Overview of Metasequoia Tree-Lined Road
Stretching approximately 2.4 kilometers through the Makino Highland area of Takashima city in Shiga Prefecture, the Metasequoia Tree-Lined Road is one of Japan’s most celebrated seasonal landscapes. Flanked on both sides by around 500 metasequoia trees planted in 1981, the arrow-straight avenue creates a dramatic natural tunnel of foliage that transforms with each passing season, drawing visitors and photographers from across Japan year-round.
Metasequoia are a species of deciduous conifer native to central China, notable for their remarkable height, straight trunks and feathery foliage. Once believed to be extinct and known only from the fossil record, living specimens were discovered in China in 1944, making the species one of the most celebrated botanical rediscoveries of the 20th century. The trees lining this road now stand at heights of up to approximately 30 meters, forming a towering canopy that is particularly striking when viewed from ground level along the length of the avenue.
The road was selected by the Asahi Shimbun as one of Japan’s top 100 roads in 1994, a designation that significantly raised its national profile and helped establish it as a recognized scenic destination. It sits at the foot of the Makino Highlands, a plateau area popular for cycling, camping and highland walking, and is surrounded by farmland and rural scenery that enhances the pastoral quality of the avenue.
The road is freely accessible at all times and runs parallel to Prefectural Route 295. Private vehicles can drive along the road, though walking or cycling the full length is strongly recommended for the most immersive experience.
Best Times To Visit Metasequoia Tree-Lined Road
Each season offers a genuinely distinct experience along the avenue. Spring (late April to May) brings fresh, vivid green foliage as the metasequoia burst into new growth, creating a bright, airy tunnel of lime-green leaves against open skies. Summer sees the canopy at its fullest and most lush, providing welcome shade along the road.
Autumn is widely considered the finest season to visit. From late November to early December the metasequoia turn a rich, burnished orange-red before shedding their needles, creating one of the most spectacular and photogenic autumn scenes in the Kansai region. Arriving in the early morning during peak autumn color allows visitors to experience the avenue in soft light with minimal crowds.
Winter, after the trees have shed their needles, reveals the elegant skeletal structure of the trunks and branches against pale winter skies — a starkly beautiful scene that has its own devoted following among photographers.