| This month I give you a summary of the tree measurements from a Japanese book about the largest trees in Japan. This book has no Roman alphabet characters except for the numbers, in meters. I translated the Japanese Katakana names, and have added scientific and English names --where the latter even exist. The book title, more or less, translates The 674 Big Trees all over Japan. The author is Hiroshi Watanabe. The book was published in March 1999 by YAMA-KEI of Tokyo; it has 451 pages; and its ISBN (for the 2006 printing): 978-4-635-06251-0. |
| It has more than 75 species, excluding some important Japanese natives (such as the Larch, Kara-matsu) and including some non-natives (such as the Pomegranate). The trees are arranged geographically, going from Hokkaido and north Honshu to Kyushu. For every single tree --all 674-- a color photograph is supplied, and the month and date it was taken. The book has some one-tree-only species, and multiple examples of others such as Ginkgo, Japanese Cedar, wild cherry trees, Camphor trees. For most trees shown there is also an estimated age. There is a partial, and to me confusing, index. |
| The tree measurements are given in height of meters, and trunk circumference (not diameter) at 1.3 meters from the ground. For those trees that are wider than tall, I wish the width of their ample crown spreads had been supplied. Unlike most large old or champion trees in the United States, many in Japan are revered. The pictures often show offerings, small shrines, decorative ropes, and elaborate careful props to support aged limbs. The trees are evidently revered. |
My lengthy table below lists 89 of the trees alphabetically by Japanese names. It gives only some of the book's many measurements --tallest, stoutest and oldest. To understand the size figures in feet, multiply the metric numbers by 3.281. Since I do not know Japanese, I fully expect that I made some errors in the following compilation. If readers are kind enough to alert me I will correct these. As for the measurements and ages, in some cases I am sure that exaggeration has been done. But I supply what was printed.
|
| アカマツ |
| Aka-matsu |
| Pinus densifolia |
| Japanese Red Pine |
| 35 m tall × 5.1 m circumference; 500 years old |
22 m tall × 7.5 m circumference; 500 years old
|
| アカシデ |
| Aka-shide |
| Carpinus laxiflora |
| Looseflower Hornbeam |
5 m tall × 2 m circumference; 700 years old
|
| アカガシ |
| Aka-gashi |
| Quercus acuta |
| Japanese Red Oak |
| 15 m tall × 6.9 m circumference; 400 years old |
13 m tall × 7.8 m circumference
|
| アコウ |
| Ako |
| Ficus Wightiana (F. virens var. W.) |
| Gray or White Fig Tree |
| 15m tall × 10.8 m circumference; 1,200 years old |
| 6 m tall × 18.3 m circumference |
30 m tall × 10 m circumference
|
| アスナロ |
| Asunaro |
| Thujopsis dolabrata |
| Hiba Arborvitae |
27 m tall × 6 m circumference; 500 years old
|
| アベマキ |
| Abe-maki |
| Quercus variabilis |
| Chinese Cork Oak |
| 16 m tall × 5 m circumference; 400 years old |
30 m tall × 2.6 m circumference
|
| アラカシ |
| Ara-kashi |
| Quercus glauca |
