Ginkgo leaf

銀杏 ichō

The ginkgo is a hardy, very long-lived tree, so its fan-shaped leaf stands for longevity and endurance; it is also a sign of autumn.

Introduced from China around the 14th century; widely planted at temples

Modern scholarship holds that the ginkgo reached Japan from China in the 14th century. Its standing in Buddhism and Confucianism led to wide planting at temples and shrines, where Engelbert Kaempfer saw it in 1690; the Western name 'ginkgo' comes from his record of a Japanese reading. Very old trees became local landmarks.

An autumn motif; the ginkgo is Tokyo's official tree and symbol, and ginkgo trees that survived the Hiroshima bomb are revered.