A Sacred Oak Forest at the Northern Limit
The Okinawa Urajirogashi (Quercus miyagii) Forest of Yamatohama (大和浜のオキナワウラジロガシ林) is a natural forest of Okinawa urajirogashi, Quercus miyagii, on the hill behind the village of Yamatohama in Yamato Village, Oshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture, which in 2008 was designated a Natural Monument.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it under the criteria for representative primeval forests and rare forest flora, and for notable limits of plant distribution.
The Agency describes the tree as an evergreen oak endemic to the Ryukyu Islands, growing only on non-limestone ground from Amami Oshima to Iriomote.
The Forest
According to the Agency, the forest lies on a southeast-facing valley slope rising steeply from the village. Surrounded by natural chinquapin forest on the ridges, it covers about 1.5 hectares with around 100 trees over 50 centimetres in trunk diameter.
Some trees approach 30 metres tall and exceed 1 metre in diameter. The species has straight trunks and well-developed buttress roots, once used for ships' rudders, and its timber for building.
What to Look For
The Agency explains that the site is a sacred mountain known locally as Takigawayama, long protected by the village as a water source before piped water and as a guard against landslides; it escaped the logging that stripped surrounding hills after the war.
Postwar logging left almost no sizeable stands on Amami Oshima, the species' northern limit. The Agency values this as a representative Ryukyu forest preserved as sacred ground, one of few natural stands at the northern limit. Yamato Village notes trees some 250 to 300 years old bearing Japan's largest acorns.
Visiting the Okinawa Urajirogashi (Quercus miyagii) Forest of Yamatohama
Yamato Village says the forest is about 15 minutes' walk from the trailhead, with steep sections, so wear sturdy shoes. Park at the village office, about 3 minutes' walk away.
Enquiries: Yamato Village, 0997-57-2154. As a Natural Monument, trees and plants must not be damaged or taken.
- 📍 Plan Your Visit to Kagoshima
- Find tours, activities & transport passes near Okinawa Urajirogashi (Quercus miyagii) Forest of Yamatohama
- [ Sakurajima Ferry & Yakushima World Heritage ]
Q&A
- When was the forest designated?
- On 28 March 2008.
- What is Okinawa urajirogashi?
- An evergreen oak endemic to the Ryukyu Islands, growing only on non-limestone ground from Amami Oshima to Iriomote.
- Why did the forest survive?
- It was protected as the sacred mountain Takigawayama, a water source and landslide guard.
- How large is the forest?
- About 1.5 hectares with around 100 trees over 50 centimetres in diameter.
- How do I get there?
- About 15 minutes on foot from the trailhead; park at the Yamato Village office.
Basic Information
| Name | Okinawa Urajirogashi (Quercus miyagii) Forest of Yamatohama (大和浜のオキナワウラジロガシ林) |
|---|---|
| Location | Yamatohama, Yamato Village, Oshima District, Kagoshima Prefecture |
| Designation | Natural Monument |
| Year Designated | Designated 2008/3/28 (Heisei 20) |
| Quantity | About 100 trees over 50 centimetres in diameter |
| Dimensions | About 1.5 hectares |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Accessible by footpath |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Yamatohama Quercus miyagii Forest (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/00003586
- Cultural Heritage Online: Yamatohama Quercus miyagii Forest (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/140567
- Yamato Village: Yamatohama Forest (Japanese)
- https://www.vill.yamato.lg.jp/kyoiku/shisetsu/kanko-spot/010.html
Last verified: 2026.09.28