【Designated by the City：Natural Monument (Flora)】Coral Trees of Amagoi-za

The coral tree is a deciduous tree belonging to the pea family. The tree is distributed from India to the Pacific islands. In Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands, the tree can be found anywhere; some of the planted trees have gone wild, and some are planted as part of residential forests, ornaments or garden trees. The tree blooms with beautiful bright red flowers in early summer between defoliation and growth of new leaves. The flowers decorate the tropical islands of Okinawa in the beginning of summer and then continue to bloom from south to north throughout the region.
The coral trees, growing at Amagoiza, to the east of Kurima Elementary and Junior High School, are sacred trees under which people dance during the annual Yamasu Ugan ceremony held on the day of Kinoe-uma in September. It is said that each of the three brothers of Upuya, Sumuriya, Yamasuya planted one tree. There are, however, only two left as someone have cut down one.