OKINAWA, Jun 22 (News On Japan) - Deep in the World Heritage-listed island of Yakushima stands the Jomon Sugi, a massive cedar tree long seen as the island’s symbol. But recent coverage has revealed that there are several other trees rivaling or even exceeding its size.
The discovery came through exclusive access granted to veteran mountain loggers known as "Yamashi," who know the island’s forests better than anyone. For the first time, television cameras entered these secret areas, guided by the Yamashi.
The Jomon Sugi towers at 22.2 meters with a trunk circumference of 16.1 meters, making it the largest tree currently known on Yakushima. Its twisted, rugged form differs from the straight growth seen in younger trees. Estimates of its age vary widely, ranging from 2,000 to 7,200 years. Every year, about 50,000 hikers visit Yakushima hoping to see the Jomon Sugi.
However, it has now been confirmed that there are at least four other trees comparable in size to the Jomon Sugi. JNN's camera captured these giants for the first time. Yakusugi, the term for cedar trees over 1,000 years old, grow in forests that contributed to Yakushima’s inscription as a World Natural Heritage site.
The team accompanying the reporters consisted of Yamashi — professional mountain workers who have spent decades cutting and managing the island's trees. Access was granted to restricted national forest land where these trees stand. Due to the dangers of getting lost in the dense forest, the Yamashi had long kept the existence of some of these giant trees a secret.
Led by Yamashi expert Ryuji Honda, the team left the established hiking paths and ventured into deep wilderness. On Yakushima, the soil is thin and many trees root directly into rock surfaces. The island’s entire ecosystem has formed under these harsh conditions, with trees growing slowly over centuries.
After two hours of trekking through thick vegetation, the team reached a towering cedar unlike any seen before. Though the top of the tree had already broken and its life as a single tree had ended, new plants were growing on its trunk, transforming it into a living forest of its own. Measuring its circumference with a tape showed it to be about 16 meters — nearly the same as the Jomon Sugi.
"Fortunately, the Yamashi chose not to cut this tree," said Honda. "I’m deeply grateful for that decision."
During Japan’s postwar economic boom, Yakushima’s forests were heavily logged to meet soaring demand for construction timber. Even centuries-old Yakusugi trees were harvested under national policy. Among those who experienced this intense logging period was Minoru Honda, Ryuji's father, once known as Yakushima’s top logger. Minoru, who passed away last year, once remarked that multiple trees as large as the Jomon Sugi still remain in the forest.
A photo survives of one such tree, with a diameter exceeding five meters. This tree remains standing in the forest to this day. Before starting work, Minoru would always pray at the mountain shrine, believing that the spirit of the mountain deserved respect. "Even if people don’t know, I always carried my offering to the mountain god before I began cutting," he recalled.
For nearly two decades, reporters followed the lives of the Yamashi as they carefully extracted large logs by cutting them into sizes that could be airlifted by helicopter. These logs were gathered at collection points and transported to villages that once flourished as Japan’s largest timber supply hubs. At its peak, some 500 people lived in these mountain settlements, complete with houses, stores, barbershops, and schools. Trolleys carrying Yakusugi logs ran through the villages, providing livelihoods for the residents.
However, as the forests were rapidly depleted, jobs vanished and the settlements were eventually abandoned. In the 1980s, growing awareness of environmental preservation halted the remaining logging operations. Today, only four Yamashi remain. They now focus on harvesting stumps and fallen Yakusugi trees for use in crafts, where the tightly packed growth rings create distinctive patterns.
Ryuji Honda has inherited his father’s desire to pass on the Yamashi tradition to future generations. "There’s probably no one else doing this work in all of Japan. It would be great if more people came forward, but for now, we carry on."
Felling these ancient trees requires extraordinary skill. If cut incorrectly, the heavy logs can trap chainsaws or cause deadly accidents. One misstep can lead to catastrophic consequences, and the Yamashi’s expertise is constantly tested. When cutting into decayed or hollow cores, the change in the wood’s resonance signals to experienced Yamashi where to cut next, but such subtle clues are difficult for younger workers to detect.
On another expedition, Ryuji took his top apprentice, Yamashi member Matsumoto, deep into the forest. After an hour of hiking through thick undergrowth, they discovered another massive cedar. "It’s easily as big as the others, maybe around 3,000 years old," said Ryuji. This tree, recently documented on camera for the first time, ranks as the third largest known on Yakushima, though even many forestry experts are unaware of its existence.
Yakushima receives roughly 10,000 millimeters of rainfall annually — six times Japan’s national average. The mountain ridges and narrow hiking paths are surrounded by unique plants that thrive in these wet conditions. Further into the forest, the team encountered yet another giant cedar, which Ryuji estimated to be over 2,000 years old. "There used to be many trees like this," he reflected, "which shows how rich the forest once was."
One tree in particular haunted Minoru Honda during his lifetime. "Usually one giant tree standing alone doesn’t bother me," he said, "but occasionally, you’ll find two enormous trees whose branches intertwine as if locked together. The old folks said those trees were sacred and home to gods." That story, quietly passed down among the Yamashi, lives on.
Accompanied by his team, Ryuji again ventured into the deep mountains to locate this mysterious sacred tree. After about an hour of climbing in heavy rain, they reached the tree known as the "second generation cedar." Its base far exceeded the size of the Jomon Sugi. This unique formation arose when a second Yakusugi grew atop the stump of a previously felled giant, creating a stacked formation. The original base was estimated to be 3,000 years old, while the newer growth that sprouted from it had been growing for 2,000 years. The circumference measured 21 meters.
"This is the largest second-generation Yakusugi I’ve ever seen," said Ryuji. "The original must have been cut around 2,000 years ago."
For the Yamashi, whose name originally referred not only to mountain masters but also to servants of the mountains, the forests are more than a workplace — they are sacred. While they cut some trees to sustain their livelihoods, they also preserved many giants. The seeds that fall from these surviving trees will continue to regenerate the forest, ensuring Yakushima’s living legacy for generations to come.
Source: TBS
