An Old Torreya Whose Leaves Turn Upside Down
Ryogenan's Tsunagigaya (了玄庵のツナギガヤ, Ryogenan no Tsunagigaya) is an old Japanese torreya tree in Tagami Town, Minamikanbara District, Niigata Prefecture, which in 1922 was designated a Natural Monument.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs lists it under the criterion for famous, giant, old and abnormal trees. The designation text explains that tsunagigaya is a variety of torreya whose new shoots each year bear leaves with their upper and lower surfaces completely reversed.
The text calls the tree one of the Seven Wonders of Echigo and a rarity for the study of plant abnormalities.
The Legend
Tagami Town relates a legend of the monk Shinran. Invited to preach by the lord of Gomadosan castle, he was offered torreya nuts that farmers had strung on thread to pay their taxes instead of rice. He planted one, and the next year it sprouted: its nuts showed the holes where they had been strung, and its leaves alternated upper and lower sides along a single shoot.
The town says the tree was moved about 700 years ago from the foot of Gomadosan to the temple grounds. Ryogenan is said to have been built beside this tree, a site associated with Shinran, as a lodge of the True Pure Land temple Saiyoji.
Tagami Town adds that the Tagami Village Tsunagigaya Habitat, also a Natural Monument, lies near the summit of Gomadosan.
What to Look For
Look closely at the new leaves at the tips of the branches to see upper and lower surfaces alternating. On an ordinary torreya the upper surfaces all face the same way, so this reversal is what sets the tree apart.
Tagami Town notes a statue of Shinran in the grounds, where the old tree can be seen in the setting of its legend.
Visiting Ryogenan's Tsunagigaya
As a Natural Monument, branches, leaves and nuts must not be taken. The tree stands in temple grounds, so be considerate of worshippers and the temple.
Tagami Town writes the temple's name as Ryogenji, which differs from the Agency's Ryogenan. Enquiries go to the Tagami Town commerce and tourism section, 0256-57-6225.
Q&A
- When was Ryogenan's Tsunagigaya designated?
- It was designated a Natural Monument on 12 October 1922.
- What is tsunagigaya?
- A variety of torreya whose new shoots bear leaves with upper and lower surfaces reversed.
- What legend is attached to Ryogenan's Tsunagigaya?
- It is said to have grown from a strung torreya nut planted by Shinran, and is one of the Seven Wonders of Echigo.
- Are there other tsunagigaya in Tagami?
- Yes; the Tagami Village Tsunagigaya Habitat near the summit of Gomadosan is also a Natural Monument.
- Where is Ryogenan's Tsunagigaya?
- In Tagami Town, Minamikanbara District, Niigata Prefecture.
Basic Information
| Name | Ryogenan's Tsunagigaya (了玄庵のツナギガヤ) |
|---|---|
| Location | Tagami Town, Minamikanbara District, Niigata Prefecture |
| Designation | Natural Monument |
| Year Designated | Designated 1922/10/12 (Taisho 11) |
| Quantity | 1 tree |
| Dimensions | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Owner | Not recorded in the Agency for Cultural Affairs database |
| Public Access | Viewable in the temple grounds |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Ryogenan's Tsunagigaya (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/401/834
- Cultural Heritage Online: Ryogenan's Tsunagigaya (Japanese)
- https://online.bunka.go.jp/heritages/detail/138307
- Tagami Town: Ryogenji and Tsunagigaya (Japanese)
- https://www.town.tagami.niigata.jp/kankou/docs/8824.html
Last verified: 2026.09.28