Large hackberry tree at Miyano Hachiman Shrine (a city-designated natural monument)

Miyano Hachiman Shrine is located on the riverbank of the Ota River, about 10km upstream from the confluence of the Ota River and the Misasa River. Within the shrine grounds are large trees such as Japanese cedars, camellias, and white alder, but this large Japanese hackberry is particularly large and imposing. Its trunk circumference at chest height is over 4m, and it is said to be the second largest Japanese hackberry in the prefecture. Plants such as Nandina, Wild Grape, and Japanese Nobori grow at the fork in the main trunk, giving a sense of the great vitality of this Japanese hackberry. It is believed that the Japanese hackberry, which has plants growing on it in this way, has mysterious powers. Also, because Japanese hackberry trees are prone to forming cavities, it is believed that divine spirits reside there, and it is said that Japanese hackberry trees that have been left as sacred trees can be found all over Japan. Japanese hackberry trees are distributed from Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu to as far as central China, where they formed forests on the riverbanks along with zelkova and tabu trees, but they have now almost disappeared. This large enoki tree at Miyano Hachiman Shrine is an important witness that tells us that there used to be many enoki trees growing on the banks of the Ota River. Location: 65 Miyano, Asa-cho, Asakita-ku, Hiroshima City Date of designation within the grounds of Miyano Hachiman Shrine: September 12, 1977 Summary: Tree height approx. 30m, root circumference 5.55m, trunk circumference 4.2m, branch spread east 14m west 15m south 13m north