Suzakura Shrine is a historic Shinto shrine located in Izumidaira, Nagano City. The shrine is especially famous for a single magnificent cherry tree standing within its grounds. Known as the Suzakura Shrine Jindai-zakura, this ancient tree is designated as a National Natural Monument of Japan and attracts worshippers and cherry blossom enthusiasts from across Nagano and beyond.
Suzakura Shrine stands quietly in the middle of the Izumidaira settlement in the Imoi area of Nagano City. The shrine is located in the upper reaches of the Susobana Valley, surrounded by mountains and rich natural scenery.
The shrine was built on a small plateau along a southwest-facing slope. Although it lies in a mountainous setting, the surrounding terrain provides shelter from strong northern winds, creating a relatively calm and peaceful environment.
The name Suzakura is associated with several fascinating local legends. According to one tradition, the ancient gods once gave cherry trees to different parts of Japan, but the tree at Imoi was the only one to survive. It therefore came to be called Motohana, meaning something like “the original” or “first cherry blossom.”
Another legend tells of the spirit of the cherry tree declaring that it was the tree from which all Japanese cherry trees would ultimately originate. These stories have helped give the tree a deeply sacred character in the local imagination.
Standing within the shrine grounds is a magnificent Edo-higan cherry tree, also known as Azuma-higan. It is estimated to be approximately 1,200 years old.
The tree has an imposing presence, with a root circumference of approximately 9 meters and a trunk circumference of 11.3 meters measured at chest height. Even after more than a millennium, its enormous form continues to dominate the shrine grounds.
A sacred legend tells that Susanoo-no-Mikoto, a powerful deity in Japanese mythology, once rested in this area. He planted the cherry branch he had been carrying beside a pond, and the branch took root and grew into the great tree that stands here today.
Because of this story, the cherry tree has long been regarded as a sacred tree imbued with divine power and has been carefully protected by generations of local residents.
The Jindai-zakura of Suzakura Shrine was designated a National Natural Monument on December 14, 1935.
It is regarded as one of Japan’s notable ancient cherry trees, alongside the famous Jindai-zakura at Hokuto in Yamanashi Prefecture, Usuzumizakura in Gifu Prefecture, and Isazawa no Kubo-zakura in Yamagata Prefecture.
The tree has faced serious challenges over the years. A major branch on the southern side was damaged by strong winds, while the remaining branches also suffered from declining vitality.
In 1992, professional tree specialists examined the cherry tree and carried out treatment designed to restore its vitality and protect it for future generations.
Today, the ancient tree is supported by structural braces, yet it continues to produce beautiful blossoms every spring. Its survival is a testament to the careful efforts made to preserve this remarkable natural and cultural treasure.
A 1936 survey of the tree recorded that its base divides into three major trunks or branches. The central section measured approximately 5.9 meters, while the southwest and southeast sections measured approximately 3.9 meters and 3.32 meters, respectively.
The branches extend impressively in all directions, reaching approximately 5.35 meters to the east, 5.3 meters to the west, 6.6 meters to the south, and 5.3 meters to the north.
The legend of Suzakura Shrine has also inspired Japanese traditional performing arts. In 1898, the Noh play “Suzakura” was presented by Kanze Kiyoyasu, taking the shrine and its sacred cherry tree as its subject.
The tree’s story has therefore extended beyond local folklore and become part of Japan’s wider cultural heritage.
The famous contemporary Japanese painter Chinami Nakajima also captured the tree in his work “Jindai-zakura of Suzakura Shrine.” Created in 1996, the large painting is a four-panel, single-screen folding screen measuring approximately 175 by 340 centimeters.
The work is held by the Obuse Museum of Nakajima Chinami in Obuse, Nagano Prefecture. Through the painting, the mysterious and majestic character of the ancient cherry tree is expressed in the distinctive style of contemporary Japanese painting.
From Nagano Station, take an Alpico Kotsu bus on Route 71, the Togakushi Line. The journey to Arayasu Bus Stop takes approximately 30 minutes. From the bus stop, the shrine is about a 30-minute walk.
Another option is the Sakanuki Bus Stop, served by Route 73 toward Togakushi via the prefectural road. The walk from this direction is somewhat longer, but during cherry blossom season the peaceful mountain road can itself become part of the experience.
Suzakura Shrine is approximately 17 kilometers from the Nagano Interchange on the Joshin-etsu Expressway, taking around 40 minutes by car.
The shrine does not have a dedicated parking lot, so visitors arriving by car should check local road conditions and parking guidance before visiting.
Suzakura Shrine is a special place where natural beauty, ancient legends, Shinto tradition, and Japanese artistic culture come together. The enormous Jindai-zakura is far more than an old cherry tree. It is a living symbol surrounded by stories that have been passed down through generations.
Visiting during the spring flowering season offers a particularly memorable experience, when delicate cherry blossoms appear on a tree that has witnessed more than a thousand years of history.
For travelers exploring Nagano’s mountain villages, Suzakura Shrine provides a peaceful opportunity to experience a side of Japan where ancient trees, local mythology, traditional faith, and the changing seasons remain closely connected.