Aogiri is one of the most symbolic A-bombed survivor trees in Hiroshima City.
In Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, two A-bombed survivor Aogiri trees are planted. Originally, these Aogiri trees were bombed at Teishin Hospital of the time (current Hiroshima Hakushima Hospital). Suzuko Numata, who was working at the hospital at the time, lost the will to live after the bombing, but the Aogiri trees in the hospital gave her courage. In 1973, the Aogiri was transplanted to Peace Memorial Park, and Ms. Numata continued to appeal to many people about the tragedy of the atomic bombing through the Aogiri.
There is a song that uses the Aogiri as a motif. Nanase Morimitsu was inspired by the peace study and wrote the lyrics to “Aogiri no Uta” (the Song of Aogiri) when she was in the second grade of elementary. The song is about the surrounding scenery, the strength of the Aogiri trees that sprouted after the atomic bombing, and the importance of peace. While she was in charge of taking care of the second generation of Aogiri trees in her school yard, her homeroom teacher told her, “there is a mother of this tree,” which prompted her to go to Peace Memorial Park to meet the Aogiri trees. Ms. Morimitsu says, “if it were not for this song, I would never have thought about peace to this extent.” The song is still widely sung in Hiroshima Prefecture and beyond, and the song can be listened to in front of the Aogiri in Peace Memorial Park.
Ms. Morimitsu performing “Aogiri no uta” at the event
In 2022, an event to visit A-bombed survivor Aogiri by riding on a wrapped train with A-bombed survivor Aogiri design in cooperation with Hiroshima Electric Railway Co., Ltd.
This event was held in the hope that visitors would experience the lylics “Riding on a train to Peace Memorial Park Finally we could meet, Aogiri-san” from “Aogiri no uta.”
After meeting the Aogiri, participants moved to a café where they could enjoy looking at the A-bombed survivor trees growing in clusters near Atago Pond, which had been set up for a limited time only. At the café, there was a live performance of “Aogiri no uta” by Ms. Morimitsu and a talk session about the A-bombed survivor trees.
A wrapped train with A-bombed survivor Aogiri design
midori cafe set up in front of A-bombed survivor trees at Atago Pond
Hiroshima City has been distributing saplings of the second generation A-bombed survivor Aogiri with the aim of remembering and passing on the spirit of peace in Hiroshima forever and expanding the circle of peace-loving people. More than 1,000 saplings have been distributed so far, mainly to local governments and schools.