Japan - Bridgeways and Architecture, Survivor House

It is a fact that during WWII the U.S. bombed the heck out of Tokyo, totally decimating large swaths of the city.  I've seen pictures of acres and acres of nothing but rubble in the aftermath, and wondered many times during our time there whether we could have been in the places where those pictures were taken.

Also noteworthy were some pictures of rubble with a single house left standing here and there, in mute victory over the madness that created such destruction.  It is said that these unlikely survivors were preserved as memorials, sentinels of defiant strength.  Upon seeing houses like the one in the picture above I couldn't help but wonder if they were indeed those survivors, in light of the fact that they were of older design surrounded by much taller, modern structures.

Another aspect of this history which generates great respect for the Japanese is the incredible speed with which they rebuilt, and in fact greatly improved, such a vast city.  The war ended a mere 70 years ago yet you wouldn't know such an event ever took place there.  Speaks to the incredible industry of an incredible people.