![]() Not only does this preserve the tree’s life, but it also removes the need for replanting new trees every time. This allows the tree to live on and keep growing new branches which can be trimmed down again in a decade or so. With daisugi, the woodcutter doesn’t cut down the tree but instead gets lumber by just trimming its larger branches. One prime example of that is the daisugi technique – a special wood-trimming technique that’s similar to bonsai but is done on large-scale wild trees. ![]() Japanese Woodcutting Techniques Such As DaisugiĪll this is further emphasized by the many different and unique techniques for acquiring lumber that the people of Japan have developed over the years. Nevertheless, this does show how mindful the Japanese woodcutters were and still are toward their forests. It’s not entirely clear how a kodama tree bleeds – whether it’s gum, some sort of spirit leakage, or actual blood. A tree that bled was said to be a kodama tree and wasn’t to be touched. Before trying to cut down or even trim a tree, the woodcutter would first make a small incision into the base of the tree to see if it “bleeds”. ![]() This love goes far beyond the traditional Japanese bonsai mini-trees.īecause the Shinto woodcutters of Japan believed in the kodama yokai, they were very careful with the trees they were cutting. So, naturally, the people of Japan developed a deep reverence for the forests and their spirits. The islands of Japan are covered with trees, and woodcutting has always been one of the main crafts and trades in the country. Japanese Woodcutters and the Kodama Spirits Whatever the case, the kodama and its tree remain intrinsically linked – if one is hurt or dies, the other can’t live on, and vice versa. Presumably, a tree must grow very old for its soul to transform into a kodama but it’s not certain whether the required age is several decades, several centuries, or several millennia. Usually, that’s the oldest tree in the grove and it’s that tree that gave birth to the kodama in the first place. While a kodama yokai will take care of its entire forest and make sure that all trees there are healthy, every spirit is still connected to one tree in particular. One myth tells the story of a kodama that fell in love with a human and so transformed itself into a human also. They can sometimes shapeshift, and can appear as animals, humans and lights. ![]() The kodama move around the mountains as they wish. Sometimes, the noises simply indicate the continued work of the kodama yokai whose main charge is to tend to their forests. These noises are usually interpreted as the death of a kodama and its tree, or as a prophecy of an upcoming tragedy. More often than not, however, people can just hear the kodama as the prolonged groans of old forests, lingering in the air. Some also say that within the ball of light there’s a little humanoid figure like a tree fairy. The few who claim to have seen a kodama describe these yokai as small, flying balls of light or wisps. The kodama reside in the deepest nooks of the oldest forests and rarely allow themselves to be seen by people. Each individual kodama is connected to its tree and usually lives in it but can also travel around the forest. Known as tree spirits, the kodama yokai are best described as the animated souls of the most ancient trees in Japanese forests. However, the kodama are somewhat different. Whether it’s to help or to torment humans, most of these mystical Shinto beings are said to have accompanied humankind since its very inception. The yokai spirits and kami gods of Shintoism are known to often interact with people.
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