Komomaki

Have you seen the straw belts wrapped around pine trees?

Komomaki at Wakayama Castle

Komomaki are straw belts, wrapped around pine trees during the winter in Japan to protect them against pests. This custom dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868). During the Edo period a gardener developed komomaki as a method of attracting pests. The pests eat pine needles which make trees weaken. The komomaki are placed in early winter (in early November) for the pests to spend the winter in them and they are burned just before spring, before the pests emerge from hibernation. Komomaki are not the protection against the cold. This is one of the special features of winter in Japan. Spring is approaching, and the komomaki will be taken off soon.