noun
Japanese cedar; Cryptomeria japonica
A tall evergreen tree native to Japan, widely planted for timber and often seen at shrines.
神社の参道には大きな杉が並んでいる。
Large Japanese cedars line the approach to the shrine.
杉の花粉は春のアレルギーの原因になる。
Japanese cedar pollen causes spring allergies.
Rarely used kanji form.
檜 (hinoki) is Japanese cypress, another native conifer often used in construction, but with finer grain and a distinct fragrance compared to 杉.
The historical derivation is uncertain; the kanji 杉 has been used for this tree since ancient times.