This moving video takes us on a journey into the memories of one of the world's most revered trees, a 400 year old Japanese white pine bonsai. The tree's rings hold stories from its inception as a tiny seed, through its early years surrounded by monks who prayed in the surrounding forest. It holds memories of sunlight and purifying rain. Tended by the loving touch and care of five generations of the Yamaki family, the tree and the family survived the devastation of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. In 1976 it was gifted to the National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. where it remains as a symbol of the merger of lives, forests, and the human family.

7,268 Views

 Your Name: Email:
  • Polly Armstrong

    The natural world holds the secret to our very existence. In these troubled times of environmental crisis for all living things, it is these stories, these reminders of how important Nature is for we are a part of Nature.

  • Liz Mitten Ryan

    They keep saying trees are made of memory. How do they know this?

  • Page 1

  • Learn more of the story of this remarkable survivor tree and the memories contained within it. 
  • Experience the love of trees through these shared writings
  • How do you love trees? Reflect on the ways trees have blessed your life, ideally while sitting or standing under a favorite tree.

Related Videos