Wonju Bangye-ri Ginkgo Tree (원주 반계리 은행나무)

Although the exact age of the Bankye-ri Ginkgo Tree is unknown, it is estimated to be over 800 years old. The tree stands approximately 33 meters tall, with a trunk circumference of about 16 meters and a base circumference of about 14 meters. Its branches spread widely, extending 37.5 meters from east to west and 31 meters from north to south. According to legend, the tree was planted by an ancestor of the Seongju Yi clan long ago, said to have grown from a walking stick left standing in the ground after he stopped to drink water here while passing by. The tree was regarded as sacred, believed to be home to a white snake, allowing it to grow unharmed to this day; it was also believed that if the leaves turned yellow all at once in autumn, that year would have a bountiful harvest.