Daiōsugi (Great Cedar Tree)

Overview

Daiōsugi, located in Tofuku Village, Fukuoka Prefecture, is a giant cedar tree over 600 years old. Its overwhelming scale and mystical atmosphere deeply impress visitors. This forest was once a sacred site where ascetic practitioners performed mountaintop training (mineiri shugyō). These practitioners had a custom of planting cedar seedlings during their training. Over the long years, these cedars grew into a group of giant trees now called "Gyōjasugi". Daiōsugi is the largest among them, with a height of approximately 55 meters and a trunk circumference of 8.3 meters – a truly imposing presence. Selected as one of the Forestry Agency's '100 Giant Trees of the Forest,' its grandeur is overwhelming. Around Daiōsugi stand other uniquely named giant trees such as "Rei-ken Sugi" (the Mother of Ascetics), "Sakai-me Sugi" (Boundary Cedar), and "Oni Sugi" (Demon Cedar), each with its own legends and traditions. A walk through the forest reveals giant cedar trees reaching for the sky, with moss-covered boulders scattered at their base – a place where you can truly feel the power of nature. Daiōsugi is a recommended sightseeing spot where you can feel the grandeur and mystery of nature and refresh your mind. Furthermore, many kilns of Koishiwara-yaki pottery are located around Daiōsugi, offering opportunities to admire traditional crafts or even try pottery making. Tofuku Village is a charming area where nature and culture harmoniously coexist, so when visiting Daiōsugi, please enjoy the surrounding sights as well.