Kanagawa, Osaka and Tokyo adopted one of the most spectacular plants known to science as their official tree—the ginkgo. It’s commonly called the maidenhair tree for its resemblance to a fern, but this veteran of crossword puzzles and trivia games is best known by its genus name (Ginkgo) or even its full scientific name, Ginkgo biloba.
If the ginkgo seems a little unusual, it’s because it has no close living relatives to compare it to. The ginkgo is a living fossil, one that has changed little since the Triassic Period (the middle of the Age of Dinosaurs). This survivor with the big fan-shaped leaves is the only member of the order Ginkgoales and one of just two species in the class Ginkgoopsida. Imagine if there were just two species of mammals (Class Mammalia) or birds (Class Aves) alive today!
Ginkgo fossils were easier to find than the living tree. Though already uncommon, the odd plant was revered by Buddhist monks long before it became known to Western science. In fact, ginkgos were mainly found in mountain monasteries and in palace and temple gardens, where they were cultivated by monks from about 1100 AD. The exotic plant was introduced to Japan, where it was discovered by the German botanist Engelbert Kaempfer in 1691.
Today, the ginkgo is a common “street tree” (it’s tolerant of smoke and dry conditions) and is also popular as a botanical novelty. In addition, it has made a big splash in the world of medicine. Of course, any living fossil long cultivated by monks in the Far East is bound to have a cult following. But the ginkgo has been endorsed by science
Ironically, this Chinese enigma was popularized by two nations that were deviated by World War II—Germany and Japan. Modern ginkgo medical research dates to the late 1950s in association with Dr. Willmar Schwabe of the Schwabe Company in West Germany.
Japan, of course, revealed the ginkgo to the world at the end of the seventeenth century. Two and a half centuries later, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan. The blast destroyed a temple about 1.1 kilometers from the epicenter. It was probably similar to many temples destroyed by the A-bomb—except that a ginkgo tree growing near the temple survived, with no apparent ill effects. In fact, a new temple was built next to this still living fossil.
Little has been recorded (in English) regarding the adoption of the ginkgo as a prefectural symbol. The following information is taken from the official government websites...
Kanagawa: Ginkgo “was selected for the prefecture’s tree by citizens’ vote from the 4 trees; namely, ginkgo, mountain cherry, zelkova and white oak. Ginkgo is suited for the climate of Kanagawa, and has been planted in the precincts of temples and shrines since olden times. Because the ginkgo grows fast and lives long, it is also planted in parks and on the roadside these days. The ginkgo is also suitable for expanding the idea to cherish trees for creating a verdant environment and enriching our daily life.”
Osaka: “The view of Midosuji Street lined with gingko trees is symbolic of Osaka. The Gingko was designated the Tree of Osaka through a citizen vote in October 1966, in connection with a greening campaign.”
A ginkgo leaf serves as Tokyo Prefecture’s official emblem.
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