Sumitomo Forestry Donates Seeds of 'Miracle Pine Tree' Successor to Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Preserving Disaster Memories for the Future
Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd. announced the donation of seeds collected from a successor tree of the 'Miracle Pine Tree,' a symbol of recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake, to the Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. The seeds were handed over to British Ambassador Julia Longbottom at the British Embassy in Tokyo on May 21. Marking the 15th anniversary of the disaster and the 25th anniversary of the seed bank, this initiative aims to internationally preserve the memory of the earthquake and precious genetic resources.
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- 📰 Published: May 22, 2026 at 22:00
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Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd. (President: Toshiro Mitsuyoshi, Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) will donate seeds of a successor tree of the 'Miracle Pine Tree' it has cultivated to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK. Prior to the donation, the seeds were handed over to Julia Longbottom, the British Ambassador to Japan, at the British Embassy in Tokyo (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) on May 21.
The seeds were collected from the cones of a successor tree propagated by grafting from the 'Miracle Pine Tree,' which survived the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. With the cooperation of the British Embassy in Tokyo, they will be donated to the Millennium Seed Bank located at Wakehurst, part of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
■ Background of the Donation
The 'Miracle Pine Tree' is widely known domestically and internationally as a symbol of recovery. During the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, it withstood the tsunami that washed away the Takata Matsubara forest (approximately 70,000 pine trees) in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, remaining as the sole surviving pine tree. Since immediately after the disaster, Sumitomo Forestry, in collaboration with Yonai Zoen Co., Ltd., the Japan Landscape Contractors Association, and Asako Production Farm, has been working on cultivating successor trees through grafting and seedlings to pass on the lineage of the 'Miracle Pine Tree' to the future.
In 2012, the company received an inquiry from the Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, wanting to preserve seeds of the 'Miracle Pine Tree.' However, as securing the seeds was difficult at that time, the company provided seeds of Japanese red pine from Ryusenji, a temple in the same Rikuzentakata City that was also affected by the disaster.
Subsequently, marking the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the smooth progress of cultivating the successor trees, and the Millennium Seed Bank celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, it was decided to donate seeds derived from the successor tree. The purpose is to internationally inherit the memory and lineage of the 'Miracle Pine Tree.'
■ About the Donated Seeds of the 'Miracle Pine Tree' Successor
The donated seeds were collected from the cones of a successor tree propagated by grafting from the 'Miracle Pine Tree' affected by the 2011 disaster.
Because the successor tree is a clone of the 'Miracle Pine Tree,' these seeds inherit its genetics. The age of the tree in question is 14 years, and the seeds were collected in October 2025.
■ Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is one of the world's leading botanical research and conservation institutions. The Millennium Seed Bank operated by the gardens is one of the world's largest facilities for long-term preservation of rare wild plant seeds from around the globe, aiming to pass these plant resources on to the future.
■ Future Outlook
The seeds will be donated to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew after undergoing export-related procedures such as plant quarantine, and are scheduled to be preserved long-term at the Millennium Seed Bank. Sumitomo Forestry will continue to watch over the healthy growth of the 'Miracle Pine Tree' successor trees and maintain efforts to pass on the memories of the disaster and precious tree genetic resources to the future.
■ Comments from the British Embassy in Tokyo and Sumitomo Forestry
◆ Julia Longbottom, British Ambassador to Japan
The 'Miracle Pine Tree,' the sole survivor of the Great East Japan Earthquake, symbolizes the strength of people who do not lose hope even in the midst of hardship. I am delighted that the seeds inheriting its genetics will be passed on to the future at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
When His Majesty the Emperor visited the UK in 2024, I had the honor of accompanying him to Kew Gardens. The Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens is an internationally important hub for the long-term conservation of precious plant resources from around the world, playing a significant role from the perspectives of protecting the natural environment and scientific research. The seeds donated this time will also be carefully preserved as part of such efforts.
Behind the passing down of these seeds is the advanced technology and years of dedicated effort by everyone at Sumitomo Forestry. I express my deep respect for the activities of cultivating and preserving the successor trees that have been continuously undertaken since immediately after the disaster.
The seeds of this 'Miracle Pine Tree' are also a symbol of a new step connecting Japan and the UK. The UK will continue to stand closely with the recovery of the Tohoku region, and while passing this precious memory to the future together with the people of Japan, we hope to further deepen the cooperation between our two countries through such initiatives.
◆ Akira Ichikawa, Chairman of the Board and Representative Director, Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.
We are pleased to donate seeds from the successor tree of the 'Miracle Pine Tree,' a symbol of recovery and hope from the Great East Japan Earthquake, to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK. I would first like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Masumi Yamanaka, an artist/coordinator at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for her dedicated efforts in realizing this donation. The 'Miracle Pine Tree,' which withstood the tsunami damage of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, has continued to give courage and hope to many people. As a first step in passing a piece of that symbol to the future, we are honored that British Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom was able to accept the seeds.
