Gashiwa of Shogen-in Temple
Kashiwa is originally a deciduous broad-leaved tree with an upright trunk and can reach a height of over 20 meters, but this Kashiwa does not stand upright, but instead splits into four trunks at the ground level, each of which creeps along the ground before standing up. It has been popularly known as Gyakugashiwa because it looks as if the roots have turned into branches. This gigantic oak tree with such an unusual shape is rare and valuable, and it was the first oak tree to be designated as a national natural monument. There is a legend that it was planted by Minamoto no Yoriyoshi and his son Yoshiie after the war of the previous nine years.
