In the tree crown, the process of branch growth and mortality is still poorly understood. We investigated the patterns of growth and death of primary branches (those branching off the main trunk) and secondary branches (those branching off the primary branch) for sunlit and shaded trees in an even-aged plantation of Sakhalin spruce, Picea glehnii, in Sapporo, Japan. Light intensities above the tip of secondary branches on the distal part of a primary branch were stronger than those of the proximal part of the primary branch (p<0.05). These secondary branches in the distal part also produced more current-year shoots and exhibited a lower mortality than those in the proximal part (p<0.05). Diameter of a secondary branch had a positive relationship with the length of current-year shoots (p<0.05). In addition, there was a positive relationship between the number and the mean length of current-year shoots on a secondary branch (p<0.05). Although the light intensity of the primary branch that produced one or more current-year shoots was stronger than those did not (p<0.05), the mortality of primary branch decreased with the vertical distance from the crown base (p<0.05). It suggests that the growth and death of individual branch of Sakhalin spruce is not fully autonomous.