| Ring-cupped or Japanese Blue Oak |
15 m tall × 7.5 m circumference
|
| イスノキ |
| Isu-no-ki |
| Distylium racemosum |
| Japanese Isu-tree |
16 m tall × 3.9 m circumference
|
| イチイ |
| Ichii |
| Taxus cuspidata |
| Japanese Yew |
| 15 m tall × 8 m circumference; 2,000 years old |
| 25 m tall × 6.9 m circumference; 2,000 years old |
22 m tall × 6.2 m circumference; 3,000 years old
|
| イチイガ |
| Ichii-gashi |
| Quercus gilva (Cyclobalanopsis g.) |
| Ichii Oak |
| 33 m tall × 7 m circumference |
20 m tall × 12 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| イチョウ |
| Icho |
| Gingko biloba |
| Maidenhair Tree |
| 40 m tall × 20 m circumference; 1,000 years old |
45 m tall × 7.4 m circumference; 1,200 years old
|
| イヌシデ |
| Inu-shide |
| Carpinus Tschonoskii |
| Yeddo Hornbeam |
12 m tall × 3 m circumference
|
| イヌマキ |
| Inu-maki |
| Podocarpus macrophyllus |
| Yew Pine |
| 20 m tall × 8 m circumference; 400 years old |
10 m tall × 4.8 m circumference; 1,200 years old
|
| イトザクラ |
| Ito-zakura |
| Prunus pendula |
| Weeping Cherry |
19 m tall × 9.5 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| イブキ |
| Ibuki |
| Juniperus chinensis |
| Chinese Juniper |
| 35 m tall × 10.5 m circumference; 700 years old |
20 m tall × 21.3 m circumference; 1,500 years old
|
| イロハモミジ |
| Iroha-momiji |
| Acer palmatum |
| Japanese Maple |
| 27 m tall × 4.1 m circumference; 860 years old |
9 m tall × 5 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| ウスギモクセイ |
| Usu-kin-mokusei |
| Osmanthus fragrans var. Thunbergii |
| Fragrant, Sweet, or Tea-Olive |
15 m tall × 4 m circumference; 1,200 years old
|
| ウテジロカシ |
| Urajiro-gashi |
| Quercus salicina |
| Japanese Willowleaf-Oak |
21 m tall × 5 m circumference; 300 years old
|
| ウバメガシ |
| Ubame-gashi |
| Quercus phillyræoides |
| Ubame Oak |
| 11.5 m tall × 5 m circumference; 1,100 years old |
8 m tall × 7.9 m circumference; 2,000 years old
|
| エドヒガソ |
| Edo-higan |
| Prunus pendula f. ascendens |
| Equinox or Wild Spring-Cherry |
| 30 m tall × 6 m circumference; 500 years old |
20 m tall × 11.3 m circumference; 1,200 years old
|
| エノキ |
| E-no-ki |
| Celtis sinensis var. japonica |
| Japanese Hackberry |
20 m tall × 7.5 m circumference; 200 years old
|
| エソジュ |
| Enju |
| Sophora japonica |
| Chinese Scholar Tree; Japanese Pagoda Tree |
16 m tall × 8 m circumference; 800 years old
|
| オオシマザクラ |
| O-shima-zakura |
| Prunus Lannesiana var. speciosa |
| Oshima Cherry |
14 m tall × 8 m circumference; 200 years old
|
| オガタマノキ |
| Oga-tama-no-ki |
| Michelia compressa (Magnolia c.) |
| Inviting-Soul Tree; Japanese Evergreen Magnolia |
20 m tall × 9.1 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| カイノキ |
| Kai-no-ki |
| Pistacia chinensis |
| Chinese Pistachio |
14 m tall × 2.2 m circumference; 80 years old
|
| カキ |
| Kaki |
| Diospyros Kaki |
| Asian Persimmon |
13 m tall × 5 m circumference; 500 years old
|
| カゴノキ |
| Kago-no-ki |
| Actinodaphne lancifolia |
| Kago Laurel |
| 15 m tall × 9.5 m circumference; 400 years old |
15 m tall × 4.6 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| カシワ |