The seeds were collected from the cones of a successor tree propagated by grafting from the 'Miracle Pine Tree,' which survived the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. With the cooperation of the British Embassy in Tokyo, they will be donated to the Millennium Seed Bank located at Wakehurst, part of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
■ Background of the Donation
The 'Miracle Pine Tree' is widely known domestically and internationally as a symbol of recovery. During the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, it withstood the tsunami that washed away the Takata Matsubara forest (approximately 70,000 pine trees) in Rikuzentakata City, Iwate Prefecture, remaining as the sole surviving pine tree. Since immediately after the disaster, Sumitomo Forestry, in collaboration with Yonai Zoen Co., Ltd., the Japan Landscape Contractors Association, and Asako Production Farm, has been working on cultivating successor trees through grafting and seedlings to pass on the lineage of the 'Miracle Pine Tree' to the future.
In 2012, the company received an inquiry from the Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, wanting to preserve seeds of the 'Miracle Pine Tree.' However, as securing the seeds was difficult at that time, the company provided seeds of Japanese red pine from Ryusenji, a temple in the same Rikuzentakata City that was also affected by the disaster.
Subsequently, marking the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the smooth progress of cultivating the successor trees, and the Millennium Seed Bank celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, it was decided to donate seeds derived from the successor tree. The purpose is to internationally inherit the memory and lineage of the 'Miracle Pine Tree.'
■ About the Donated Seeds of the 'Miracle Pine Tree' Successor
The donated seeds were collected from the cones of a successor tree propagated by grafting from the 'Miracle Pine Tree' affected by the 2011 disaster.
Because the successor tree is a clone of the 'Miracle Pine Tree,' these seeds inherit its genetics. The age of the tree in question is 14 years, and the seeds were collected in October 2025.
■ Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is one of the world's leading botanical research and conservation institutions. The Millennium Seed Bank operated by the gardens is one of the world's largest facilities for long-term preservation of rare wild plant seeds from around the globe, aiming to pass these plant resources on to the future.
■ Future Outlook
The seeds will be donated to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew after undergoing export-related procedures such as plant quarantine, and are scheduled to be preserved long-term at the Millennium Seed Bank. Sumitomo Forestry will continue to watch over the healthy growth of the 'Miracle Pine Tree' successor trees and maintain efforts to pass on the memories of the disaster and precious tree genetic resources to the future.
■ Comments from the British Embassy in Tokyo and Sumitomo Forestry
◆ Julia Longbottom, British Ambassador to Japan
The 'Miracle Pine Tree,' the sole survivor of the Great East Japan Earthquake, symbolizes the strength of people who do not lose hope even in the midst of hardship. I am delighted that the seeds inheriting its genetics will be passed on to the future at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
When His Majesty the Emperor visited the UK in 2024, I had the honor of accompanying him to Kew Gardens. The Millennium Seed Bank at Kew Gardens is an internationally important hub for the long-term conservation of precious plant resources from around the world, playing a significant role from the perspectives of protecting the natural environment and scientific research. The seeds donated this time will also be carefully preserved as part of such efforts.
Behind the passing down of these seeds is the advanced technology and years of dedicated effort by everyone at Sumitomo Forestry. I express my deep respect for the activities of cultivating and preserving the successor trees that have been continuously undertaken since immediately after the disaster.
The seeds of this 'Miracle Pine Tree' are also a symbol of a new step connecting Japan and the UK. The UK will continue to stand closely with the recovery of the Tohoku region, and while passing this precious memory to the future together with the people of Japan, we hope to further deepen the cooperation between our two countries through such initiatives.
◆ Akira Ichikawa, Chairman of the Board and Representative Director, Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd.
We are pleased to donate seeds from the successor tree of the 'Miracle Pine Tree,' a symbol of recovery and hope from the Great East Japan Earthquake, to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew in the UK. I would first like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Ms. Masumi Yamanaka, an artist/coordinator at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, for her dedicated efforts in realizing this donation. The 'Miracle Pine Tree,' which withstood the tsunami damage of the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, has continued to give courage and hope to many people. As a first step in passing a piece of that symbol to the future, we are honored that British Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom was able to accept the seeds.
FAQ
Where did Sumitomo Forestry donate the seeds of the 'Miracle Pine'?
To the Millennium Seed Bank at Wakehurst, part of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
When and where was the seed donation ceremony held?
It was held on May 21 at the British Embassy in Tokyo, Chiyoda-ku, and the seeds were handed over to British Ambassador Julia Longbottom.
What are the donated seeds like?
The seeds were collected from the cones of the successor trees grown from grafting the 'Miracle Pine,' which survived the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. The trees are 14 years old.
Why are the seeds being donated to Kew now?
The donation is timed to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the Great East Japan Earthquake, the successful growth of the successor trees, and the 25th anniversary of the Seed Bank in 2025.
Which organizations collaborated on the cultivation of the 'Miracle Pine' successor trees?
Sumitomo Forestry, Yonemoto Zoen Co., Ltd., Japan Landscape and Construction Industry Association, and Asako Production Farm collaborated on the cultivation.