War-Damaged Utility Pole Monument

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.