This is also a Sawara Cypress

I have asked the Sawara Cypress to appear here many times.
To begin with, what is a Sawara Cypress?

Some people might have that reaction,
and there may be those who don't quite understand
the purpose of going out of my way to feature it
in an article here.

Let me explain the reason why the Sawara Cypress appears so often.

When I was a beginner and was taught how to diagnose trees
by my teacher,
I learned that "when diagnosing, you must compare it with a good tree."

The reason for this is that one of the goals of diagnosis is
early detection.
If a tree is starting to have some kind of
health issue,
it is better to be able to notice it early.

And then, if there is something wrong with the tree,
we consider whether we can remove it
as soon as possible.

Even if there is nothing we can do
in particular right now,
we can at least keep a closer eye on it than usual.

However,
if you only look at trees in severe condition
and think, "This is what trees are like!"
I think it becomes (quite) difficult
to notice problems in their early stages.

That is why I believe it is important to look closely at many trees
on a daily basis,
and to create your own standards for
what a good Zelkova or a good Cherry tree
should look like.

Well, something surprising happened the other day.

I had the opportunity to speak to a team
called "arborists" who climb trees to work.
Then, among the members,

there was a graduate who had studied with me a long time ago.

And, according to her,
when she was a student, the teacher told her,
for example, if you want to diagnose a Zelkova,
if you don't know a magnificent Zelkova
like the ones in Showa Kinen Park,
you won't have anything to compare it to,
and you won't be able to make a judgment, right?

And since then, she said she has always
tried to look at trees carefully.

I think it is wonderful that she remembered
a tip I gave her to use if she liked,
and has continued to practice it for over 10 years.

But it is surprising,
to be told that by a young person I haven't seen in a long time.

Finally, to return to the original topic,
because I have also followed my teacher's advice
and kept a close eye on trees,
I have come to know many magnificent and beautiful examples
of Sawara Cypress.

As a result, it is often immediately obvious
how few branches and leaves the tree in front of me has,
how little energy it has,
and how it is failing to display its true charm.

This is not about whether it is good or bad,
but rather that it is a pity.

I have heard people say for a long time that
if you don't trim the branches and leaves to some extent,
and let them grow too big,
it becomes difficult for the person managing them.

I certainly agree with that.
However, there are many ways
to prune them.

I think there are also pruning methods
where you don't hear the tree saying,
"I'm not healthy like this!" or "I'm hungry because I have so few leaves!"

Having said that, I can also hear voices saying,
"We cannot afford the cost of such careful work."

It is a difficult problem, isn't it?
Because there are always
plenty of reasons why it cannot be done.

But, if you think that
you are the ones losing out,
you might feel like doing whatever you can.

Don't the currently popular severely pruned trees
of any species
all look like utility poles or sticks?

Even though Japan has over 1,000 tree species,
and each one of them
possesses its own unique beauty.

I believe that "biodiversity"
is a concept that also applies
to the types and shapes of trees.
It's richer when there is variety, isn't it?

That is why it is a waste
to prune them in a way that makes
different things look the same.

So, I want to start
with what I can do.

Like weeping-type trees, the Hiyoku-hiba
is a species that has a small branch spread
and lives in a modest way.

Even so, there are Hiyoku-hiba
that are growing freely.
For those who have never seen such a thing,
I really want you to see one.

Perhaps your understanding of the charm of trees will change,
and you will be convinced that
good and bad can be understood without question.

Because of that, if there are no good trees
around us to serve as examples,
we end up in a vicious cycle
where we manage trees
only for human convenience
without knowing what a good tree is.

To the wonderful Hiyoku-hiba out there somewhere,
please,
show many people a good example.

I found a fun site about Hiyoku-hiba.
Please take a look if you like.