A spirit or deity inhabiting a tree, often appearing in Japanese folklore and mythology. Similar to 木霊 (kodama), but 木の精 is a more general term.
See also: こだま
It is said that a tree spirit lives in that forest.
Tree spirits often appear in old tales.
Compound of 木 (ki, 'tree') + の (no, possessive particle) + 精 (sei, 'spirit'). The term is a straightforward description of a spirit associated with trees.