A visit to Hiroshima, Japan

Our tour guide today spoke excellent English. That makes such a difference in our understanding of what we’re hearing and seeing. He told us that Japan is made up of 14,124 islands, only 416 of which are inhabited. Hiroshima has a total population of 2.8 million people and is the tenth largest city. Seventy five percent of the 300-400 year old city is built on reclaimed land. Six rivers run through the city. 

Our day started with a visit to the Shukkeien Garden, a memorial for the victims of the atomic bomb and to Peace Memorial Park. Hiroshima was the first city in the world to suffer a nuclear attack at the end of World War II and this park is dedicated to the memories of those who died there. We walked all around the beautiful park. There were 3 trees still living that survived the bomb. They are a black pine, a gingko and a Japanese Sago palm. There was also a memorial where people who survived the blast went to get water. However, the water contained chemicals that hastened their death. Visitors leave bottles of water there in memory of these. Our guide told us that initially 120,000 people died, but later a total of 344,000 died as a result of the radiation. 

 

our tour guide - Highlights of Hiroshima

 

Shukkeien Garden

ginkgo tree that survived atomic bomb

black pine tree survived bomb

peaceful garden with city buildings behind

memorial for those who quenched thirst with contaminated water

peaceful and beautifully maintained garden

 

There were some beautiful aspects to the park as well, like the young couples having their pictures made and the numerous varieties of hydrangeas.

 

 

 

From there we were taken to see the Atomic Bomb Dome. I took Ronnie’s picture on the “T” bridge, which was supposedly the target that the bomb was to hit. Oddly enough, it was damaged but not destroyed. There was much controversy about tearing the damaged dome building down, but it was decided to keep it as a memorial and reminder of the horrors of nuclear war. It pretty much looks the same as it did immediately after the bomb blast. 

atomic bomb dome site

We were told to expect lots of school children in the park and museum. We walked on down to an area where there were other memorials. Classes of uniformed and masked school children were taking turns ringing the Peace Bell. Others were surveying visitors outside and studying the exhibits inside the museum. A few of them taking a survey asked Ronnie the question “What do you think would bring peace to earth?” They gave him a choice of 9 possible answers. He told them that his answer was not on their sheet and their teacher hurried them along. 

school children taking surveys

posing for a quick photo with Ronnie

Walking further down, we visited the Children's Peace Monument, a statue dedicated to the memory of the children who died as a result of the bombing. The statue is of a girl holding a folded paper crane rising above her. It is based on the true story of a 12 year old girl, Sadako Sasaki. Sadako was a 2 year old survivor of the blast. However, she later developed leukemia thought to be caused by the radioactive black rain that followed. While hospitalized, she and other children were given origami cranes by the Red Cross Youth Club. Japanese tradition says that if you’re sick and you make 1,000 cranes, your wish (for healing) will come true. So Sadako started collecting paper to make cranes, making 1,300 origami cranes before she died. Apparently there was an increased death rate from leukemia and cancer in a-bomb survivors. 

The Memorial Cenotaph (for Korean victims)

Children’s Peace Monument

some of many thousands of origami cranes on display

displays of paper cranes at Children's Peace Monument

We walked through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum where we saw many photos of the destruction. The Japanese direct all of their attention toward the atomic bomb and to the total elimination of it, believing that this would bring peace.

 

entrance to museum

many photos inside Peace Memorial Museum

displays of Hiroshima

before and after

paper cranes made by visitors

guest book - "I will remember" signed Hertzil 13-6-23

school children at paper table in lobby

 

We heard no mention of anything that happened prior to the United States dropping the atomic bomb except for the firebombing of other Japanese cities. The many rivers of Hiroshima served as a natural firebreak so up until that point, Hiroshima had not really suffered prior damage. It was a horrific time in the history of Japan, as it was for the United States as well.

 

origami cranes given us back at port

 

sunset as we sailed away from Hiroshima, Japan