Nakano Sunahashi Welcome Pine (city designated historic site)

On the right bank of the middle reaches of the Seno River, there are six black pine trees lined up, affectionately known locally as "welcoming pines." This area was once on the route of the Saigoku Kaido, a road that connected Osaka and Nagasaki. The Saigoku Kaido was an important main road second only to the Five Highways, and feudal lords along the road followed the example of the Five Highways, placing post stations and tea shops at key points, building mileposts every ri (about 4 km), and creating rows of pine trees, all of which were efforts to develop the road. These "welcoming pines" are remnants of those roadside pines. It is said that the ancient Sanyo Road headed northwest from Nakano, where these pines are located, crossed the Kogoe Pass, passed through Fuchu Town in Aki County, and headed west through Yasufuruichi. However, when Hiroshima Castle was built and the castle town was developed, the route was changed to pass through Kaita and enter the castle town of Hiroshima. The "welcoming pine tree" is said to have been planted when construction of the Saigoku Kaido road began in the Edo period, but the current age of the pine tree is estimated to be between 100 and 250 years, so it is unlikely to have been the first to be planted. That being said, there are few remaining road pine trees in Hiroshima city today, and no other examples of such a large group remaining can be found anywhere else. The name "welcoming pine tree" is said to come from the fact that when a feudal lord returned to his homeland after a year's work in Edo in accordance with the alternate attendance system, his retainers who were in charge of the castle would come to this area to welcome him as he left his final lodgings in Saijo Yokkaichi and entered Hiroshima Castle town. Location: Nakano 1-chome, Aki-ku, Hiroshima City Date of land designation: February 18, 1974