Gaecheonsa Torreya Forest, Hwasun

Around Gaecheonsa, a small temple in Chunyang-myeon, Hwasun, an evergreen forest of Japanese torreya (bija, sometimes called nutmeg yew) covers the hillsides. Torreya grows only a little each year, yet here it has spread across the slopes of Gaecheonsan and Cheontaesan, and for such a slow-growing species the forest is rated as outstanding in both size and condition. It is a quiet place, a little over 4 km from Unjusa, the temple famous for its "thousand Buddhas and thousand pagodas".

From temple planting to forest

The forest seems to have grown from torreya trees that monks once planted around Gaecheonsa, which then spread on their own. Torreya is a tree of warm regions, found in Korea south of Naejangsan and in Japan, with stiff, sharp-tipped needles. Koreans traditionally used its nuts as a remedy for worms and constipation and pressed them for cooking oil, while its fine-grained timber was prized for furniture. Go boards made of torreya are still considered the finest of all.

Because the forest is extensive, with many trees in good health, and because it reflects the old practice of using torreya nuts as medicine, it was designated a national Natural Monument in 2007.

Getting to know torreya

Torreya has flat, needle-like leaves arranged in two neat rows along each twig like the teeth of a comb, with two pale stripes on the underside. Male and female flowers grow on separate trees, so only female trees bear the nuts, which ripen in autumn. Inside the forest, try gently rubbing a leaf between your fingers to release its fresh, resinous scent. Southern Korea has a few other torreya forests protected as Natural Monuments, such as Bijarim on Jeju and the grove at Nogudang in Haenam; the Gaecheonsa forest is an inland, hillside example.

The 400-year-old giant

The tree to look for stands north of Gaecheonsa. It is estimated to be about 400 years old, 16 m tall with a girth of 3.5 m at chest height, and its crown spreads 18.4 m across. Standing beneath a tree as tall as a five-storey building with branches reaching out on every side feels like being under a small forest of its own. Its thick, moss-covered trunk divides into several limbs as it rises, so it is easy to pick out in the forest.

Tripto tips

• When to go: as an evergreen forest it stays deep green all year. In midsummer the shade is cool, and in winter, when the surrounding trees are bare, the torreya stands out even more clearly on the hillside.
• Time needed: around 1 hour for the temple and the big tree.
• Getting there: public transport is impractical, so come by car. It is about 4 km from Unjusa, so the two combine easily. Unjusa is famous for the stone Buddhas and pagodas scattered across its valley and its huge reclining Buddhas, so a morning there and an afternoon walk in the torreya forest make a good day. There is no admission fee. Also in Chunyang-myeon, around Daesin-ri, is part of the Hwasun Dolmen Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that fits easily into the same day.
• Good to know: Gaecheonsa is a working temple where monks practise, so keep your voice down in the grounds, and do not pick nuts or branches in the forest. Paths are sloping, so wear comfortable shoes.