Distribution of Fukugi (Garcinia subelliptica) trees as Landscaping trees in Traditional Villages in Ryukyu Islands in Japan

Abstract

Big Fukugi (Garcinia subelliptica) trees exist prevalently around residences in traditional villages in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is thought that such a rural landscape with planting trees, in particular Fukugi trees, as windbreak, was ameliorated based on Feng Shui concept in the then Ryukyu Kingdom around 300 yrs. ago. In order to explore how far Fukugi trees have been utilized in traditional villages in Nansei Islands, the southernmost archipelago in Japan. This study was designed to continue our previous study on the distribution of big Fukugi trees in Okinawa Islands, located in the center of Naisei Islands. We visited all villages, in particular older villages on almost each inhabited islands of Yaeyama Islands and Amami Islands. The biggest Fukugi trees found in each village were measured. It was found that big Fukugi trees are widely distributed on Ryukyu Islands, on the islands north to Amami Islands and south to Yaeyama Islands. In Amami Islands, Okinoerabu and its further south islands have Fukugi trees prevalently existing, while, for its further north islands, the remaining Fukugi trees were sparsely distributed and only a few old Fukugi trees found in few villages. Fukugi trees in Amami Ōshima and Kikai Island were among the biggest trees measured, however, most of them were individual stands around the residence. Even in these few houses with Fukugi trees, it is thought to have the affiliation to Ryukyu Kingdom in the past, and to be strongly influenced by Ryukyu culture. Thus, Okinoerabu Island could be considered as the northern borderline in Ryukyu Islands of such traditional rural landscape with prevalent Fukugi planting, which was established under the influence of Ryukyu culture.