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The word "tadasu" in the name Tadasu-no-mori forest means to 'correct' or 'purify' something. Appearing in Japanese mythology and known as the guardian deity of Shimogamo Shrine, it is said that the god Kamotaketsunumi-no-mikoto listened to the complaints of the villagers in the forest and responded to their prayers, leading to the present name of the forest.
The grounds of the Shimogamo Shrine cover an area of 124,000 m² (about three times the size of the Tokyo Dome), and the entrance path to the shrine goes through the Tadasu-no-mori forest. At one time, the primeval forest was about 4.95 million m², but due to the disturbances of war in the middle ages and the land forfeit writs of the Meiji Period, the size of the forest was reduced to the present area. This forest is the sole remaining area of the once vast Yamashiro wilderness of Yamashiro-no-kuni (the ancient state that once covered the southern part of the present Kyoto Prefecture). There are over 40 species of trees in the forest, including the keyaki, a Japanese elm tree, and nettle trees (hackberry trees). Because there are about 600 trees in the forest that are from 200 to 600 years old, the whole forest has been specified as a national historic site. The various plants in the forest, including ume (Japanese plum trees), yamazakara (Japanese wild cherry trees), hydrangea, Japanese maple trees, and a number of streams and rivers with pure flowing water, like the Nara-no-ogawa Stream, the Semi-no-ogawa Stream, the Izumi River, and the Mitarashi River produce a beautiful scene which can be enjoyed in all four seasons, creating a place of recreation and relaxation for the citizens of Kyoto all year round. |
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