The ginkgo tree at Nakanomori Hachiman Shrine (designated as a natural monument by the city)

On the border between Numata-cho, Asaminami-ku, and Yuuki-cho, Saeki-ku, stands Mt. Togo, which is nearly 1,000 meters high. Nakanomori Hachiman Shrine is located at the foot of the mountain. On both sides of the stone steps leading to the shrine, there is a dense evergreen broadleaf forest of oaks, camellias, and other trees, many of which are so large that it seems impossible for one adult to hold them. Among them, this large oak tree on the west side of the shrine grounds has a trunk circumference of over 5 meters at chest height, and once split into six trunks about 1.5 meters above the ground, making it a magnificent sight with its branches spreading out widely. However, due to the impact of Typhoon No. 19 in 1991, two of the six trunks broke about 5 meters above the ground, and the tree's appearance has changed. As can be seen from the fact that oaks are used for hedges under the name "bo-gashi," they have the characteristic of having a straight trunk. It is very rare for a tree to branch out in six directions at such a low position as this one does. Incidentally, oaks are widely distributed from southwestern Japan to China and the warm temperate zone of the Himalayas. They are commonly found in fertile soil such as at the foot of mountains and along rivers in Hiroshima city, but it is rare to see a giant tree like this one, with a diameter of 1.6m at the base. Location: 2914 Yoshiyama, Numata-cho, Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima City, Nakanomori Hachiman Shrine grounds Date of designation: April 14, 1975 Summary: Tree height approximately 22m, root circumference 5.2m, branch spread 10.8m east, 12m west, 9m south, 11.4m north