To the rear of Takeo shrine, after a 500-metre walk up through a bamboo forest, stands one of the country's oldest camphor trees. 27 metres high and with a root span of 26 metres, it is estimated to be 3000 years old and has withstood typhoons, earthquakes, volcano eruptions and fires. Worshipped by the locals, a small shrine is hidden at its foot. At the entrance to the site, two giant cypress have got their roots all tangled up. The Japanese come here to pray for a happy and peaceful love life