Plum Trees That Crawl like Dragons
The Garyubai Plum Trees of Fujikawa Tenjin Shrine (藤川天神の臥龍梅) is a grove of garyubai plum trees in the grounds of Fujikawa Tenjin Shrine at Fujikawa, Togo-cho, Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture, which in 1941 was designated a Natural Monument.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it under the criterion for famous, giant, old and unusual trees.
The designation text says the trees sprang from a single tree: branches touching the ground took root and became new trees, forming more than 70.
Characteristics
According to the designation text, the largest tree covers about 200 square metres, with a girth of 1.8 metres at the base and 1.73 metres at 0.9 metres above ground. The flowers are pale pink, double and strongly scented, and the grove is described as a rare stand of giant garyubai.
The Kagoshima Shrine Association explains that as the trees age, their branches lean outward and root where they touch the ground, forming new trees; the trunks creep along the ground like a reclining dragon, hence the name.
What to Look For
The shrine association says the grounds hold about 300 plum trees said to descend from one planted by Sugawara no Michizane, of which fifty-some are designated; this differs from the 'more than 70' of the designation text.
According to the association, the pale pink flowers bloom from mid-February to early March, drawing many visitors, and students come to pray for exam success.
Visiting the Garyubai Plum Trees of Fujikawa Tenjin Shrine
The trees can be seen in the grounds of Fujikawa Tenjin Shrine. As a Natural Monument, branches must not be broken or the creeping limbs trodden on.
Enquiries go to the shrine or Satsumasendai City.
Q&A
- When was the grove designated?
- On 3 October 1941.
- Where does the name garyubai come from?
- The trunks creep along the ground like a reclining dragon.
- How do the trees spread?
- Branches that touch the ground take root and become new trees.
- When do they bloom?
- Mid-February to early March, according to the shrine association.
- How many trees are there?
- The designation text gives more than 70; the shrine association says fifty-some of about 300 are designated.
Basic Information
| Name | Garyubai Plum Trees of Fujikawa Tenjin Shrine (藤川天神の臥龍梅) |
|---|---|
| Location | Fujikawa, Togo-cho, Satsumasendai City, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Natural Monument |
| Year Designated | Designated 1941/10/3 (Showa 16) |
| Quantity | More than 70 trees (at designation) |
| Dimensions | Largest tree: 1.8 metres round at the base, 1.73 metres girth |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Viewable in the shrine grounds |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Garyubai of Fujikawa Tenjin (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/2991
- Cultural Heritage Online: Garyubai of Fujikawa Tenjin (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/203166
- Kagoshima Shrine Association: Fujikawa Tenjin (Japanese)
- https://www.kagojinjacho.or.jp/tanbou/180/
Last verified: 2026.09.28