Entry No. 36 — the Washington, D.C. file — filed under: outdoor

National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

One tree in the Japanese pavilion, a white pine called the Yamaki Pine, has been in continuous bonsai training since 1625 — it was standing about 1.5 miles from ground zero in Hiroshima on August 6, 1945, and its donor family (the Yamakis) didn't reveal that survival story to the U.S. National Arboretum until 2001. It shares the grounds with a Chinese penjing collection and 105 "viewing stones" kept purely for the shapes erosion carved into them.

The move: Walk the Japanese, Chinese, and North American pavilions at your own pace, find the Yamaki Pine's placard and read its full survival story together, then carry it over to a bench in the adjoining Fern Valley for a quiet picnic.

• 📍 Northeast DC — U.S. National Arboretum
• 💸 $
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Indoors

Where: 3501 New York Avenue NE, Washington, DC 20002

Hours: Added 2026-07-19 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · Official site

last checked: 2026-07-19