Tree Hair: Hiroshima, Japan. Hiroshima was, for me, a very difficult city to visit. The devastation and circumstance of the bombing elicits grief, guilt, remorse and disgust. Finding it emotionally challenging to upload photos from the the bombing site (of which I have few), I hereby start on more calming and neutral ground to introduce this soft spoken city to you. This photo was taken at Shukkeien (縮景園). Construction of Shukkeien Garden began in 1620, when the Japanese Lord of the time decided that his villa lacked a garden worthy of a prominent ruler of Japan. This beautiful complex provides a place for peaceful reflection, and It’s name (literally “shrunken-scenery garden”) expresses the idea of collecting and miniaturizing many scenic views (mountains, rivers, thoroughfare in Kyoto, etc.). With its many bridges, alcoves, plants, trees, and blooms, it was easy to slip into a mode of contemplation. The gardens, like most of Hiroshima, were wiped out of existence in 1945, but thankfully, the City immediately started repairs to restore the garden. ———————————————————— I am sure there is a more eloquent (and accurate) way to describe this plant, but from the moment I saw it, I thought “hair.” The damn tree’s got hair. Any visiting botanist, feel free to elaborate.
