Tsuchiyahara Kasuga Shrine and the Trumpet Ginkgo
A village shrine shares its grounds with a protected ginkgo whose occasional curled leaves give it the name 'trumpet ginkgo'.
Verified site photographs are being prepared.Discover Tsuchiyahara Kasuga Shrine and the Trumpet Ginkgo
Tsuchiyahara's Kasuga Shrine is both a place of worship and a seasonal tree visit. Mitsue Village describes a plain-wood shinmei-style main sanctuary for Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto and a roughly 20-metre ginkgo designated as a protected tree by Nara Prefecture. Among its ordinary fan leaves, some curl into small tubes—the reason villagers call it the rappa ichō, or trumpet ginkgo. Local tourism sources describe a golden-leaf period in mid-to-late November and a district festival in late October. Neither the tree's reputed age nor the festival's future recurrence should be treated as an exact guarantee for every visit.
Find the unusual leaves without damaging the tree
The ginkgo is distinctive because only some leaves form a funnel-like tip, not because the entire canopy is trumpet-shaped. The village records its protected-tree status and approximately 20-metre height; the tourism association relays a local estimate of more than 400 years for its age. That age is an estimate, not a dated planting record. In mid-to-late November, yellow foliage and fallen leaves may change the shrine's look, but temperature and wind shift the timing. A local belief connects finding a trumpet leaf with good fortune. View and photograph fallen leaves respectfully; do not pluck leaves, climb the protected tree or collect offerings.
Understand the shrine and its district setting
The village names Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto as the enshrined deity and calls the main sanctuary unpainted shinmei-style architecture. This is a small district religious site, not a staffed museum with a guaranteed interior tour. The tree is on the same grounds, so it is one coherent destination rather than two entries inflated for the catalogue. The village's other Kasuga Shrine is in Momonomata and has a different address: use 土屋原 in a map search to avoid arriving at the wrong sanctuary. The association lists parking, but no bay count, accessible path, public toilet or daily reception hours were established.
Treat the October festival as a dated local event
The prefectural tourism directory describes a final-Sunday-of-October festival with a children's portable shrine. For 2026, the Mitsue Tourism Association specifically lists the Tsuchiyahara district mikoshi on Sunday 25 October and warns that weather may change events. It gives no verified gathering point, start time, participation rule or visitor parking arrangement in that notice. Ask the association before travelling for the procession, respect residents and worshippers, and do not assume a recurring listing guarantees the 2027 date. The ginkgo's main colour normally comes later, so the festival and yellow leaves are separate reasons to visit.
Resolve the address and last-mile details before departure
Mitsue Village and the local association give Tsuchiyahara 1249; the Nara Visitors Bureau's directory says 1253. These may indicate a neighbouring parcel, but the discrepancy was not resolved by field survey. Search the full shrine name and use the association's map marker only as an approximate site point. The prefectural access guide proposes a Haibara-side bus to Kake-nishiguchi followed by reserved Tsue-mi-go, and lists free parking for drivers. Mitsue's village page governs the current demand-transport booking and eligible area. Check an actual outward and return connection; no rail station or frequent walk-up bus is at this shrine.
What to look for
Nara-protected ginkgo with occasional trumpet-shaped leaves
Small shinmei-style shrine for Ame-no-Koyane-no-Mikoto
Tsuchiyahara mikoshi listed for 25 October 2026; verify before travel
Photo notes
No shrine or ginkgo image has been licensed. The logo is a placeholder, not a representation of the site. Do not use flash toward a procession or photograph private homes and worshippers without consent; do not damage the protected tree to obtain a leaf image.
Make a day of it
Explore guides close to this map point, then check the actual route before travelling. Distances below are straight lines, not walking distances or travel times; map points may not be entrances.
Sources & editorial status
Original MyNara draft based on the linked sources. Sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Opening arrangements, prices and offers may change; use the operator's current information before travelling.
- Mitsue Village — deity, protected ginkgo, 1249 address
- Mitsue Tourism Association — leaf shape, season, age tradition, parking
- Nara Visitors Bureau — protected ginkgo, alternate address and general festival
- Mitsue Tourism Association — dated 2026 district festival schedule
- Nara Visitors Bureau — public transport and free parking listing
- Mitsue Tourism Association — approximate shrine marker in published map
- Mitsue Village — reserved Tsue-mi-go transport conditions