Tenjin no Mori

A small natural forest of sudajii, a large broadleaf evergreen of the beech family, reached by a steep, narrow flight of steps, narrow flight of steps, with a modest shrine hall standing at the top among the trees. The wood is designated a protected local environmental area by Chiba Prefecture.

Its distinguishing feature is the largest tree, beside the shrine hall – around twenty metres tall with a trunk over five metres around, and notable for roots that rise so far above the ground they spread like standing boards. These buttress roots are common in tropical rainforests but rare in Japan, and the forest is considered scientifically valuable because of them.

The canopy is dense enough to block most daylight, giving the place a dark, enclosed atmosphere that has made it a frequent filming location for television dramas.