Sacred Junipers
Bring this scene home, share it as a gift, or license it for your project:・Order prints, digital downloads, or commercial licenses・Explore gifts and merchandiseRevered Grove of Divine Junipers at Cape Osezaki
大瀬崎のビャクシン樹林：夫婦ビャクシンの発見
At the end of Cape Ose lies a revered grove of approximately 130 juniper trees, which is the northernmost natural old-growth juniper forest in Japan. This rare and small colony of naturally growing junipers is particularly unique in the Japanese archipelago.
Among these towering, centuries-old trees, some are estimated to be over 1,500 years old. Recognizing its significance, the Japanese government designated the forest a Natural Monument in 1932, naming it the Osezaki Juniper Forest. Since then, it has been protected not just as a biological rarity, but as a spiritual sanctuary.
The species, Juniperus chinensis—commonly known outside Japan as Chinese juniper—belongs to the cypress family (Cupressaceae). While found throughout Korea and central China, this conifer is native to Japan, thriving in coastal regions on the islands of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. Adapted to rocky shores and strong winds, these trees often develop dramatically twisted trunks and limbs, which add to their visual and spiritual allure.
One tree in particular caught my attention: a towering pair known as the Husband and Wife Juniper (夫婦ビャクシン・Meoto Byakushin). Two trunks, born from the same root, stretch upward in quiet union. Around them, a braided shimenawa straw rope wraps gently, marking them as sacred in the Shinto tradition. These conifers are divine trees (御神木・Goshinboku) believed to house the presence of spirits or deities.
Standing before these trees, I couldn’t help but feel a quiet reverence. Their age of over fifteen centuries renders them almost beyond my comprehension. They've witnessed the rise and fall of empires; survived the movement of earthquakes, tsunamis, and typhoons; and have been a focus of worship and prayers by generations of local villagers, local fishermen, and countless travelers.
Location: Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
Timestamp: 2025/03/19・11:18
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
28 mm ISO 400 for 1/160 sec. at ƒ/6.3
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Bring this scene home, share it as a gift, or license it for your project:・Order prints, digital downloads, or commercial licenses・Explore gifts and merchandiseLocation: Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
Timestamp: 2025/03/19・11:18
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
28 mm ISO 400 for 1/250 sec. at ƒ/3.5
Bring this scene home, share it as a gift, or license it for your project:・Order prints, digital downloads, or commercial licenses・Explore gifts and merchandiseLocation: Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
Timestamp: 2025/03/19・11:24
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
34 mm ISO 400 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/4
Bring this scene home, share it as a gift, or license it for your project:・Order prints, digital downloads, or commercial licenses・Explore gifts and merchandiseLocation: Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
Timestamp: 2025/03/19・11:29
Pentax K-1 II + DFA 28-105mm F3.5-5.6 + CP
63 mm ISO 400 for 1/200 sec. at ƒ/4.5
