Sakura, sacred tree

Most Shinto shrines have one or several sacred trees, (shinboku in Japanese 神木), considered to be the place where the kami spirits dwell. These sacred trees are usually long-life species such as pines, oaks or sakura cherry trees. It is strictly forbidden to cut or pollute these trees, so in some cases, sacred sakura managed to reach an amazing life span of several hundred years. And even if they're not very large, in the spring, when in full bloom, they are absolutely spectacular...