Daiosugi Cedar
The Daiosugi Cedar, or “Great King Cedar,” is a Japanese cedar (sugi) estimated to be around 3,000 years old. It is 24.7 meters tall, has a trunk circumference of 11.1 meters, and was the oldest and largest sugi known until the rediscovery of the Jomonsugi Cedar.
The Daiosugi Cedar’s inner core has mostly rotted away, leaving it with a hollow trunk. While the tree can continue living this way, the absence of inner growth rings makes it difficult for researchers to determine the tree’s exact age. Two common methods of calculating a tree’s age are to count its growth rings or perform carbon-dating tests on its center, but neither of these are possible with the Daiosugi Cedar.
The tree has begun to tilt downward on the steep slope, and researchers are concerned about its ability to remain upright in strong typhoon winds. For this reason, in the interest of hikers’ safety, the trail that originally ran beneath the cedar was rerouted to pass above it.
From the Daiosugi Cedar, the Okabu-hodo Mountain Trail continues west toward the Jomonsugi Cedar (0.8 km, approximately 30 minutes) and from there to the Miyanoura-hodo Mountain Trail and Mt. Miyanoura (6.4 km, approximately 6 hours). Traveling east from this point, hikers will reach Wilson’s Stump (1.1 km, approximately 50 minutes) and eventually the Arakawa Trail Entrance (9.8 km, approximately 4 hours).
There is a permanent disposable-toilet booth near the Daiosugi Cedar, and a seasonal tent-style disposable-toilet booth is erected from March to November. The closest outhouse is near the Okabu-hodo Mountain Trail Entrance (1.7 km, approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes).