The A-dome is the only distinguishable structure left after the bombing. We spent some moments there and took photos and reflected a bit on the effects of the atomic bomb on thousands of people. The area and the park was quite beautiful. The city is very clean and has a charming look about it.There was a river which conspicuously seems to me to be sea water of some sort coz it smelled that way. If it wasnt raining I’m sure we would have taken a leisurely walk along the park.
 |
| From The Silken Backpack |
The A-Dome amidst purple flowers
After taking some photos of the A-dome, we passed by several memorials (statues and monuments) to children who died during the bombing. Among these memorials is the one for Sadako (Dont think Ringu) the girl who was exposed to radiation from the bomb when she was only 2 years old. She grew up to be a relatively healthy girl but when she was 10, she developed lumps around her neck and she was diagnosed with leukemia and given about 6 months to a years time to live. While in the hospital, she saw a girl folding paper cranes. Inspired by this, she decided to make 1000 paper cranes (In Japanese culture, if you fold a thousand paper cranes, you can make a wish and it will come true). Then, origami paper was quite expensive and so she would use anything she can fold to make the cranes. She died before she could finish the cranes, her friends and family finished the 1000 cranes and they were buried with Sadako.
 |
| From The Silken Backpack |
One of the shrines, the A-dome by the river side, the Atomic Bomb Museum and the Flame Monument
In the monument for Sadako, (there she was on the top of the monument holding a huge metal origami crane over her head as if she’s going to set it off flying into the air ) are plastic cases similar to phone booths where thousands of paper cranes strung through cotton strings were hung on display. These cranes came from all over the world as a message of peace. It was truly poignant and makes you realize how much suffering opens the eyes and minds of people and how a period of dehumanization gives birth to an era where individuals are more aware of their humanity and the increase of the desire to preserve that humanity.
Sometimes it amazes me how people are just so touched by a child’s knowledge of peace and love. They always imagine that this shouldn't be so. A child should be innocent, unexposed to the ways of the world. I find this funny because peace and love are the most basic and elementary of human emotions. Why is it that a child can trust and love so easily? It's because the child has found no reason to do anything other than that. Thus a child will always find in herself the desire for peace and love. I find greater merit in someone who has seen the evils of the world and yet found the strength in herself to see the goodness and beauty around her and to still love. This is why Sadako is remembered so fondly, I think, because she has seen the horror of the aftermath of the bomb and still she’s able to imagine a world of peace and brotherhood.
 |
| From The Silken Backpack |
Viviane and the monument for Sadako
After the monuments, we decided to go see the Hiroshima Peace Museum. I got in for free coz Im a foreign student. hehehe. Here we found out why the US decided to use the bomb against Japan instead of Germany (Japan was thinking of surrendering, but not to the US, they were thinking of doing it through Russia. Using the bomb on Japan will make Japan helpless and dependent on the US at the same time, it will show Russia the extent of US power and will prevent Russia from usurping them in the arms race and power struggle) We also found out how US chose 17 cities in Japan to bomb. They wanted to choose a big city that is not already heavily damaged from previous bombings (this is so that the effect of the atomic bomb can be clearly seen) and with a lot of war activites going on (production of Japanese arsenal and training of soldiers etc) They also chose a city close to the sea so that if the bomb didnt go off it would be harder for the Japanese to locate it. Finally they chose Hiroshima because it was the only city believed to not have a Allies Prisoner of War camp. (Of course, they could have opt not to use the bomb at all. but more than 2 billion dollars have been used for its research and development, and some justification was called for) Of course, all of these information are given from the Japanese perspective, I'm sure the Americans have a different story.
 |
| From The Silken Backpack |
Explanations... explanations...
And so on August 6, 1945; on the condition of a clear day, the bomb was set to be dropped on the city of Hiroshima. August 6 was a clear sunny day. And so Hiroshima saw a tragedy unlike anything the world has ever seen. The museum trip was very educational although some parts of it were a bit too much, and you can really feel how much they were trying to drive the point home. They even had samples of some keloids from victims of the bombing. A whole slab of stone was in the museum, where a woman was sitting when the bomb went off. The stone became white because of the heat while the burned body of the woman left a black imprint on the stone making it into a shadow.
 |
| From The Silken Backpack |
Watch where the hands stopped at the time of the bombing
Sophie was done with the museum first and after a few minutes I joined her at the exit. We waited for about 2 1/2 hours until Katya and Viviane and Ewa were done. They practically set camp in that museum I swear. Afterwards we decided to go look for something to eat, we were looking for a Yoshinoya and after walking past the flame monument where the fire was kept burning until the last Atomic bomb was destroyed, we left the museum area and went to the city. After a while, we found a Yoshinoya. After eating we decided to go around the shopping area for a bit. After a while we got tired and decided to go to Tully’s Cafe. After some cappucinos, fruit drinks and hot cocoa, we decided to got o the Hiroshima Castle.
 |
| From The Silken Backpack |
Sad Viviane in the museum, Hiroshima City and Hiroshima Castle
We walked in the rain but we got to see the outside of the castle. we didnt get to go inside because by then, it was already 8 pm and the castle was closed. We just took a few photos and decided to go straight home. By this time, we’ve decided to leave the next day for Shikoku instead of spending another day in Hiroshima. The next day is another adventure unto itself.
 |
| From The Silken Backpack |
The Miyajima-Hiroshima Crew
No comments:
Post a Comment