The Atomic Bomb Dome: A Pilgrimage to Ground Zero

On August 6, 1945, an atomic bomb instantly killed an estimated 80,000 people in Hiroshima. By the end of the year, the death toll had climbed to 140,000. The video below shows the aftermath and features a translated voice-over from a survivor, accompanied by footage from the museum's clips.

As I traveled through Japan, I often saw signs calling for world peace. It made me wonder if the horrors of war, especially the atomic bomb, have truly taught humanity a lasting lesson. Can we all live together cooperatively and peacefully, or is that still just a dream—a history doomed to repeat itself?

The Atomic Bomb Dome: A Pilgrimage to Ground Zero (YouTube link)

Photo Gallery

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial, also known as the Genbaku Dome, stands as a stark reminder of the world's first atomic bombing on August 6, 1945. This UNESCO World Heritage site is the preserved ruin of the former Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, which was located directly below the bomb's detonation point. The single blast claimed over 200,000 lives and leveled the city within a two-kilometer radius. Erected on August 6, 1967, the monument and its preservation are a testament to the city's commitment to ensuring this tragic event serves as a permanent lesson for humanity, promoting peace for future generations.

This image shows the Red Bird Monument in Hiroshima, dedicated to Miekichi Suzuki (1882–1936), a pioneering children's author and founder of Akai Tori magazine. Known as the “Father of Children’s Literature” in Japan, Suzuki introduced songs, fairy tales, and global classics to young readers. Built in 1964, the monument symbolizes Hiroshima’s postwar recovery and hope for peace. It features Suzuki’s inscription: “I will forever dream, simply as I did in my boyhood, and therefore suffer only little. 私は永久に夢を持つ。たゞ年少時のごとく。ために悩むこと浅きのみ”

The Hiroshima Industrial Promotion Hall: From Commercial Hub to Ground Zero

Children's Peace Monument 原爆の子の像

A View of the Hiroshima Memorial Cenotaph and Museum

The image displays a framed newspaper spread from the Chugoku Shimbun, a Japanese publication featuring coverage of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and related articles on peace.

Silent Tribute: Hiroshima Cenotaph Welcomes Daily Acts of Remembrance and Reverence

An old wall clock, found in the ruins of a barbershop in Hiroshima, became a haunting symbol of the atomic bombing's devastation. The clock, its hands stopped at the moment of the blast, belonged to the family of 11-year-old Tokuso Hamai. While Tokuso was evacuated and survived, his parents and two siblings perished in the bombing. The clock, recovered from the rubble of their home and business, became a relic of their final moment and a permanent reminder of his family's loss.

This 10-year old girl was exposed to the atomic bombing while at home, which was located near the hypocenter, and suffered burns and injuries from the blast and heat. She managed to escape with her family and endured severe burns, later requiring surgery on her hand after the war. After living what appeared to be a happy life, she developed cancer in her thirties, which ultimately led to her death at the age of 42 in 1977.