YATOMI, Aichi Prefecture--If there is a reason why a "miracle" lone pine tree withstood a towering tsunami on March 11, 2011, to become a symbol of hope and fortitude, it became obvious to a sawmill working to preserve it for future generations.
YATOMI, Aichi Prefecture--If there is a reason why a "miracle" lone pine tree withstood a towering tsunami on March 11, 2011, to become a symbol of hope and fortitude, it became obvious to a sawmill working to preserve it for future generations.
"The pine wood was so solid we could process it without concern," said Tokujiro Kato, president of Yatomi Seizai. "No wonder it withstood the tsunami. I hope it will go back to stand where it was and be a symbol of encouragement for people."
The sawmill in this central city on Nov. 8 completed work to hollow out the tree, the sole remnant of a coastal pine forest in Rikuzentakata, Iwate Prefecture, that remained standing.
The lone tree withstood the tsunami spawned by the Great East Japan Earthquake, but later died from the effects of the saltwater that soaked its root and leaf system.
The tree is expected to be reinstalled where it stood as a monument in February after undergoing preservative and other treatment measures in Kyoto.
Yatomi Seizai's distinguished track record in wood processing, including restoration of festival float wheels, won it the order for the latest repair work.
An 18.6-meter trunk section of the tree, which stood 27 meters high, was delivered to the Yatomi Seizai lumber mill in three sections on Sept. 15.
Yatomi Seizai workers spent nearly a month calculating its strength and developing a machine to drill a hole into the rotating lumber. The trunk was eventually divided into seven sections, six of which, except for the topmost part, was hollowed out to make room for a carbon pole.
The top section will be replaced by a fiber-reinforced plastic replica, complete with twigs and leaves, at a different mill.
The trunk sections will be connected using a carbon pole and linkage parts before being reinstalled on the site.
The Rikuzentakata city government is collecting donations to cover the 150 million yen ($1.9 million) or so it will take to preserve the tree. Some 47 million yen had been donated from around the world by the end of October.