About the Chouan-ji no Keyaki (the zelkova of Chouan-ji)
There is an ancient story in Hikoroichi-cho saying that, during the construction of the temple gate in the Edo period, having received the full wrath of Lord Date, the temple gate was torn down again and again. Not only did they used zelkova, for which felling was forbidden, they constructed higher than any building in Sendai. Built in the 10th year of Kansei (1798).
The Kesen area is famous for its zelkova production. Because of the beauty of its woodgrain and its strength, zelkova was often used in the construction of temples and shrines. Big zelkova trees provided shade for travelers to have a rest, as often seen nowadays near milestones or road fork stones