RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate Prefecture--A lone pine tree that survived the 2011 tsunami when this city was all but swept away is on its way to becoming a permanent memorial after completion of expensive preservation work.
RIKUZENTAKATA, Iwate Prefecture--A lone pine tree that survived the 2011 tsunami when this city was all but swept away is on its way to becoming a permanent memorial after completion of expensive preservation work.
The sole conifer left standing at the renowned Takata Matsubara pine forest beauty spot came to be seen locally as a symbol of hope and fortitude.
It died because the ground was soaked with seawater, but local officials solicited donations to cover the estimated 150 million yen ($1.6 million) needed to fell the tree, embalm it, and re-erect it.
But donations have not reached even half the target figure, so the local government is temporarily using contributions for reconstruction to cover the shortfall.
In September, the tree was cut down, divided into sections and dispatched to specialists elsewhere in Japan for preservation. In Aichi Prefecture, for example, experts hollowed out the trunk to inject synthetic resin into its central cavity.
On Feb. 12, an eight-meter section of lower trunk arrived back in Rikuzentakata duly fortified. Workers used a crane to hoist it into a prepared concrete base.
"I understand that the tree needs to be heavily preserved so that it will withstand the wind and rain," said Yoshihisa Suzuki, 68, the chairman of the Association for the Preservation of Takata Matsubara. "But seeing it artificially repaired like this gives me mixed feelings."
The project is scheduled to be completed in early March.