Date : near 1275
| Juniper trees
Item 6 on 22
Place(s) of worship
Parks and gardens (Arbre)
Area related
Kamakura (Japon)
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| Description |  |
Looming in front of the Main Hall are seven huge juniper (chinensis) trees, which are said to have been planted by Priest Rankei, the founding priest himself, bringing the seeds from China. They are reportedly more than 730 years old, one of them is as high as 13 meters and the root diameter is roughly two meters. Some doubt if they are really as old. The Temple has an ancient sketch map of the old Kenchoji drawn in 1331 by a carpenter, which, meanwhile, shows the trees were really right here. In 1986 and 1993, excavations were made in the Kenchoji grounds. The result verified the old Kenchoji was precisely as shown in the ancient illustration, meaning Byakushin existed there at least in 1331.
In Kamakura, there are reportedly 20 old junipers. Those in the Temple are the oldest, and designated as a Scenic Spot by the National Government.
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