VI. GIANT CHERRY TREES 
Higan-zakura, Shidare-zakura and Yama-zakura— 
these three kinds of Japanese sakura trees attain an 
unusually remarkable size, and, if well cared for and 
duly protected, will flourish and grow into giant trees. 
There exist many giant trees of the species, several 
centuries old, and still in a flourishing state, which 
have withstood the attacks of severe storms and all 
sorts of weather because of the good care and atten- 
tive protection of their keepers, who tend them mostly 
in the grounds of ancient shrines or temples. The 
giant trees we are now about to describe are those spe- 
cially designated as natural monuments by the authori- 
ties. 
(1) ‘*Yamataka Jindai-zakura ’ 
A gigantic sakura tree belonging to the species of 
white equinox cherries (shiro higan-zakura), and known 
as “ Yamataka jindai-zakura,’’ grows in the precincts 
of. the Jisso-ji Temple at Mukawa-mura, Kita-~-Koma 
County, Yamanashi Prefecture. This is about 2.5 miles 
from Hinoharu station on the Chuo Line of the Govern- 
ment Railways. Motor-car service is available for the 
trip from the station halfway to the spot. Measuring 
35 feet in girth at breast height the tree is the largest 
of its kind, the monarch of its species. 
In the early stage of blooming the tree puts on a 
veil of pale crimson, which later turns snow-white. 
A severe storm that occurred a few years ago 
broke and took away four overspreading boughs from 
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