Sacred Cedar

The cedar trunk preserved here is part of a giant tree once taller than the main keep of Inuyama Castle. It served as a windbreak sheltering the castle from the strong winds of typhoons and was believed to protect it from lightning strikes. The tree withered and died around 1965. Instead of felling the tree, members of the community preserved its trunk and enshrined it as a protector of the castle. The straw rope and white paper ornaments are traditional symbols that designate an object or an area as sacred. Also wrapped around the trunk is Chinese trumpet vine, whose bright orange flowers bloom every June.