The island of Yakushima to the south of Kyushu in Japan is home to centuries old cedars スギ (sugi or cryptomeria). In the spring of 2024, we visited the island and I photographed the Yakusugi as we hiked the forest trails that lead youpast them. Once held sacred by islanders, these trees were then logged heavily from the 1600s to the modern era for their water-resistant properties and transported to the mainland, often as shingles and for building temples. Protected since the 1970s, the remaining giants over 1000 years old tower overhead as visitors come to pay their respects and stand in awe of these ancestors. In these mossy mountain forests high above the surrounding sea, new growth rises from old stumps, strengthened by the constant winds and rain.
The images seen here are the first to be scanned and printed. Shot with a Widelux, the vertical panorama begins to approximate the view one has looking up.
