The Kitayama Big Daisugi photo challenge is one of those Forza Horizon 6 objectives that sounds straightforward until you realize the map gives you almost nothing to go on. The Ito region is dense with forest, and the specific cedar cluster you need sits down an unmarked dirt path that most players drive right past. Here's exactly where to find it, how to take the photo, and what bonus is hiding just south of the trees.
Where is the Kitayama Big Daisugi in Forza Horizon 6?
The Kitayama Big Daisugi sit in the northern part of the Ito region, on the eastern side of the map. The Ito region juts out where water cuts in along the coast, and the airfield runway in the area is your best orientation point.
From Ito Airfield, head northeast. You're looking for a dirt trail that runs roughly east-to-west through a forested area marked with tree icons on the map. The path is unpaved the entire way, so a car with decent off-road handling will save you some frustration.
Ito region cedar cluster location
Once you're on the trail, the trees are hard to miss. Daisugi cedars are shaped by a traditional Japanese forestry technique where secondary trunks grow straight up from the branches of a parent tree. The result looks like a tree sprouting other trees from its arms. When you see that distinctive silhouette rising above the surrounding forest, you're in the right spot. A blue stamp on your map labeled Kitayama Big Daisugi confirms it.
How to take the Kitayama Big Daisugi photo
Park near the cedar cluster and open Photo Mode. On controller, press Up on the D-pad. On keyboard, press P.
Frame the towering cedars in the background of your shot. The photo doesn't need to be a masterpiece, and your car doesn't need to be in frame at all. As long as the Big Daisugi trees are visible in the image, the challenge registers.
To capture the shot, press RB on Xbox, R1 on PlayStation, or Enter on keyboard. Once taken, Kitayama Big Daisugi appears under the Discover Japan section in the top-left corner of the screen, and you bank 100 Discover Japan points toward your exploration rank.
Framing the cedar shot
What does Discover Japan rank actually unlock?
The Discover Japan progression system runs from Visitor up through Master Explorer. Every landmark photo, story mission, and side activity you complete feeds into this rank. Climbing it matters for two reasons: it unlocks additional barn find locations across the map, and several of the game's achievements are tied directly to your exploration rank.
Photography challenges like this one are among the fastest ways to push your rank forward when you're stalling on other activities. The landmark photos are quick, and 100 points per location adds up faster than grinding races.
For a full breakdown of every challenge and reward in the current season, the Welcome to Japan challenges and rewards guide covers the complete point requirements and car prizes.
Is there a barn find near the Kitayama Big Daisugi?
Yes, and it's one of the rarer cars in the game. Directly south of the Kitayama Big Daisugi label on the map, a small gravel path branches off the main trail. Follow it to reach a barn containing the 1983 Nissan #11 Tomica Skyline Turbo Super Silhouette.
The catch: the car will not appear unless you've reached the Master Explorer tier in Discover Japan. If you drive to the barn early and find it empty, that's why. The rumor doesn't spawn until you hit that top rank, so keep working through the exploration system and return once you get there.
Once the rumor spawns and you discover the barn, you can either wait for the restoration to complete or spend credits to get the car immediately.
Getting to the Kitayama Big Daisugi faster
The most efficient route is to fast travel to Ito Airfield if you've unlocked it, then drive northeast on the dirt trail. The whole trip from the airfield takes under two minutes in a capable off-road vehicle. Switching to an SUV or rally car before heading out saves the extra time you'd spend fighting the terrain in a road car.
If you're working through other Ito-area photo challenges at the same time, the Kitayama cedars pair well with a broader exploration run through the region. The scenic drive through the forest is genuinely one of the better-looking stretches in Ito, which makes it worth doing even outside of the challenge.
For more photo challenge and landmark locations across the map, check out the full Forza Horizon 6 guides collection to keep your Discover Japan rank climbing efficiently.