| Kashiwa |
| Quercus dentata |
| Daimyo Oak |
25 m tall × 4.1 m circumference; 350-400 years old
|
| カスミザクラ |
| Kasumi-zakura |
| Prunus verecunda (P. Levilleana) |
| Korean Hill-Cherry |
14 m tall × 5 m circumference; 400 years old
|
| カツラ |
| Katsura |
| Cercidiphyllum japonicum |
| Katsura Tree |
| 40 m tall × 18 m circumference |
| 35 m tall × 19 m circumference; 2,000 years old |
37 m tall × 20 m circumference; 800 years old
|
| カヤ |
| Kaya |
| Torreya nucifera |
| Japanese Nutmeg-Tree |
| 30 m tall × 5.6 m circumference; 600 years old |
| 25 m tall × 7.8 m circumference; 1,000 years old |
16.5 m tall × 8.7 m circumference; 900 years old
|
| キソモクセイ |
| Kin-mokusei |
| Osmanthus fragrans f. aurantiacus |
| Orange or Gold Osmanthus |
12 m tall × 3.2 m circumference; 400 years old
|
| クスノキ |
| Kusu-no-ki |
| Cinnamomum Camphora |
| Camphor Tree |
| 42 m tall × 10 m circumference; 800 years old |
| 30 m tall × 24.2 m circumference; 1,500 years old |
25 m tall × 21 m circumference; 3,000 years old
|
| クロマツ |
| Kuro-matsu |
| Pinus Thunbergii |
| Japanese Black Pine |
| 25 m tall × 6.4 m circumference; 300 years old |
10 m tall × 7 m circumference; 600 years old
|
| クロガネモチ |
| Kurogane-mochi |
| Ilex rotunda |
| Kurogane or Round-leaf Holly |
17 m tall × 3.9 m circumference; 500 years old
|
| クロベ |
| Kurobe |
| Thuja Standishii |
| Japanese Arborvitae |
| 26 m tall × 5.4 m circumference; 500 years old |
25 m tall × 7.7 m circumference; 600 years old
|
| クワ |
| Kuwa |
| Morus alba (M. bombycis) |
| White Mulberry-Tree |
13.7 m tall × 5.3 m circumference; 1,500 years old
|
| クン |
| Kuri |
| Castanea crenata |
| Japanese Chestnut Tree |
| 17.4 m tall × 5.7 m circumference; 800 years old |
14 m tall × 7.2 m circumference
|
| ケヤキ |
| Keyaki |
| Zelkova serrata |
| Japanese Zelkova |
| 25 m tall × 28.4 (sic) m circumference; 700 years old |
| 28 m tall × 12.6 m circumference; 1,500 years old |
40 m tall × 8.9 m circumference; 600 years old
|
| ケソボナシ |
| Kenpo-nashi |
| Hovenia dulcis |
| Japanese Raisin-Tree |
18 m tall × 3.6 m circumference; 200 years old
|
| コウヤマキ |
| Koya-maki |
| Sciadopitys verticillata |
| Japanese Umbrella-Pine |
| 29 m tall × 6 m circumference; 800 years old |
27 m tall × 6.3 m circumference; 600 years old
|
| コナラ |
| Konara |
| Quercus glandulifera (Q. serrata) |
| Konara Oak |
28 m tall × 5.6 m circumference
|
| コミネカエデ |
| Ko-mine-kaede |
| Acer micranthum |
| Small-flowered Maple |
8 m tall × 2.8 m circumference; 600 years old
|
| サィカチ |
| Saikachi |
| Gleditsia japonica |
| Japanese Honeylocust |
10.1 m tall × 5.4 m circumference; 450 years old
|
| サカキ |
| Sakaki |
| Cleyera japonica |
| Japanese Cleyera; Sakaki-tree |
11 m tall × 3.4 m circumference; 300-400 years old
|
| サワラ |
| Sawara |
| Chamæcyparis pisifera |
| Sawara Cypress |
| 45 m tall × 7.2 m circumference; 1,000 years old |
43 m tall × 9.6 m circumference; 700 years old
|
| ザワロ |
| Zakuro |
| Punica Granatum |
| Pomegranate |
7.4 m tall × 1.3 m circumference; 125 years old
|
| サザソカ |
| Sazanka |
| Camellia Sasanqua |
