Hagoromo Pine Tree (Third Generation) — Attraction in Shizuoka

Miho-no-Matsubara

Timestamp: 16:00 April 5, 2023

Miho-no-Matsubara Beach, also known as Shimizu Beach, is located on the Miho Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan. This beach offers stunning views of Suruga Bay, ships sailing into Shimizu Port through Suruga Bay, and on a clear day, offers lovely views of Mt. Fuji.

The Hagoromo-no-Matsu pine tree, estimated to be around 200 years old, plays a prominent role in the Legend of Hagoromo. According to the legend, a celestial maiden visited the nearby beach and draped her shimmering golden feathered robe, known as hagoromo, on the pine tree before taking a swim. This fascinating tale continues to be retold in a noh theater performance called “Miho Hagoromo Takigi Noh,” which takes place near the legendary pine tree at night by a large bonfire in October.

After departing from the Miho-no-Matsubara visitor center and following the path leading to the Miho-no-Matsubara pine grove, you will encounter several ancient pine trees cordoned off for their preservation. As you proceed, a breathtaking sight of numerous majestic pine trees will greet you. Unlike those found in the mountains that grow vertically, the trunks and branches of these trees twist outwards, almost parallel to the ground, and abruptly curve or stretch upwards to the sky.

Visitors often liken the appearance of the branches to dragons soaring towards the heavens. The Ebi-no-Matsu (海老のマツ) tree shown in this photo, which means “Shrimp Pine” tree, receives its name because of its resemblance to a colossal shrimp flipping its tail.

For an even more immersive experience, I've detailed this location with helpful Google Maps links, along with fascinating historical information and references for further exploration. You can find all the details in the Pix4Japan blog post dedicated to...

This pine tree is looking down at Miho Beach. It is related to a celestial maiden legend. She put her hagoromo on a pine tree while she went for a swim. A fisherman held her special kimono for a ransom. He asked her to perform a dance. There are 50000 pine trees around there from the road of god to...

If you're in the area, this is a lovely path for a walk, and being by the sea makes it even better. Unfortunately, we couldn't see Mt. Fuji as it was a cloudy day, but the experience was...