Local and foreign tourists are reportedly flocking to a rural Japanese village to see a cedar tree that looks like Totoro from the Studio Ghibli film “My Neighbor Totoro.”
The “Kosugi no Osugi” cedar tree, located in the town of Sakegawa in Yamagata Prefecture, is over 1,000 years old.
The tree first gained popularity after appearing in Japan Railways Group posters and TV programs over 30 years ago.
It has attracted a new wave of tourists following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
The “Kosugi no Osugi” (“The Great Cedar of Kosugi”) cedar tree, known to locals as a tree of matchmaking and fertility, stands 20 meters (65.6 feet) tall with a trunk circumference of 6.3 meters (20.7 feet).
Due to its resemblance to the character Totoro from “My Neighbor Totoro,” the tree also became known as the “Totoro Tree.”
After the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, it has seen an influx of both local and foreign tourists. More than 800 came to visit between May 3 and May 7 alone last year.
Temporary parking lots have been taken to accommodate the increasing tourists. One resident reportedly started selling drinks from a kitchen car, creating a social space for visitors.
Despite requests for trimming to maintain its appearance, the local government maintains that the tree is considered sacred, particularly in the indigenous Shinto religion.
