飯島八幡神社のエノキ
飯島八幡神社にある樹齢500年以上といわれるエノキ（Celtis sinensis）は、古くから地元では神聖な木とされてきた。この落葉樹は、飯島をはじめとする近隣の集落の将来を占うものと信じられてきた。通常の年であれば、春になると枝に少しずつ芽が出てくるが、一斉に芽が出るのは、飯島に不幸が訪れる前兆とされている。秋になって、葉が少しずつ色づいて落ちてくれればそれでいい。一気に葉が落ちるのは雪が早く降る前兆とされ、一斉に紅葉が出てくると、飯島周辺の村々に災いが起こる可能性が高いとされている。
Hackberry Tree at Iijima Hachiman Shrine
The majestic Japanese hackberry (enoki; Celtis sinensis) tree at Iijima Hachiman Shrine is thought to be more than 500 years old and has long been considered sacred in the local community. The deciduous tree has traditionally been believed to predict the future of Iijima and other nearby villages. In a normal year, buds appear gradually on the branches in spring. The branches budding all at once, however, is considered a sign of impending misfortune for the village. In autumn, all is well as long as the leaves change color and fall little by little. The tree losing all of its leaves at once is thought to be a sign of early snow. Likewise, if the autumn colors appear suddenly on all branches, it is believed that disaster is likely to strike the villages around Iijima.
