Miracle amid ruins

Two years ago, Japan was ravaged by a tsunami. Now there’s a new memorial to the people and things who lived through it: the “miracle tree” that survived the surge has been converted into a sculpture.

When the surge hit the coast in Rikuzentakata, the 27-metre behemoth was the only one of nearly 70,000 trees to remain standing. Months later, the pine died due to its newly barren surroundings, but not before it could be chopped down and have its trunk dismantled for preservation.

Now, a fortified sculpture consisting of the remaining pieces, augmented with fake branches and leaves molded from the original placed on top, has been installed at the tree’s tsunami-worn home.