Tourist Sparks Outcry After Climbing 800-Year-Old Tree

A woman, possibly a foreign tourist, faced backlash after sharing pictures on social media showing her climbing and posing on an ancient camphor tree known as Senbon Kusu, which is over 800 years old and protected at Onamuchi Shrine in Hioki, Kagoshima Prefecture. Climbing the tree is strictly prohibited. The woman, wearing red, was seen standing on the tree in the images that circulated online, sparking outrage.

A local resident confirmed the incident had occurred around July, adding that the woman had posed on the tree while taking pictures. The resident expressed dismay, believing the woman likely did not understand Japanese and therefore did not respond when confronted. The woman had allegedly climbed the tree before, as evidenced by a social media post showing her sitting and posing on the Senbon Kusu.

Local residents suggested that visitors who climb the tree may be tourists from distant locations who are unaware of the local regulations. In response to the incident, Hioki city installed new warning signs in multiple languages, urging visitors not to climb the tree. The city's board of education is considering measures to prevent similar occurrences and is urging visitors to respect the tree's historical significance and the natural environment.