A Tree That Was Once Two
The tree standing beside the road in Uo-no-kawa, a small farming hamlet in the town of Shimanto, once had a companion. Two trees of the same species grew here side by side, and local people called the pair the "two chisha." One of them died generations ago. The survivor is what visitors come to see today: a single tree measuring roughly 8.5 meters in circumference at the ground and about 4.8 meters around at chest height, with an estimated age of more than seven hundred years.
The species is the chisha tree (Ehretia acuminata), a deciduous member of the borage family. Its Japanese name comes from its young leaves, which were once said to taste like chisha, an old word for lettuce. A second nickname, kakinoki-damashi, or "persimmon impostor," points to bark and foliage that closely resemble those of the persimmon. The form found here is called hirohachishanoki, the "broad-leaved chisha," distinguished by wider leaves. Botanists today generally treat it as the same plant as the ordinary chisha.
A chisha tree rarely reaches a great size. Most grow to between ten and fifteen meters and are not especially long-lived. The Uo-no-kawa specimen, at an estimated seven centuries, is an exception of a kind that is hard to find anywhere in Japan.
A National Natural Monument
The tree was designated a National Natural Monument on 24 August 1943, under notification number 727. The designation falls under the criterion that protects notable old and giant trees, and it places this single chisha among the individual trees recognized by the national government.
Its importance lies partly in scarcity. Across Japan, only two chisha trees hold this national designation; the other stands in Fukuoka Prefecture. For a species that ordinarily does not grow tall or live long, a specimen of this girth and age is close to unique. The official record describes it plainly as a rare giant of its kind.
The seven-hundred-year estimate places the tree's beginnings somewhere in the medieval Kamakura period. It has held the same roadside ever since, a fixed point while the land around it was farmed, divided, and renamed many times over.
The Hollow Trunk and the Living Crown
The first thing most visitors notice is the contradiction in front of them. The lower trunk is largely hollow, opened by centuries of decay, and the tree leans on a framework of wooden props that carry its weight. Yet the crown above is full and green. Each year the tree still flowers and sets fruit, the clearest sign that, despite appearances, it remains vigorous.
The flowering is worth timing a visit around. In late May the branches carry clusters of small milky-white flowers, each about a centimeter across, with a strong sweet scent that travels on the air. By October these give way to round yellow fruit. Outside those weeks the tree still rewards a visit: the broad leaves throw deep shade in summer, and the gnarled, hollowed trunk has a sculptural quality in any season.
A simple rest area sits beside the tree, with a place to sit and look up into the branches. It is an unhurried spot. There is no ticket office and no fixed schedule, since the tree stands at the edge of a public road and can be seen at any hour.
Exploring the Surrounding Area
Uo-no-kawa lies in the Niida district of Shimanto, an inland town in western Kōchi Prefecture. The wider region is best known for the Shimanto River, often called Japan's last clear stream, and for the low submersible bridges, or chinkabashi, that cross it without railings so that floodwaters can pass over them.
Closer to the tree, the town center of Kubokawa is home to Iwamotoji, the thirty-seventh temple on the Shikoku pilgrimage route, known for the painted panels that cover the ceiling of its main hall. The pilgrimage trail, the river valleys, and the quiet farming country around Niida give the area several reasons to slow down for travelers crossing between the coast and the interior of Shikoku.
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Q&A
- Is there an admission fee, and when can I visit?
- No fee. The tree stands beside a public road and can be viewed freely at any time of day. There is a small rest area next to it.
- When is the best time to see the tree?
- Late May, when the fragrant white flowers open, and October, when the yellow fruit ripens, are the most rewarding times. The scale of the trunk and its unusual shape make the tree worth seeing in any season.
- How do I get there?
- The tree is in the Uo-no-kawa hamlet of Shimanto. It is about a five-minute drive from Kageno Station on the JR Dosan Line. There is no dedicated parking area, so plan your visit accordingly.
- The trunk looks hollow. Is the tree dying?
- The lower trunk has a large internal cavity and is held up by props, but the tree continues to flower and fruit each year, and its foliage is healthy. A hollow trunk is common in very old trees and does not by itself signal decline.
- Why is it called "Niida" when the hamlet is Uo-no-kawa?
- Niida is the name of the wider district that contains Uo-no-kawa. The tree is commonly known by the district name, while its exact location is the roadside at Uo-no-kawa.
Basic Information
| Name | Niida no Hirohachishanoki (仁井田のヒロハチシャノキ) |
|---|---|
| Species | Chisha tree, broad-leaved form (Ehretia acuminata, family Boraginaceae) |
| Location | Uo-no-kawa, Shimanto-chō, Takaoka-gun, Kōchi Prefecture |
| Designation | National Natural Monument |
| Date of designation | 24 August 1943 (notification no. 727) |
| Estimated age | Over 700 years |
| Root circumference | Approx. 8.5 m |
| Trunk girth (chest height) | Approx. 4.8 m |
| Tree height | Approx. 16 m |
| Access | About 5 min by car from Kageno Station (JR Dosan Line); no dedicated parking |
| Viewing | Roadside; freely accessible at any time |
| Inquiries | Shimanto Town Commerce and Tourism Division, tel. 0880-22-3281 |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs — Database of National Cultural Properties
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/2582
- Kōchi Prefectural Board of Education, Cultural Properties Division — National Natural Monuments
- https://www.kochinet.ed.jp/bunkazai/details/430-1/430-1-15.htm
- Kōchi Prefecture Tourism Website (Kōchi Tabi Net) — Niida no Hirohachishanoki
- https://kochi-tabi.jp/search_spot_sightseeing.html?id=990
- Kōchi Prefecture — Giant Trees of the District: Niida no Hirohachishanoki
- https://www.pref.kochi.lg.jp/doc/susakirin-kyoboku3/
Last verified: 2026.05.25