branches out has an area the size of three tatami mats, and there is a story that local people used to hold drinking parties there, which may or may not be true

The eight cedar trees in Hounai have been selected as one of the 100 Giants of the Forest

Information about the eight cedar trees in the law

• Name: Hounai's Eight Cedars
• Estimated age: 300 to 700 years
• Tree height: about 40m
• Trunk circumference: approx. 11.50m
• Location: Higashiyurihonjo, Yurihonjo City, Akita Prefecture
• Contact: Yurihonjo City Higashiyuri General Branch Office, Industry and Construction Division
• Phone number: 0184-69-2116
• URL:Hachihonsugi in Hounai
• access:
  • Public transportation: From JR Uetsu Main Line Ugo-Honjo Station, take the Ugo Transportation Bus Higashi-Yuri Line or Honjo-Yokote Line for approximately 45 minutes, then get off at Kura bus stop and walk for approximately 40 minutes, or drive for approximately 50 minutes
  • By car: Approximately 30 minutes from Honjo IC on the Nihonkai Expressway

Google Map

Natural Akita cedars have barely survived deforestation. So far, we have introduced the few natural Akita cedar forests and the lone cedar trees that have lived there for hundreds of years. However, there are some natural Akita cedar forests that we were unable to introduce, such as Mt. Shichiza and Yatate Pass, which do not have the famous lone cedar. These are introduced in "Let's go see natural Akita cedars [2]," so please take a look

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

Let's go see the natural Akita cedars [2] A forest of natural Akita cedars with giant trees over 200 years old

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/44627

In "Let's See Natural Akita Cedars" [1], we introduced some representative ancient Akita cedar trees and the natural forests where they grow. Here, we've focused on natural forests with well-maintained walking trails and other facilities that allow for relatively casual forest bathing. https://jp.neft.asia/archives/44663 The "Nanakura Mountains," which have been carefully protected since the Edo period as direct mountains of the Kubota Domain, are the collective name for seven consecutive mountains jutting out into the Yoneshiro River in Futatsui-cho, Noshiro City, where the river meanders. The main peak, Gongenkura, is the highest, but only rises to a low altitude of 287 meters...

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NORIJUN

My love of travel led me to work for a travel magazine some time ago, and now I work as a travel writer for an online publication. I have visited all 47 prefectures in Japan, focusing on the Tohoku region, and I enjoy soaking in hot springs and experiencing traditional Japanese culture, including old townscapes, lifestyles, and performing arts and crafts