I teased the idea of this episode a few months ago when I covered the Arborvitae, mentioning that the Japanese Arborvitae belonged to a group of species held sacred in a specific forest in Japan. Today, I'd like to highlight these species: two Arborvitae, two Cypresses, and an Umbrella Pine (which isn't really a Pine). We'll talk about what makes them biologically special as well as special to those who have lived in and around the Kiso Forest. This relationship teaches us much about Japan's historic relationship with the natural world and the human-forest connection in general.Tons of bonus content is available on my Patreon! (patreon.com/MyFavoriteTrees)Music is by Academy Garden (academygarden.bandcamp.com)Cover Art is by @boomerangbrit on InstagramScript Editing and Social Media is by Laurie Hilburn (lhilburn.journoportfolio.com)Follow me on Twitter and Facebook @MyFavoriteTrees and on Instagram @treepodcast Send me an email with questions and suggestions at treeguythomas@gmail.com