What you’re looking at isn’t a monument—it’s a tree, but one that has become a recognized historic landmark in Los Angeles. This giant fig stands about 18 meters tall and spreads over 20 meters wide. It was planted in 1920 by Reverend Shutai Aoyama, a key figure in Little Tokyo’s Japanese community, in front of a Buddhist temple that once stood here. That makes it a tree over a hundred years old! It has seen the Great Depression, World War II, the internment of Japanese Americans, the loss of the temple, and the complete transformation of the neighborhood—all while staying in the same spot. In 2008, it became the first living thing officially designated as a historic landmark by the city. Today, it faces challenges: limited irrigation, roots partly covered by asphalt, and general wear, making it both protected and at risk.