| Sasanqua Camellia |
5.5 m tall × 1.6 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| サトザクラ |
| Sato-zakura |
| Prunus Lannesiana var. Lannesiana |
| Japanese Flowering Cherry |
8 m tall × 5.5 m circumference; 200 years old
|
| シダレカツラ |
| Shidare-katsura |
| Cercidiphyllum japonicum f. pendulum |
| Weeping Katsura-Tree |
23 m tall × 4.4 m circumference; 170 years old
|
| シナノキ |
| Shina-no-ki |
| Tilia japonica |
| Japanese Linden |
23 m tall × 8 m circumference; 200-300 years old
|
| シラカシ |
| Shira-kashi |
| Quercus myrsinæfolia |
| Bamboo-leaf Oak |
31 m tall × 8 m circumference; 350 years old
|
| シロヤナギ |
| Shiro-yanagi |
| Salix jessoensis (S. dolichostyla) |
| Yeddo Willow |
22 m tall × 5.5 m circumference; 130 years old
|
| スギ |
| Sugi |
| Cryptomeria japonica |
| Japanese Cedar |
| 68 m tall × 15 m circumference; 2,000 years old |
| 25.3 m tall × 16.1 m circumference; 7,200 years old (sic) |
45 m tall × 25 m circumference; 500 years old
|
| スダジイ |
| Suda-jii |
| Castanopsis cuspidata var. Sieboldii |
| Japanese Chinquapin |
| 29 m tall × 8.2 m circumference; 1,300 years old |
20 m tall × 11.4 m circumference
|
| セソダソ |
| Sendan |
| Melia Azedarach |
| Chinaberry-Tree |
| 13 m tall × 6 m circumference; 300 years old |
8.9 m tall × 9.2 m circumference; 400 years old
|
| ソテツ |
| Sotetsu |
| Cycas revoluta |
| Sago Cycad; Japanese Sago Palm |
10 m tall × 2.5 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| ソメイョシノ |
| Somei-yoshino |
| Prunus × yedoensis |
| Yoshino Cherry-Tree |
| 18 m tall × 3.6 m circumference |
11 m tall × 5.1 m circumference; 90-100 years old
|
| タブノキ |
| Tabu-no-ki |
| Persea Thunbergii (Machilus T.) |
| Japanese Machilus; Tabu Laurel |
| 35 m tall × 7.9 m circumference; 500 years old |
| 20 m tall × 8.5 m circumference; 1,300-1,500 years old |
18 m tall × 10.8 m circumference; 500 years old
|
| タラョウ |
| Tara-yo |
| Ilex latifolia |
| Tarajo or Magnolia-leaf Holly |
| 14.9 m tall × 2.5 m circumference |
10 m tall × 3.3 m circumference
|
| チシャノキ |
| Chisha-no-ki |
| Ehretia acuminata (E. ovalifolia) |
| Heliotrope Tree; Tallow Tree |
14 m tall × 4.8 m circumference; 700 years old
|
| チャソチソモドキ |
| Chanchin-modoki |
| Choerospondias axillaris var. japonica |
| no English name |
25 m tall × 3.7 m circumference
|
| ツクバネガシ |
| Tsukubane-gashi |
| Quercus sessilifolia |
| Tsukubane Oak |
| 27 m tall × 7.9 m circumference; 360 years old |
26 m tall × 6 m circumference; 600 years old
|
| トチノキ |
| Tochi-no-ki |
| Æsculus turbinata |
| Japanese Horse-chestnut |
| 35 m tall × 10 m circumference; 300 years old |
25 m tall × 13 m circumference; 1,300 years old
|
| ナギ |
| Nagi |
| Podocarpus Nagi (Nageia N.) |
| Broadleaf Podocarp |
| 25 m tall × 3.4 m circumference; 500 years old |
15 m tall × 5.8 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| ナラガシワ |
| Nara-gashiwa |
| Quercus aliena |
| Oriental White Oak |
16 m tall × 3.5 m circumference
|
| ネズ |
| Nezu (Nedzusashi) |
| Juniperus rigida |
| Needle Juniper |
9 m tall × 3.5 m circumference; 1,400 years old
|
| バクチノキ |
| Bakuchi-no-ki |
