According to Kumamoto’s official website, “Kumamoto in early summer is full of the life forces of the budding leaves of camphor trees. One can see big camphor trees everywhere, in Kumamoto Castle, in Shinto Shrines, and in Buddhist Temples. The camphor tree has long been familiar to the inhabitants of Kumamoto since ancient times. ”
The camphor tree is an aromatic shade tree from which camphor was derived for use in medicine and mothballs. It is native to China and Japan, where it has been commercially used for its timber and essential oils for centuries.
This prolific tree has gained a reputation as a pest in many places to which it has been introduced. But the camphor tree is very popular in its native Japan, where it was adopted as the official tree of Hyogo, Kagoshima, Kumamoto (in October, 1966) and Saga. Saga also designated the tree’s blossom its official flower.
The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism - Paperback
