Hiroshima Day 1 (June 23)

So, the bags are now safely with the staff of the hotel and, despite being overcast, it looks like we will be spared from rain for the day. We decided to wait around in the lobby for a while before going out too early, since everything is closed until at least 8:30. Just before 8:00 we finally hit the streets and decide to walk over to Peace Memorial Park, home to the A-Bomb Dome, the "Memorial Monument for Hiroshima, City of Peace," the Peace Memorial Museum, and other small sites scattered throughout. Luckily, it turns out to be extremely close to the hotel, so we are there in a matter of minutes.

It is still early, so we head to the middle of the park to the Memorial Monument. This monument is actually a cenotaph, which according to the Wikipedia entry, is a "...tomb or a monument erected in honor of a person or group of persons whose remains are elsewhere." It is estimated that the A-Bomb dropped on Hiroshima was responsible for the deaths of 300,000 people. Enshrined here are the names of the known victims, including those who have died over the years from complications resulting from exposure to the bomb and its fallout. Every year, on August 6, there is a ceremony held to remember the victims and to present the annual "Declaration of Peace," which also renews the call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. The monument is somewhat saddle-shaped arch which aligns with the perpetually burning Flame of Peace and the A-Bomb Dome itself. After snapping some photos and spending a little time in meditative silence, we walk back toward the East Building of the Memorial Museum, our entry point to the permanent exhibit.

Admission to the museum is less than a pittance, and all three of us are in the door for less than a bottled water or two. We pay a couple hundred yen more for an audio guide for K. The exhibit in this East Building sets the stage by giving some of the historical background of the city leading up to the war and, ultimately, the dropping of the bomb. I was glad to see that it was a fairly balanced view of events. The exhibit clearly pointed out that, yes, the city of Hiroshima had served as a prominent military center through several wars prior to and including WWII; that Korean laborers were forcibly brought to Japan to work essentially as slave labor; that the war effort had conscripted boys and girls from junior high up to work in factories; that military training was being carried out in even elementary schools and that teachers and students in elementary school were used as labor for farming endeavors taking place on school grounds; that, as in the U.S., women played significant roles in the workforce since most of the men were gone; and that a number of treasured artifacts were melted down for their scrap metal value. The exhibit includes a number of photos, maps, and artifacts from the period. In the center of the building is a 1/25 (?) replica of the A-Bomb Dome's roof. Nearby are two large dioramas of the city architecturally before and after the explosion. The second floor of the building deals with response and rebuilding the city over the last five decades and a section on nuclear proliferation.

Outside the second floor exhibit, there is a small souvenir shop, some video on demand carrels, and an hour-long documentary about the project to have survivors give witness to the events through paintings. It is actually quite moving as an oral history project.

Then, a corridor leads to the West Building housing the primary artifacts from the explosion. The exhibit opens with a number of photos of the mushroom cloud from 2-3 sources stationed outside the city with the bomp went off. The next section deals with the immediate aftermath and includes a somewhat gruesome set of three wax figures, a schoolgirl, a mother, and a child, shambling zombie-like with flesh ribbons danglish from their outstretched arms. Most of the rest of the exhibit is comprised of tattered clothing recovered from victims, walls and other architectural structures damaged and deformed by the blast, a discussion of radiation sickness (including preserved body parts), a section on Sadako (of the 1000 Cranes story), and everyday objects transformed and/or fused by the explosion. The west wing journey ends with paintings and videos from the oral history project. We watched a couple, and headed down and out of the museum.

Back outside, we walked toward the dome, detouring only to spend time at the Children's Peace Monument, or what I refer to as the Sadako Memorial. This monument is dedicated to the children lost and affected by the bomb. Around the monument are protective cases containing quite a lot of senbazuru (1000 cranes) offerings. The story of Sadako is world famous and people still make and bring these collections of origami cranes to the park, either to her memory and to that of all the children, or as an effort made to help a sick friend, relative or classmate. Ten years ago, when I visited last, these paper cranes were all over the park lying in heaps. Then a few years back, there were a series of arson fires which resulted in the protective cases today. Closer to the dome, I also took some pictures at the Monument dedicated to the Mobilized Students.

Finally, we were up close and personal with the A-Bomb Dome, at least as close as we could get since the area is posted. Even now this is still an impressive site and words alone can't express the proper sentiment.

After some time, we pressed on and out of the park and decided to lift our spirits with a bit of food and shopping. Not far away was the SunMall, where we spent some time at Mister Donut for lunch, followed by windows shopping at Uniqlo and HMV. After that it was time to head back to the hotel to check in, and catch up on our sleep.

If you want more information about Peace Memorial Park, visit the official website at:
http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/top_e.html