Banyan
- Okinawan: ガジュマル (gajumaru)
- Japanese: 榕樹 (youju)
Banyan trees, known as gajumaru in Okinawan, are an iconic tree of the Ryukyu Islands. Often at the center of 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.[1]
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.[2] The city of Fuzhou in China is also known for its banyan trees.[3]
References
- Plaques on-site at Kyô-no-uchi, Shuri castle.[1]
