Umaki Hachiman Shrine (prefectural natural monument)

Umaki Hachiman Shrine is located in a valley between Mt. Nikajo and Mt. Gosasou, and according to the Akichoshi, it was built in 1587. The shrine grove that covers the slightly elevated grounds looks like a round mound from the outside. The forest is dominated by Japanese oaks, but there are many other types of trees mixed in, and it is said to have well preserved the original form of the natural forests of this region. For example, the tall tree layer is home to deciduous trees such as Quercus serrata, hemlock hemlock, Japanese oak, and Quercus glauca, while the low tree layer is home to camellia, Japanese ragwort, and Japanese laurel. Below that, the ground is covered with Japanese laurel, white alder, and red fern. By the way, there are quite a lot of Japanese oaks on the southwestern slope of the shrine grove, which is said to be very rare. Shii mochi is an evergreen tall tree of the Ilex family found from the western Chugoku region through to Kyushu, and is often seen on the islands and coasts of Yamaguchi Prefecture. However, in Hiroshima Prefecture, it can only be found near Otake City, which is close to Yamaguchi Prefecture, and there are apparently very few examples of it growing inland like this. This shrine grove, made up of these plants, not only conveys the appearance of a former natural forest, but is also extremely valuable in terms of plant distribution. Location: 1370 Umaki 5-chome, Higashi-ku, Hiroshima City, etc. Date designated as Umaki Hachiman Shrine grounds: January 31, 1978 Summary: Trunk circumference at breast height of main trees: Shii 1.96m 1.91m 1.68m, Konara 1.32m 1.30m, etc.