Category:

Municipally Designated Natural Monument

Title:

Suna no okeyaki

The Great Zelkova Tree of Suna

砂の大ケヤキ

No. of features:

One tree

Designated:

April 14, 1962

Location:

1-30-3 Higashi-Omiya, Minuma Ward

Owner:

Yakumo-jinja Shrine

Description:

This giant “keyaki” (Japanese zelkova/ Zelkova serrata) had a height of 30 meters, a trunk circumference of 6.6 meters, and a base circumference of 19.3 meters at the time of designation.

It is considered to be one of Yakumo-jinja Shrine’s sacred trees. As such, it was hung with a giant “shimenawa” at the time of designation. Shimenawa are large straw ropes hung to mark a boundary between sacred and profane space.

 There is a Kannondo Hall to the east of the tree, leading some to refer to it as “Kannon-sama (Avalokiteśvara)’s Zelkova”. 

Associated Texts:

(1965). “Cultural Properties in Omiya”. Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

(1970). “Designated Cultural Properties in Omiya City”. Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

(1971). “Designated Cultural Properties in Omiya City”. Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

(1987). “Cultural Properties in Omiya” (vol. 3). Omiya Municipal Board of Education.

Please be courteous towards other visitors, locals, and the site’s owners/curators when visiting this cultural property.

Inquiries (Japanese only)

Cultural Heritage Preservation Division, Department of Lifelong Learning, Board of Education Secretariat　

TEL：048-829-1723 FAX：048-829-1989

https://www.city.saitama.jp/004/005/006/001/005/002/003/p000552.html