Two Camphor Trees

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Sun 5 Nov 2017 23:57
The Two Magnificent Camphor Trees, Nagasaki
 
 
 
 
IMG_0267
 
Standing at the bottom of the steps guarded by the lions, we looked up at two enormous camphor trees with a plaque.
 
Camphor Trees in Sanno Shinto Shrine: These two huge camphor trees stand out among the trees surrounding Sanno Shinto Shrine, sinking deep roots on both sides of the entrance and creating a thick canopy of greenery with their tangle of branches.
The ferocious blast and heat generated by the explosion of the atomic bomb at 11:02 a.m. August 9, 1945 destroyed the buildings of the shrine, which were located only 800 metres southeast of the hypocentre, and slapped down one of the pillars of the second gate. These two trees were instantly stripped naked and spit down the trunk by the blast and scorched black by the heat rays. Although considered dead at the time, they came back to life and are now natural monuments designated by Nagasaki City.
Nagasaki City installs this plaque as a prayer for the repose of the souls of the people who died here and to ensure that this tragedy is never repeated.
 
 
IMG_0268  IMG_0269
 
Looking at a bomb scar on the chap to the left and his label.
 
 
IMG_0270  IMG_0271
 
The chap on the right had some fitted netting and a fancy plaster cast.
 
 
IMG_0272
 
Further on was a little house and garden, on we walked and saw a display cabinet.
 
 
IMG_0274  IMG_0277
 
IMG_0275
 
IMG_0276
 
The cabinet contained some amazing pictures of our chaps and the lantern that once stood by the now one-legged torii.
 
 
IMG_0273  IMG_0279
 
From here we could take a picture of the lantern by the little house and one nearer to the camphor trees.
 
 
IMG_0280
 
So from visiting the one-legged torii, we had found the road marker, saw the lions, ventured up the steps and now stood by a lantern gazing at these remarkable camphor trees – a testament to survival. Once more a site decorated with folded paper cranes as a symbol of peace.
 
 
IMG_0283  IMG_0282 
 
The chap that was on our left as we came up the steps and the other chap, who now we could see has steps leading higher up his trunk.
 
 
IMG_0284  IMG_0287
 
Up the steps by our chap on the right as we came up the main steps, a big scar. In front of us a mesh. I held the camera to the mesh, snapped the camera and then took a sniff, that wonderful, heady aroma of camphor, just the same as in our camphorwood chest made back in 1953.
 
 
IMG_0288 
 
A scar higher up.
 
 
Sanno_and_trees  IMG_0290
 
From August 1945 to November 2017..........
 
 
IMG_0291
 
Down to our lions once more, turning left the way we had come.................
 
 
 IMG_0294
 
.......passing a little shrine in the shade of our chap on the right, hundreds of peace cranes dangling colourfully.
 
 
IMG_0289
 
Can two trees impact in our lives ??? Yes they can. They can indeed.
 
 
 
 
ALL IN ALL MOTHER NATURE’S DEFIANCE
                     QUITE, QUITE SPECIAL