Visit to Hiroshima

On Tuesday, September 9 Peter, Ed and I visited Hiroshima. We took the Shinkasen or bullet train from Hakata Station in Fukuoka to Hiroshima and then rode the streetcar to the Peace Park area.

First we came upon the Atomic Dome, a structure that was partially destroyed by the blast and has been preserved as a reminder of the power of nuclear weapons. Walking beyond the dome, we came in site of the full park which has been built over the area that was "ground zero" for the explosion. At this point of the day, we still did not have an idea of how large of an area in central city Hiroshima had been destroyed by the immediate impact of the atomic bomb.

I had read John Hershey's Hiroshima as a student and knew about the tragedy of the bombing. I have also stood under the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the bomb, down at the Air Force Museum at Wright Patternson Air Force Base near Dayton, OH.

All of that is only a prelude for walking on the site of the bomb and seeing the poignancy of the Peace Park. I was very moved by the Children's Peace Monument, a tall monument where schoolchildren, one by one, rang the bell. We saw strands of origami peace cranes at the monument -- chains that have been brought to the site by peace loving people from all over the world.

We walked through Peace Memorial Hall and Hiroshima Peace Museum. Both are massively moving experiences -- I had tears several times as I read exhibits and thought about what I was seeing and where I was standing.

Today's photos show the Atomic Dome, the Children's Monument, peace cranes, and 2 views of the Shinkasen ride, including a photo of Ed and me before we boarded the train.

More tomorrow. . .including a look at the ramen booths along the river here in Fukuoka and Ed's first chopsticks only meal!

WJ from Japan