A very special tree stands in the hilly farmland of the Soma countryside. It is notable not only for its age at 240 years old, but also for its size—it is 23 meters tall with a trunk circumference of almost 12 meters. It also goes by the name Sakasaicho, or “upside down ginkgo.” According to legend, when the Edo-period feudal lord Date Masamune (1567–1636) marched into this area, the thrust a ginkgo whip he was carrying into the ground upside down, and the branch eventually took root. In 1991, it was designated as a natural monument of the town, and in 1997 as a natural monument of the prefecture. It is a popular spot for photography, particularly in the fall when the contrast between the red torii gate of the shrine and the bright yellow leaves of the gingko is at its most spectacular. The leaves are usually at their best from late November to early December.