War-Damaged Utility Pole Monument – Tokyo, Japan - Atlas Obscura

War-Damaged Utility Pole Monument

A sad reminder of the World War II bombing stands largely unnoticed on a street corner. 

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On March 10, 1945, during World War II, American fighters bombed Tokyo, an incendiary attack that claimed more than 100,000 lives overnight. Much of the city’s historic downtown districts was burned to the ground.

Unnoticed by most people, a single utility pole in the Misuji district survived this air raid … barely. While it looks like the remains of a tree hit by a lightning, it is monument to the bombing attack. It represents the tragedy of war and the city’s resolve to defend world peace forever, according to the nearby plaque.

Although the plaque does not mention it, this is not the original war-damaged utility pole, but an exact replica of it made of porcelain. The original pole is on display at the Edo-Tokyo Museum in the Ryōgoku district, not far away.

Know Before You Go

The closest train station is Kuramae station, approximately five minutes away. It can also be reached from the Asakusa and Asakusabashi stations, about 10 to 15 minutes away by foot.

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