The Aoyama Ficus (Los Angeles, California)

 monument, culture, tree, place with historical importance, buddhist temple

Little Tokyo's Aoyama Tree, a Ficus macrophylla planted in 1920 by Reverend Shutai Aoyama of the Koyasan Buddhist Temple.
This sprawling, century-old ficus tree was formally designated Los Angeles' historic-cultural monument No. 920 in July 2008.
It has represented the city's Japanese American community for nearly 100 years.
The tree has stood as the Koyasan temple changed locations, office buildings rose and fell, two museums (the Japanese American National Museum and the Geffen Contemporary at the Museum of Contemporary Art) moved in, and a parking lot was even paved over its roots.
Amidst such changes in Little Tokyo, the Aoyama Tree has remained the community's one constant. Its designation symbolizes the founding of the Koyasan.
The Rev. Shutai Aoyama, a Japanese immigrant who labored on farms, on railroads and in shipyards, started the temple in 1912 at a small Commercial Street storefront.
In 1920 he moved the temple here to a former Japanese restaurant Central Avenue, where the fig tree grew next to the steps of the wood-frame building.
Koyasan, which moved to its current First Street location in 1940, doubled as a religious center and community hub for Japanese and Japanese-Americans, and helped develope a uniquely American style Buddhism.
Unlike its counterparts in Japan, which do not hold regular services, Koyasan and other temples in Little Tokyo started Sunday services, mirroring the more pervasive Christian churches.
Many temples offered classes on citizenship and integrating into American culture.
At its peak in the late 1930s, Koyasan's congregation included 500 to 600 families.
Today, about 250 families attend Koyasan.
Declining membership has changed the kind of activities and services the temple offers.
There's no more Sunday school (not enough kids) and classes are usually for taiko drumming, not citizenship.
The once entirely Japanese-speaking community is shrinking.
Buddhist priests had once spoke only Japanese, and many had imigrated from Japan.
Now, most ministers also speak English and many grew up in the United States.
A growing number of occidentals have started to join temples, with some even becoming disciples, reflecting the changing demographics of Little Tokyo.
Before World War II, housing discrimination prevented Japanese Americans from living in other areas of the city.
After the war, when Japanese Americans were released from internment camps and many housing restrictions were lifted, not everyone returned to Little Tokyo.
Probably no more than 40 Koyasan member families actually live in or near Little Tokyo. The temple is one way the community has kept together.
Most Koyasan members continue to attend the temple because of family history.
The majority of Koyasan's congregation do not attend regular services, but Japanese funerals are traditionally Buddhist, and a cycle of memorial services follow.
Buddhist temples could die out if they relied on funerals and memorial services alone for membership, which is why some are beginning to hold non-denominational services and offer meditation classes and other activities to appeal to a changing community.
With the ongoing redevelopment of downtown, many in Little Tokyo say their community's future is uncertain.
Before this last decade as many as 1,200 people (mostly older, low-income, Japanese-speaking seniors) lived in Little Tokyo, mainly in old hotels.
Then construction of expensive lofts and condos began to pick up speed.
Designating this Aoyama tree, named by Koyasan members last year in honor of the temple's founder, is one way the community is trying to maintain its cultural heritage even as Little Tokyo's people and buildings come and go.

Black and white photo shows the Rev. Shutai Aoyama and the young ficus tree in the early 1920s.