Giant Camphor Tree in Tsukazaki
Estimated to be 1,300 years old, the giant camphor tree in Tsukazaki is approximately 14 meters around and 25 meters tall. Over 50 different kinds of plants have made their home on its trunk and branches. The tree takes its name from its location in the Tsukazaki Kofun Cluster, an area encompassing a number of ancient burial mounds dating as far back as the fourth century. The tree grows out of the top of one such mound, but it is unknown whether this was by design or coincidence. Its signature feature is the striking heart-shaped hole in its trunk, which local legend says houses a large serpent.
To learn more about the Tsukazaki Kofun Cluster, visit the Kimotsuki Museum of History and Folklore.
Open to the public.
Access
Address: 2243 Nosaki, Kimotsuki, Kimotsuki District, Kagoshima 893-1201
Parking is available at a small gravel lot marked with a sign. When driving south toward the tree, the parking lot will be on the righthand side of the road, a few meters before the entrance to the bamboo grove.
