Hiroshima

1st kanji: "hiro" (hero)=wide, broad 2nd kanji: "shima" (she-ma)=island

say: Hero-she-ma

After the blast, the survivors did what they could to rescue any others.  Approximately 75,000 people were killed by the blast, or by fires caused by the blast.  Bodies they came across were piled up as they searched.  These sites usually became mass creamation pyres, since there were no facilities to take the bodies to any longer. This mound marks one of the first sites were bodies were collected and creamated as the days passed.  Later, the ashes of other victims, creamated elsewhere, were brought here.  A year later, a temporary vault was built.  In 1955, the vault was rebuilt and more ashes that had been kept in various other places were brought here.  Today, the underground vault holds the ashes of more than 70,000 vicitims.

Atomic Bomb Burial Mound and crane-picture gifts

We saw cranes everywhere.  Above are pictures of the two crane-pictures that were placed at this mound.  Students from all over Japan fold cranes in wishes for peace and an end to nuclear weaponry.  Most often the cranes are strung together, like a rope.  You can see a pile of them in front of one of the crane-pictures.  Other students take folded cranes and make pictures out of them--as you can see above.  Almost every memorial we came across had ropes of colorful cranes drapped around it.

This is the Peace Bell.  The dome covering the bell is said to symbolize the universe.  The bell itself is decorated with a map of the world, with no boudaries drawn between countries. Jeremy and I didn't get a chance to ring it, there was a small French (I think) family that kind of hogged it.  But we did get to hear them toll it.  It was such a dark, deep, sorrowful sound... I have a hard time deciding if I find it fitting.  I think I would prefer something more uplifting and hopeful, at least for a bell that is supposed to be rung by those who are hoping and praying for peace in our world.

Korean Victims of the A-Bomb Memorial

Japan doesn't really have a pleasant history when it comes to its dealings with Korea.  At the time of WWII, many Koreans were forced to come to Japan to help with the war efforts.  Tens of thousands of Koreans are believed to have suffered because of the bomb.  Despite the dozens of memorials that cover Hiroshima today, not one recognized the sufferings of the Korean victims.  This memorial was built in 1970. Originally, it was erected outside of the Peace Park, where the body of a member of the (Korean?) royal family was found.  The map I have on the previous page places it there.  However, in 1999, because of "various quarters" to move the memorial into the Park, it was relocated.  (Just south of #19, the A-Bombed gravestone on the map.)

more Hiroshima

Hiroshima