The Trees That Survived Hiroshima

May 5, 2023 11:26 AM

My grandmother doesn’t talk about the bomb. [NYTimes]
posted by Ahmad Khani (6 comments total)

I really appreciate this. Thank you for sharing it, Ahmad Khani.
posted by ourobouros at 11:38 AM on May 5, 2023

That was a beautiful piece of writing
posted by wandering zinnia at 12:11 PM on May 5, 2023

Archive.org link
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 12:36 PM on May 5, 2023 [2 favorites]

One day I would love to see these trees in person. The Wilmington College Quaker Heritage Center recently exhibited striking photographs of the trees in tapestry-sized photographs paired with first-hand accounts of the bombings. The photographer is Katy Mccormick and I've never encountered a more powerful photography installation in my life.
posted by dbx at 2:11 PM on May 5, 2023 [2 favorites]

I did not read the article so I might be repeating somethings. "An exception to all the destruction at Hiroshima were four remarkable ginkgo trees that survived and which by the following spring had even started to bloom again. The closest, at Hosen-Ji, was only 0.7 miles (1,130m) from the epicenter of the explosion. All four trees are still thriving today. Ever since, in Japan the gingko has been regarded as the "bearer of hope". There are plaques near some of these trees bearing prayers for world peace." From "The Living Wisdom of Trees" Fred Hageneder
posted by DJZouke at 5:09 AM on May 6, 2023

I did read the archived link. The book does not mention the depth of the roots of the ginkgo tree!
posted by DJZouke at 5:14 AM on May 6, 2023