| Prunus Zippeliana |
| Gambling Tree; Japanese Evergreen Cherry |
20 m tall × 5.2 m circumference; 320 years old
|
| ハナノキ |
| Hai-no-ki |
| Symplocos myrtacea |
| Japanese Sapphireberry |
15 m tall × 5.2 m circumference
|
| ハマセソダソ |
| Hama-sendan |
| Euodia meliifolia (meliæfolia) |
| no English name |
25 m tall × 3.3 m circumference; 300 years old
|
| ハンギン |
| Harigiri (Sen-noki) |
| Kalopanax septemlobus |
| Prickly Castor-Tree |
40 m tall × 6.5 m circumference; 360 years old
|
| ハラニレ |
| Haru-nire |
| Ulmus Davidiana var. japonica |
| Japanese Elm |
| 26 m tall × 6.2 m circumference; 300 years old |
20 m tall × 7.2 m circumference; 350 years old
|
| ヒイラギ |
| Hiiragi |
| Osmanthus heterophyllus |
| Common Osmanthus |
| 15 m tall × 2.4 m circumference; 600 years old |
11.7 m tall × 3 m circumference; 950 years old
|
| ヒイラギモクセイ |
| Hiiragi-mokusei |
| Osmanthus × Fortunei |
| Hybrid Osmanthus |
9 m tall × 2.4 m circumference; 400 years old
|
| ヒノキ |
| Hi-no-ki |
| Chamæcyparis obtusa |
| Hinoki Cypress |
| 40 m tall × 4.7 m circumference; 500 years old |
| 33 m tall × 6.2 m circumference; 1,000 years old |
32 m tall × 8 m circumference; 800 years old
|
| ヒメバラモミ |
| Hime-bara-momi |
| Picea Maximowiczii |
| Japanese Bush Spruce |
20 m tall × 3.8 m circumference; 500 years old
|
| ブナ |
| Buna |
| Fagus crenata |
| Japanese Beech |
24 m tall × 8.6 m circumference; 600 years old
|
| ホオノキ |
| Hoo-no-ki |
| Magnolia obovata (M. hypoleuca) |
| Japanese Silverleaf Magnolia |
15 m tall × 6.2 m circumference; 300 years old
|
| ホラトノキ |
| Horuto-no-ki |
| Elæocarpus sylvestris |
| Japanese Blueberry-Tree |
30 m tall × 8.5 m circumference
|
| マラバヤナギ |
| Maruba-yanagi |
| Salix chænomeloides |
| Japanese or Giant Pussywillow |
11 m tall × 3.9 m circumference; 150 years old
|
| ミズナラ |
| Mongori-nara |
| Quercus mongolica var. grosserata |
| Mongolian Oak |
| 33 m tall × 9.4 m circumference; 300 years old |
18 m tall × 4.9 m circumference; 800 years old
|
| ムクノキ |
| Muku-no-ki |
| Aphananthe aspera |
| Muku-tree |
| 30 m tall × 8.1 m circumference; 1,000 years old |
18 m tall × 9.5 m circumference; 1,500 years old
|
| ムクロジ |
| Muku-roji |
| Sapindus Mukurossi |
| Japanese Soapberry-Tree |
12 m tall × 4.2 m circumference
|
| モモツコク |
| Mokkoku |
| Ternstroemia gymnanthera |
| Japanese Ternstroemia |
| 22.5 m tall × 2.3 m circumference |
20 m tall × 3.4 m circumference; 600 years old
|
| モミ |
| Momi |
| Abies firma |
| Momi Fir |
| 36 m tall × 6.3 m circumference |
34 m tall × 7.8 m circumference; 1,000 years old
|
| ヤチダモ |
| Yachi-damo |
| Fraxinus mandshurica var. japonica |
| Japanese Ash |
22 m tall × 4.3 m circumference; 640 years old
|
| ヤブツバキ |
| Yabu-tsubaki |
| Camellia japonica |
| Common Camellia |
9.7 m tall × 3.2 m circumference; 1,200 years old
|
| ヤマザクラ |
| Yama-zakura |
| Prunus Jamasakura |
| Japanese Hill-Cherry |
25 m tall × 8.3 m circumference
|
| ヤマモモ |
| Yama-momo |
| Myrica rubra |
| Red or Chinese Bayberry |
20 m tall × 4.6 m circumference; 400-500 years old
|
That is the end.
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