What is “Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi”? Exploring a Tree Over 1,000 Years Old

2025/09/02 2025/08/21 This site contains advertisements.　Category: Going out

Hello.
Did you know that there is a giant cedar tree in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, known as “Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi”?

A while ago, an acquaintance of mine told me, “I went to see the Tamasugi!” and “It was huge!” I was so curious about what kind of tree it was, I decided to go and see it for myself.

Like its name, “Japan’s No. 1,” I was left breathless by its majestic appearance and the mystique of nature.

In this article, I’ll share my journey to Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi and share the charms of the tree I saw with my own eyes.

What kind of cedar is “Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi”?

“Tamasugi” refers to a very rare type of cedar, characterized by the many ball-like branches and leaves that grow densely together in a round shape on a single tree.
It is said that the name comes from the tree’s resemblance to a giant green ball.
It is extremely rare for such a unique shape to be created by the power of nature, and its presence is truly breathtaking.

“Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi” is the Yamairagawa Tamasugi located in the Yamairagawa district of Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture.
This giant cedar tree, located in the grounds of Kumano Shrine, is said to be 1,000 to 1,500 years old, with a trunk circumference of approximately 11m, a circumference of 22m at the base, and a height of approximately 36 to 40m.

It’s a massive tree with an imposing presence, and was designated a national natural monument in 1951!

How do I get to Japan’s largest cedar tree?

Japan’s largest cedar tree is located within the grounds of Kumano Shrine (266 Usui, Yamaisogawa, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture).
Access is approximately a 10-minute drive from the Iragawa Interchange on the Nihonkai-Tohoku Expressway, or an hour from the Asahi Mahoroba Interchange. Free parking is available.

It takes about 10 minutes (200 steps) to climb the stone steps on the approach to the main shrine and Tamasugi. The scenery of the forest and stone steps along the way is also enjoyable.

Facility name	Kumano Shrine
telephone number	For inquiries, please contact Yamagogawa Community Center. 0235-45-2949
address	〒999-7201 266 Usui, Yamagogawa, Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture
access	[Train] Approximately 20 minutes by taxi from JR Atsumi Onsen Station Approximately 10 minutes by taxi from JR Iragawa Station [Car] Approximately 10 minutes by car from Iragawa IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway Approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes by car from Asahi Mahoroba IC on the Nihonkai Tohoku Expressway
parking	Parking available (free)
SNS	Yamagokawa Official Homepage

On our way to Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi! What awaits us at the end of the long staircase…

Tamasugi is located in the small village of Yamaisogawa in Tsuruoka City.
It’s located within the grounds of Kumano Shrine, so I set my car navigation system to Kumano Shrine.
It seems to be located in the mountains, and I was a little worried because I was surrounded by mountains no matter how far I went, but I arrived at the parking lot safely.

A wooden sign that reads “Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi Cedar”

We are greeted by a wooden carved sign reading “Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi Cedar” and a cat.
Parking is free and there are clean toilets available.
According to the guide, it takes about 10 minutes to climb the stairs from here.

Let’s get going!

Once you pass through the torii gate of Kumano Shrine, you’ll come across quite a flight of stairs.
I can’t see how far I have to climb or the finish line.

I’m panting. I’m getting out of breath…
I still can’t see any trees that look like “Tamasugi” trees.
I took breaks along the way as I climbed.

After climbing a little further, a rather thick tree came into view.
(The rather thick cedar tree can be seen in the center of the photo.)

Thinking that it wasn’t that impressively thick, I continued climbing the stairs,
and soon arrived at the top!

The giant Tamasugi tree that appeared before me was an impressive sight!

日本一の玉杉_鶴岡市 — The largest cedar tree in Japan, designated as a national natural monument, has an overwhelming presence.

“Amazing!” is the only word that comes to mind.

While amazed by the cedar tree, we first visited Kumano Shrine, located to the left of the tree.

Visiting Kumano Shrine

Kumano Shrine sits quietly in the mountains, surrounded by greenery.
The shrine itself is very small and not crowded with tourists, but the sounds of nature touch your soul.

For the locals, both the cedar tree and the shrine have been cherished since ancient times. They are still well-maintained, and it’s a place where you can really feel the connection between people and nature.

Furthermore, Kumano Shrine is located a few meters away from the Tamasugi tree, but the roots of the tree grew, pushing against the worship hall, causing it to tilt. In 2001, the shrine building was moved to a safer location and a new building was built.

Here’s another report on the size of “Japan’s largest Tamasugi tree”!

Here are my impressions of seeing Japan’s largest Tamasugi tree once again.

There is a rope around the Tamasugi tree, so you can’t get to the base of the tree, and of course you can’t touch it directly.
However, there is a wooden walkway that follows the rope and takes you all the way around the tree.

↓This was taken from behind the tree

Japan’s best Tamasugi tree photographed from behind

If you look to the right of the Tamasugi shimenawa rope in this photo, can you see a girl holding an umbrella?
This may make it difficult to appreciate the size of the Tamasugi tree, so this time I took a photo of the girl standing directly next to the tree from the front.

I hope I was able to give you a sense of how big the Tamasugi tree is!

It’s truly impressive to see it up close!

Next, I looked up at it from below, in a spot with the best branches.

It has a huge trunk and incredible branches.

I suddenly wondered if samurai and farmers might have rested at the base of this cedar during the Sengoku period…

I wondered if Zero fighter planes flew over this cedar during wartime…

I found myself lost in thoughts of a distant past unknown to me.

Tamasugi, a tree that has been alive for over 1,500 years

Summary

Amid a forest where the only sounds are the chirping of birds, this cedar tree has been standing for over 1,500 years, proudly spreading its roots.
Just looking at the enormous cedar tree seems to purify both body and soul. It’s truly an amazing place.
It’s a place that makes you want to stay forever.

It’s hard to convey its majesty in a photograph, so I highly recommend you go and see Japan’s No. 1 Tamasugi.
It’s the ultimate power spot!