“Isshingyo No Oozakura (is-shin-gyo no o-za-ku-ra, いっしんぎょうのおおざくら, 一心行の大桜)” is a single wild cherry tree (Ya-ma-za-ku-ra, やまざくら, 山桜) about 400 years old with a circumference of 7.35 m and a height of 14 m, and widths (from end to end of the branch) of 26 m from north to south and 21.3 m from east to west. Yamazakura is not So-me-i-yo-shi-no (そめいよしの, ソメイヨシノ, 染井吉野) which is typical and most popular cherry blossom in Japan. But main part of the tree was unfortunately destroyed by the flash‐to‐ground 50 years ago and a typhoon in 2007. The original dome-like shape of the whole tree has been changed to alphabetical “M”-like shape as typically show by the photos taken from the east or west.
The huge cherry tree was in full bloom when I and my wife went cherry blossom viewing on April 6, 2016. After only two days (April 8, 2016), the tree has been drastically changed due to yesterday’s rain with typhoon-like strong wind.
“Oozakura (大桜)” means a huge cherry tree. “Oo (大)” is a prefix that means “huge” or “very big” in English. “No (の)” is “of” that works in opposite direction. That is, “Isshingyo No Oozakura” corresonds to “Oozakura of Isshingyo (大桜 of 一心行)”. “Isshingyo (一心行)” means single-mindedly performed religious austerities.
Photos of “Isshingyo No Oozakura” taken on April 6 and 8, 2016: before and after storm
2016年4月6日11:28Photo taken from the east.
2016年4月8日12:39Photo taken from the east.
2016年4月6日10:54Photo taken from the south.
2016年4月8日12:41Photo taken from the south.
2016年4月6日11:33Photo taken from the west.
2016年4月8日12:37Photo taken from the west.
2016年4月6日11:50Photo taken from the north.
2016年4月8日12:39Photo taken from the north.
2016年4月14日の熊本地震の前震と16日の本震でこの桜の木がどうなったのか、19日の時点で情報がなくわかっていません。上記の写真がこの桜の見納めになっていないことを心より祈ります。
追記：2017年3月現在、4月には桜を見に行けそうな感じです。
