with the wind blows the ginkgo

A while back (when Michael and Sara were here visiting) we went to Kamakura and did some seeing of the sights.  While we were there, we noticed this huge tree just to the side of the steps up to the big temple.  The reason we took note was because it looked completely dead and yet sported the ropes and white papers containing prayers indicating its import.  I wondered to Jeff why they didn't get rid of it, as it seemed to be dangerous and likely to fall down any moment - the area around it was even cordoned off (which you can sort of see with the red barriers at the bottom of the tree). 

(The aforementioned ginkgo is the large brown, leafless one on the left of the picture.)

Fast forward to yesterday, when that tree did, in fact, fall over.  And who knew, by the way, that said giant ginko tree was one thousand years old.  Yeah.  Kind of a big deal.  It is apparently very closely connected with the history of the shrine.  The chief priest was, I quote the Mainichi newspaper, "too shocked to comment on the matter."

Here is a picture of the aftermath:

[Go ahead and blame the poor quality on the Mainichi - I took the picture from them.] 

This is sort of like when the Old Man of the Mountain fell down in New Hampsire. 

And so it goes....

Mata ne,
Melissa