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*''Okinawan'': ガジュマル ''(gajumaru)''
*''Japanese'': 榕樹 ''(youju)''

Banyan trees, known as ''gajumaru'' in [[Okinawan language|Okinawan]], are an iconic tree of the [[Ryukyu Islands]]. Often at the center of [[utaki|sacred spaces]], ''gajumaru'' are related to mulberry and fig trees. Often growing as tall as 20 meters, banyan trees are known for their aerial roots which grow out of the trunk and branches like vines, reaching to the ground and constructing additional trunks and root systems. Banyan can be parasitic, killing other plants. The roots are sometimes used in traditional medicine. The wood is also often used today as the base for [[Ryukyu lacquerware]], where the lightweight wood of the ''[[deigo]]'' tree was more commonly used historically.<ref>Guided tour at Okinawa Rekishi Minzoku Shiryôkan, Nago, Okinawa, Sept 19, 2014.</ref>

In Okinawan folklore, ''gajumaru'' are said to be the homes of magical creatures known as ''[[kijimunaa]]''.

A banyan on [[Okinoerabu]] Island is said to be the largest in Japan.<ref>Gallery labels, Amami no Sato, Amami Park.</ref> The city of [[Fuzhou]] in China is also known for its banyan trees.<ref>Akamine Mamoru, Lina Terrell (trans.), Robert Huey (ed.), ''The Ryukyu Kingdom: Cornerstone of East Asia'', University of Hawaii Press (2017), 113.</ref>

==References==
*Plaques on-site at Kyô-no-uchi, [[Shuri castle]].[https://www.flickr.com/photos/toranosuke/32341123697/sizes/3k/]
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[[Category:Flora and Fauna]]
[[Category:Ryukyu]]