About the Sanmen Tsubaki of OOofunato
The Sanmen Tsubaki (three-faceted camellia) is an ancient tree located in the shrine precincts of the Kumano-jinja in Nakamori, Oofunato city. It is the Japan's oldest camellia tree, said to be over 1,400 years old. The tree is also registered as a prefecture's natural monument. The name comes from the fact that there were originally three camellia trees planted in the shrine's precinct, one in the eastern part, one in the western part, and one in the southern part. Nowadays, it seems that only one of them remains. The tree is also a unique specimen with a multiple trunk, branching into six stems. the flowering season is from late March to early April. The tree is a unique multiple trunk specimen, branching into six stems.