Why Trees Are Sacred in Japan: Spiritual Wisdom from Shinto Beliefs

In Japan, trees are not merely part of the landscape — they are living vessels of spirit, deeply embedded in the country’s spiritual and cultural consciousness. Rooted in Shintoism, Japan’s indigenous belief system, trees are seen as more than biological lifeforms; they are gateways to the divine.

Sacred Trees in Shinto

Shintoism is built upon the reverence of nature, and among all natural objects, trees hold a particularly sacred status. The concept of 御神木 (Goshinboku) refers to trees believed to be inhabited by deities. You’ll often find these trees standing proudly near shrines, marked with a shimenawa, (a thick rope made of rice straw) to signify their sanctity. People bow before them, offer prayers, and sometimes gently place their hands on the bark to feel a sense of connection.

Some of these sacred trees are hundreds, even thousands of years old. Age deepens their spiritual weight — not just because of their size or rarity, but because they become repositories of time and energy. To the Japanese eye, an ancient tree is not just old — it’s wise.

The Whispering Spirits: Kodama

In folklore, there is also the gentle presence of こだま (kodama) — tree spirits that inhabit forests. These aren’t scary or malevolent beings. Instead, kodama are subtle, elusive echoes of energy. Disturbing or cutting down a tree that houses a kodama was said to bring misfortune, so people tread carefully and respectfully through wooded areas. This belief, still present in rural Japan, teaches us to treat the forest with reverence.

Mokurin — The Beauty of Tree Rings

Receiving Energy From Trees

Whether or not you believe in spirits, spending time with trees has a calming effect. In Japan, shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,” is a practice that involves immersing yourself in the woods to lower stress and restore mental clarity. Some go a step further and place their hands or back against a tree trunk — not to worship, but to receive grounding energy.

The cross-section of a tree, with its concentric rings (木輪, Mokurin), is seen as a map of life — each ring representing a year lived, a cycle survived. In Japanese aesthetics, the rings are admired as symbols of endurance and time’s quiet poetry. You’ll even find artisans using old wood in crafts to honor the passage of years.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or anxious, step outside and find a tree. Stand quietly beside it. Touch its bark. Breathe deeply. You don’t need to believe in spirits to feel that, somehow, the tree is silently holding space for you. In its stillness, there is comfort. In its age, perspective.