In early December, I went to Sairenji Temple in Namegata City, famous for its giant ginkgo trees, to see the autumn leaves of the ginkgo.
Sairenji Temple is an old Tendai sect temple founded in 782.
782 is 1239 years ago from now, which was during the ancient Nara period, the era of Emperor Kanmu. It is a considerably old temple.
After a short walk from the parking lot, I immediately saw a magnificent main gate.
It is the Niomon Gate, a National Important Cultural Property.
As soon as I passed through the main gate, a large cedar tree greeted me. The circumference of its trunk must be close to 2 meters.
Since it is a very old temple, it seems there are many giant trees.
The chozuya (washing basin) was beautifully decorated with seasonal flowers.
This ginkgo tree was larger than any I had ever seen.
Its yellow leaves were beautifully colored.
It was so large that the entire view couldn't fit in the camera.
I tried to take a picture from a little further away so that the entire view would be included.
You can tell how big the ginkgo is when compared to the size of people.
I read the description of the giant ginkgo tree, and it said that this tree is called "Stock No. 1" among the two giant ginkgo trees. Its trunk circumference is about 6 meters, and its height is about 25 meters! It's an imposing size. Its age is estimated to be over 1000 years.
It is designated as a natural monument of Ibaraki Prefecture, and it was written that its trunk was burned and thinned in a fire in 1883, but this thickness is astonishing!
I walked around the tree.
Its thick roots firmly gripped the ground.
The trunk hung down like a stalactite in a cave. This is said to be a characteristic of old ginkgo trees.
Even though it's an old tree, it doesn't feel "aged" at all.
Its branches spread out across the sky and are very vigorous. I feel its thousand-year presence.
The ginkgo in the foreground is Stock No. 1, and the ginkgo in the background is Stock No. 2.
Stock No. 2 is also over a thousand years old, about 27 meters tall, and has a trunk circumference of about 8 meters.
It is said that its trunk broke during a typhoon in the Taisho era, but even so, it is overwhelmingly impressive.
I walked around Stock No. 2. This one still had many green leaves.
Both Stock No. 1 and Stock No. 2 are male trees, so they do not produce ginkgo nuts.
The two giant ginkgo trees strangely exude a warm feeling.
The phrase "composed and unperturbed" came to mind.
Having watched the changing world for a thousand years, what kind of conversations among people have they heard?
Text and Photos: Hashimoto (Regional Collaboration Team)
[Sairenji Temple]
504 Sairenji, Namegata City, Ibaraki Prefecture