Anyway, even though I broke physics in my sleep, I woke up ready for a new day in Japan. We were to leave Miyajima Island that morning, which meant that we were leaving the more relaxed environment of a small island and re-entering the crowded metros and multiple "sumimasens" of a big Japanese city.
After lugging my overstuffed suitcase across the island, we were set to go on the ferry back to Hiroshima. We had done a "drive-by" look at Hiroshima the day before, when we were on the metro on the way to the ferry station. However, I was excited for walking through the city and seeing it with a first-person view.
I know that when someone hears of the Japanese city of "Hiroshima", he or she thinks of the atomic bombing of it on August 6, 1945 at 8:15 a.m. during WWII. I wish I could say that when I entered the city, I didn't immediately think about the bombing. Yet I did. And that was really the only thing I could think about.
We entered the Hiroshima Peace Park early in the morning, after we departed from our ferry. We first saw the bombed out building of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, which is now known as the A-Bomb Dome.
The scaffolding is part of a restoration project of the city of Hiroshima. This restoration will continue the building's preservation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
When I looked at the building, the first thought that came to my mind was how its structural engineering enabled it to survive the blast from an atomic bomb.
Our tour guide, Tammi, answered that question for me. She stated that even though the A-Bomb Dome was incredibly close to the hypo-center (the point of detonation) of the atomic bomb, it survived because the force of the blast hit the building vertically rather than horizontally. That, along with its concrete, metal and brick construction, enabled it to survive.
Then Tammi told us that everyone inside had been killed instantly.
I had never thought that people could be inside. I had always imagined the building as it is today: grey and crumbling. I had always thought that the A-Bomb Dome had always looked like that. I had somehow forgotten that people had worked in that building. And they had died.
We moved on.
The next memorial sight we saw was one to the schoolchildren essentially "drafted" into the war effort. Although they did not fight in the military, these children, often as early as age 12, worked to demolish uninhabited wooden buildings and construct fire lanes. These efforts would help prevent the spread of fire if Hiroshima was ever bombed with incendiary bombs.
The paper banners are actually hundreds of a paper cranes. I'll get to their significance later, when we move onto the Children's Memorial.
One thing I really liked about this memorial was the incorporation of multiple religions into its design. One can see the five story pagoda structure of Buddhism. The woman is wearing a belt connected to Shinto. She also has angel wings which come from Christianity. I believe that the combination of multiple religions in one memorial structure allows people of multiple faiths to connect with the schoolchildren who perished. It can also represent a future of peaceful co-existence among all religions, which I find beautiful. It was nice seeing that level of hope within a memorial to children who perished.
The next memorial we went to was the Children's Memorial.
The Children's Memorial is most known for its thousands of paper cranes. The significance of the paper cranes ties in with the story of Sadako Sasaki, an hibakusha (an Atomic Bomb survivor) who survived the initial bombing at Hiroshima. However, she developed leukemia at age twelve. She believed that if she folded a thousand paper cranes, then her disease could be cured. Even though she folded many cranes, she ultimately passed away.
The Children's Memorial was thus built in her name. School children from all over the world send paper cranes to this memorial to promote world peace.
We visited many other memorials during the day. These include the Peace Bell, which we all had the opportunity to ring. I think two people rang the bell, as the tolling was solemn enough to warrant two rings. I admired the goldfish in the pond.
The group then went to the museum. There, we saw artifacts of the Hiroshima bombing. Seeing the scorched remains of clothing and other personal items made the bombing seem a lot more personal. Everyone was very solemn at this time.
After the museum, it was time to meet with the survivor of the atomic bomb. However, she was sick and unable to make it. We still were able to hear her story, though, through someone else telling it. With her artwork accompanying the man's words, the desired effect still occurred; we were all listening intently to her story of persevering through literal hell.
The survivor of the atomic bomb experienced its effects as she worked to tear down wooden houses and build fire lanes (like those remembered in the Memorial to Schoolchildren). Even though she was badly burned by the bomb, she managed to make it back home and to safety.
She also did all of this when she was twelve years old. I can't imagine having to do that myself. However, she inspires me to also persevere through difficult times. I hope that I will never have to experience an atomic bomb; her story also allows me to confidently say that I will never support the use of atomic bombs.
This was our last stop for our visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. I believe that we were all impacted by our experiences within the park. Even though not much was communicated between us, I believe that we walked away with a message of world peace to spread. I believe it can happen. I think the rest of the group believes it too.
Lunch in Hiroshima, I think, represents my experience in Hiroshima very well. We got noodle pancakes (that's not their official name, but I can't pronounce the Japanese name for them), and by the time I had received my pancake, I was ready to eat the table.
It took me about ten seconds for me to demolish my noodle pancake. Another ten seconds to realize that that noodle pancake was the best thing I had ever eaten.
Then I realized the connotations of that noodle pancake. Before eating it, I had only thought of Hiroshima for the atomic bomb dropped on it. I could only think about the death, destruction and the misery of war. That noodle pancake changed everything. I could now see Hiroshima as the city affected by an atomic bomb. However, I now also remember Hiroshima for its delicious noodle pancakes. I most definitely did not forget Hiroshima's past. However, I can remember it for something culturally beautiful and delicious.
Perhaps I'm giving too much credit to a noodle pancake. Maybe I felt all those things about that noodle pancake because I was so hungry.
But I believe that my experiences with the noodle pancake cemented my hope in the future, one where world peace is attainable. I left that noodle pancake restaurant feeling very satisfied.
My next realization of the day came when Tat and I met our host family. If you did not already know this, our host family has a zero year old baby (her birthday is on Jan. 30) who is named Otoha, which means "the sound of leaves rustling in the wind".
When I usually see a baby, I try to awkwardly avoid him or her. I don't feel very comfortable around them because I feel like they irrevocably and instantly hate me.
This was not the case with Otoha. I felt drawn to her because of the innocence of her new life. I looked at her and thought of the future. In that moment, I understood the phrase "babies are the future". I could see it within her.
After a depressing day, it was refreshing to see a new life, one that has barely seen what the world can offer. I hope that she sees all sides of the world: the good, bad and everything in between.
Who knew my perspective of Hiroshima, atomic bombs and world peace could be changed by noodle pancakes and a baby not yet walking. I certainly could not predict it. Could you?
Shelby P. Class of 2015
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