A-bombed Aogiri

This tree, located in the courtyard of the Hiroshima Post Office (now the Chugoku Post Office) in Higashi-Hakushima-cho, Naka-ku, about 1.3 km from the hypocenter, was exposed to the heat rays and blast winds as it had no obstructions in the direction of the hypocenter. All branches and leaves were lost, and half of the trunk on the hypocenter side was burned and gouged out. However, this tree, which was practically dead, sprouted the following spring and gave courage to people who were in a state of collapse amid the confusion of the bombing and defeat. Later, when the Chugoku Post Office was rebuilt, it was transplanted to its current location in May 1973, and continues to speak silently of the damage caused by the atomic bomb. "The Song of the Camphor Tree" was selected as the grand prize for Hiroshima City's 2000-2001 commemorative event "Songs of Hiroshima". There were concerns that the camphor tree would die when transplanted, but it continued to produce seeds every year. These seeds were sent both domestically and abroad, and many second-generation camphor trees are growing well.