Phoenix Trees Exposed to the A-bomb, Aogiri trees in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima, Japan

The Phoenix Trees Exposed to the A-bomb are two Aogiri (Chinese parasol trees) standing north of the East Wing of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Their thick, rough gray-brown trunks divide into many branches, and broad bright-green leaves form a dense rounded canopy. A low stake fence and a stone marker stand before them.

These trees originally grew on the grounds of the Hiroshima Post and Telecommunications Bureau before being relocated to their current location in 1973. The move was part of efforts to develop the memorial park as a place for remembrance and reflection.

These trees represent how nature can recover from extreme destruction in the eyes of visitors who come here. Their seeds have been planted in many locations, reminding people that life can return even under the harshest conditions.

The trees are located within the park grounds and marked with informative signs explaining their history and significance. It is best to visit them during daytime when natural light shows their scars and structure most clearly.

Seeds and saplings from the two surviving trees, called second-generation Aogiri, are sent across Japan and abroad. One was planted in the garden of the Truman Library by the grandson of Harry S. Truman, the US president who ordered the bombing.