Gone forever: Hokkaido’s “Tree of Philosophy” toppled by landowner

▲The Tree of Philosophy can now only be seen in photos. (Photo / from Wikimedia Commons)

Reported by Huang Shiyuan, Taipei

The iconic Tree of Philosophy in Biei, Hokkaido, can no longer be seen in person.A friend of the landowner recently clarified that the tree, which gained immense popularity in recent years, had grown old and fragile, posing a risk of falling over. If it collapsed during farming activities, someone could have been injured. Additionally, the large number of tourists and photographers drawn to the tree caused damage to the crops, a problem that had troubled the landowner for quite some time.As a result, the landowner used heavy machinery to bring the tree down. The landowner also conveyed through their friend that the tree was pushed over, not cut down.

The Tree of Philosophy was a well-known tree in Biei, Hokkaido, Japan. It stood alone, leaning to one side in the middle of a vast plain, resembling a philosopher deep in thought—hence its nickname. However, the tree’s sudden rise to fame attracted a surge of tourists. Many visitors and photographers entered the farmland without permission to take pictures, damaging the crops. Despite signs warning against trespassing on private property, the issue persisted. The inconvenience and damage caused by tourists eventually exceeded the landowner’s tolerance. The landowner’s friend, Toshiki Nakanishi, explained that as the tree became increasingly fragile, the local farmers and the landowner ultimately decided to use heavy equipment to bring it down.

The fragile tree could have potentially been preserved, but the constant influx of tourists and photographers had been troubling the landowner for years—the “risk of toppling” was merely the final straw.
Friend of the landowner's Facebook post

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