A 3,000-year-old cedar tree in Shiratani Unsuikyo Ravine, Yakushima Island, was toppled by the powerful Typhoon Shanshan in Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan.
The ancient cedar tree was 26 meters in height with a trunk circumference of about 8 meters. Named “Yayoi Sugi,” it was one of the key features of the tourist site.
However, Typhoon Shanshan, also known as Typhoon No. 10, caused widespread damage in the area in August. Once the storm passed, guides from the Yakushima Guide Office Sangaku Taro, including Kumiko Yabuta (34), went out to assess the destruction.
The tour guides saw that the ancient cedar tree had broken near its base, knocked over by the typhoon’s strong winds.
Landslides have also blocked several routes to the ravine and its iconic Jomon Cedar tree. Consequently, the tour company has faced numerous tour cancellations.
Yakushima Island is renowned for its ancient cedar trees, some over 1,000 years old, thriving in mountainous regions above 500 meters elevation.
In 1993, the place was designated a World Natural Heritage site by the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
