National Bonsai Museum in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
If trees could talk
this one would tell quite a story. It has grown as a bonsai for so long that it passed through five generations of a single family of bonsai artists in Japan before crossing the ocean to live here. The Yamaki family was well known in Japan for their dedication to the art of bonsai. Attached to the family's home in Hiroshima was an outdoor nursery filled with priceless trees, including this one.
On the morning of August 6, 1945, the Yamaki family and their bonsai survived the atomic blast that led to the end of the war between Japan and the United States. Thirty years later, bonsai master Masaru Yamaki offered this tree, one of his oldest and most precious, as part of a gift from the people of Japan to the people of the United States in honor of the country's 200th birthday.
Today, this remarkable tree and symbol of good will serves to welcome visitors to the nation's bonsai museum. Here it does what bonsai are meant to do: speak to each of us in a very personal way.
Erected by U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music
this page online
Location. This marker has been replaced by another marker nearby. It was located near 38° 54.765′ N, 76° 58.121′ W. Marker was in Northeast Washington in Washington, District of Columbia. It was in National Bonsai Museum. It could be reached from Meadow Road Northeast just west of Ellipse Road Northeast, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 3501 New York Ave NE, Washington DC 20002, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker was in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It was also in the American Northeast, in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, in the Tidewater, and in the Chesapeake Bay Region. Globally, it was in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location: Inherited Wealth (a few steps from this marker); An Art Form Is Born
Another marker is no longer nearby. What shape do you see? (was a few steps from this marker but has been permanently removed).
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. This marker has been replaced with the linked marker which has slightly different text.
Also see . . . The National Bonsai Foundation 2020 Annual Report (PDF). This tree is featured on page 6. Excerpt:
Since 1625, the tree had been passed down through the Yamaki family. For several generations, the pine resided in a commercial bonsai nursery in Hiroshima, Japan, at the familys private nursery. In(Submitted on July 29, 2022.)1945, the United States dropped the worlds first atomic bomb less than two miles from the Yamaki residence. Incredibly, a wall constructed around the familys bonsai protected their collection from any harm the blast could have caused and the Yamaki pine continued to stand strong.Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), January 11, 20203. The Yamaki PineJapanese white pine bonsai, planted in 1625, is 44 inches high and weighs 400 pounds.
Credits. This page was last revised on January 30, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 11, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 1,504 times since then and 23 times this year. It was the Marker of the Week July 31, 2022. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 11, 2020, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
