Matabe Sakura

Matabe Sakura
From the Ancient Village of Nara

In the western part of Ouda-ku, Nara Prefecture, are stunning weeping cherry trees commonly called “Waterfall Sakura,” which are said to be 300 years old.

These trees have also become familiar and are commonly known as “Matabe Sakura,” based on the legend of the Sengoku warlord “Matabe Goto” and the ruins of the Goto family mansion.

Growing as high as 13 m with trunks more than 3 m in circumference, these giant cherry blossom trees have big branches that spread out with light pink flowers when in full bloom in the early to mid-April flowering season when the “Sakura Festival” is held, and every year there are crowds of tens of thousands and a number of special products available for sale. They are also illuminated at night.

Normally, cherry blossom trees tend to live for less than 100 years, but these still bloom every year and attract tourists.

The trees also became famous for their use in the opening sequence for the 2000 NHK Taiga Drama “Aoi: Tokugawa Sandai.”

Nara Tanka Industries’ Minori Carbon is now used to maintain aging Matabe Sakura trees.

In order to preserve this important asset of Matabe Sakura trees, which are said to be 300 years old, and to ensure that beautiful flowers continue to bloom every year, we have worked on the maintenance of these Sakura trees and others, in cooperation with the Nara Research Institute (Source: Earth Work).

Minori carbon is a carbonized hardwood product

Main application is soil improvement.

Components: 80.5% fixed carbon, 15% volatile content, 4.5% ash content; pH 8.0-8.5

Effects of Minori Carbon

Crops take root fast and are strong
Rich in water permeability, air permeability and drainage; prevents root lesion
Improves fertility as an excellent fertilizer
Creates crops with a strong aggregate structure
Includes well-balanced trace elements necessary for plants
Very effective for the proliferation and fixation of microorganisms since it provides a growing environment suitable for soil microorganisms
Increases resistance against pests and has a detoxifying effect on harmful substances in the soil
Increases the ground temperature by around 1-2℃ (effective against cold weather damage in cold regions)

Application Standards (per 10 acres)

For seedlings, mix 5-10% with the soil
For rice fields, apply 500-750 L over the entire surface or in areas to be cultivated
For field crops, apply 500-750 L over the entire surface and mix well with the soil to be cultivated
For fruit trees and seedlings, etc.,

Minori carbon is ideal for soil improvement, containing a good balance of inorganic components and minerals such as calcium and magnesium. The hive-like structure of the carbon (porous-honeycomb structure) is useful for encouraging microorganism growth. A feature of hardwood carbon is that it is highly alkaline. The powder form is 5 mm or less, and granules are 5-10 mm.

We provide charcoal for various applications such as rice and vegetable crops, trees (fruit trees, seedlings), ornamental plants such as flowers, city planning and greening projects, water purification, snow melting and every kind of soil improvement application for efficient work.