Hiroshima Peace Memorial

This was a most wonderful day.  I was so touched by the passion and dedication of all of the people I met.  I learned so much about the experiences of the people of Hiroshima and how the effects of the Atomic Bomb are still felt today.

Toshi and Mrs. Ohguchi came to meet me at my hotel to travel to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial.  It was so nice to see old friends and to have them as companions for this intense experience.

At the park, we were met by Mrs. Takami who did a wonderful job explaining everything about the park, the memorial, and the damage that was done by the dropping of the bomb on August 6, 1945.  We were early so we had some time to tour the area with very few people around.  Later there were many tourists and even more school children on school trips.

This photo shows a pagoda from the cemetery that was shaken so hard by the blast that the pieces fell in different directions and the base lifted off of the ground.  Can you see how it goes back together?












This photo shows the "A bomb dome" which was once an ornate exhibition center and government building.  The copper covering was melted off of the dome but the structure remained.  Think about that for your third grade structures projects!






Toshi and I watched a video which gave us a lot of detail about the damage done by the bomb and how people are working to help preserve the memory of that event so that we will never have to repeat it.  The video showed a lot of difficult images of the people who were killed and injured by the blast and the fire.  It was hard to watch, but Toshi and I got through it.  Here is Toshi ringing the peace bell so that we may never forget.

After walking through the museum exhibits, we had the opportunity to meet and hear from Mrs. Yoshiko Kajimoto, an 87 year old woman who was convinced by her granddaughter 10 years ago to start telling her story.  In a large lecture hall, Toshi and I had a private audience with her as Mrs. Takami translated.  It was very moving. 








At the time of the bombing, she was a high school student who was sent to work in a propeller factory because it was war time and they needed all the workers they could get.  She told us both about the immediate impact of the bombing on her, as she was trapped under the machinery in the factory on top of her friend, and how they got out and traveled through the destroyed city for days until she found her father. 

A high school student who heard the story of Mrs. Kajimoto's reunion with her father, drew this picture

She also told us of the later effects including the early death of her parents from radiation which caused her to raise her three younger brothers alone, and how she continues to worry about the effects of the radiation on her children, grand children and great grand children. She spoke about the anger she had toward America and the Japanese government for so many years and how when she began telling her story she decided to let go of the anger so that she could move ahead in her life.  She is an amazingly strong woman full of passion, grace and generosity and she is so dedicated to the mission of telling her story so that everyone will know the effects of nuclear weapons and resolve to abolish them.

After this amazing experience, we went to offer flowers and our prayers for peace at the Memorial.  We waited behind a large group of Kindergarten children who were learning to take off their caps and bow when they offer wishes at the Monument.

At the Sadako memorial, there are so many cranes being offered that they have built shelters to hold them.  They clean out one each day and make space for new cranes to come.  You can see the artwork that people make with the cranes that they offer.

We delivered the 1000 peace cranes folded by members of Lawrence School to the Children's Peace Monument.  Toshi and I hung our cranes in the open shelter on behalf of the whole Lawrence community.