Tree honors peace and unity on anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima

SAN DIEGO (FOX5/KUSI) -- Wednesday marked 80 years since the United States bombed Hiroshima during World War II. It was a moment that changed warfare forever and ultimately led to Japan’s surrender.

Amid the devastation, some plants survived.

A descendant of one surviving gingko tree now grows at the San Diego Botanic Garden in Encinitas, making it a site of remembrance on the anniversary of the bombing.

The Noda family took part in the garden’s annual Survivor Tree Ceremony on Wednesday. They hung messages of hope near a young ginkgo tree, grown from a seed of one that withstood the blast in 1945.

“We were very — what should I say — happy and surprised that you guys here in San Diego are having such a nice ceremony for this special occasion," said Koi Chi Noda.

“This one is mine," said Mrs. Noda, as she pointed at a note she wrote near the gingko tree. “No nuclear war."

Koi Chi Noda and his wife live in Japan but were in San Diego visiting their grandchildren. He called the ceremony a full-circle moment, saying his last visit with family was to Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima.

He said Japanese families continue to reflect on that day, when the first atomic bomb killed an estimated 140,000 people.

“Also, about the great effort after the bombing — what Japanese people did for the recovery. And during the recovery, we received great help from the USA. We are grateful. I think the relationship between the USA and Japan brings great unity between the two countries," said Noda.

Ari Novy, the CEO of the San Diego Botanic Garden, explained that the garden is part of a program founded in Japan called the Green Legacy Hiroshima Initiative.

It sends seeds from the surviving tree as a symbol of peace and unity, to bring awareness to the dangers of weapons of mass destruction, especially nuclear weapons, and to show off the resilience of plants.

“This tree we have began as a seed on that mother tree – came to the United States—was germinated here in 2020 and planted in the garden in 2023," said Novy.

He said the San Diego Botanic Garden is the only site in the U.S. that serves as a seed hub--germinating seeds before they travel to other cities across the country.

The Noda family said the connection between their roots and their plants holds great significance to the anniversary.

"There is a really cool piece of heritage that's here through the plants in Hiroshima," Noda said.

The tree can be seen every day except Tuesdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.