Did you know in a rural Japan village, there lives a 1,000 year-old cedar tree that resembles Studio Ghibli's mascot, Totoro.⁠ ⁠ Local and foreign tourists are reportedly flocking to the “Kosugi no Osugi” (“The Great Cedar of Kosugi”) cedar tree, located in the town of Sakegawa in Yamagata Prefecture. It is known to locals as a tree of matchmaking and fertility, standing 20 meters (65.6 feet) tall with a trunk circumference of 6.3 meters (20.7 feet). ⁠ ⁠ Temporary parking lots have been taken to accommodate the increasing tourists. One resident reportedly started selling drinks from a kitchen car, creating a social space for visitors.⁠ ⁠ Despite requests for trimming to maintain its appearance, the local government maintains that the tree is considered sacred, particularly in the indigenous Shinto religion.⁠ ⁠ ⁠ 🌳Learn more in the full article on our website in our linkinbio ⁠ ⁠ ⁠ ⁠⁠🌸 Happy AAPI Heritage Month!⁠ 💬Comment “email” to sign up to our daily newsletter.⁠ ⁠ 📰Follow us for...