Sacred Tree at Kyoto's World Heritage Shimogamo Shrine Collapses at 450 Years Old

Around 10:00 a.m. Japan time today, a sacred evergreen oak tree at the Tadasu no Mori grove within Shimogamo Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Sakyō Ward, Kyoto City, broke at the base and collapsed. No one was injured at the scene.

According to reports from the Yomiuri Shimbun and Nippon TV, the shrine stated that the sacred tree is estimated to be approximately 450 years old, standing 30 meters tall with a diameter of about 1.5 meters. It was considered the oldest and largest tree within Tadasu no Mori, a rare primeval forest remaining in Kyoto, and showed no signs of abnormality the day before.

A 'shimenawa' rope, a traditional Shinto sacred rope made of rice straw, had been tied around the trunk of this tree, signifying its status as a sacred object of worship. The shimenawa symbolizes purity and sacred space, serving to ward off evil spirits and invite the presence of deities.

The shrine explained that the tree had been receiving regular check-ups from arborists and had been supported by structural props for about 10 years. The shrine suspects that partial hollowing inside the trunk made it unable to bear the weight of the upper branches, leading to the collapse.

It was reported that shrine priests conducted a purification ritual today. The shrine also stated that they will carefully trim and clear the branches, then hold new purification and cleansing ceremonies, after which the site will continue to be venerated as the 'Site of the Sacred Tree.'