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.
A Quiet Day in a Berlin Park, 1933 In the early 1930s, Takehisa Yumeji's studio became a hub for artists, inspiring ventures like the Mt. Haruna Art Research Institute. In 1931, Yumeji began a journey to the United States and Europe, supported by exhibitions of his work. While in the U.S. for 16 months, he continued to paint, creating pieces like Nude on the West Coast. Afterward, Yumeji taught in Berlin until the school was closed by the Nazis. He returned to Japan in 1933, his overseas experiences shaping his final works. His last exhibition was held in Taipei that year. Yumeji passed away from tuberculosis in 1934, leaving behind a legacy of beauty and cultural exchange. Read more: Prints in Collection—Takehisa Yumeji (1884-1934) Kuronosuke 黒の助: a Legacy Little Black Cat (YouTube link ) Photo Gallery The Yumeji Art Museum in Okayama exhibits many black cat paintings because the artist, Yumeji Takehisa , frequently featured them in his work, particularly in his bij...
This is a passageway leading to Nankai-Namba Station. Be aware that underground passages in Japan can be quite complex for visitors. When you arrive at Kansai International Airport (symbol: KIX) and try to reach your destinations via trains, sometimes you need to make connections at Namba Station (see Fig. 2). Namba Station is one of the main connection points (the other two are Umeda and Tennoji Stations). But, Namba Station actually means 4 different stations on Google map (see Fig. 3&4) : Namba Station (Subway): This station provides access to the Osaka Metro lines: Midosuji (see Fig. 4), Sennichimae , and Yotsubashi . These lines can take you to popular destinations like Osaka Station, Koreatown, Honmachi, and Nippombashi. JR-Namba Station: This smaller station has only four tracks and two platforms. It's located within the Osaka City Air Terminal (OCAT) building, and the entrance can be easy to miss. Thankfully, it's connected to the ...
Koyasan (高野山), a popular pilgrimage destination for centuries, has been connected to the outside world by a network of pilgrimage trails. While most visitors enter the mountain by cable car nowadays, many of the pilgrimage trails still remain in use. Koyasan Travel—Temple Lodging (Shukubo; YouTube link ) Part of the pilgrimage trails, the Fudozaka Trail (不動坂; click the map to enlarge), leads to Koyasan from Gokurakubashi Station, the lower station of the Koyasan Cablecar. The steep, paved trail is 2.5 kilometers long and takes about an hour to ascend and less time to descend. The trail ends at the Nyonindo temple (女人堂). [1] On 11/27/2016, I have decided to descend from Fudozaka Trail instead of riding the cable car. I was the only person on the trail at beginning. However, in the middle of the trail, another young blonde girl passed me by swiftly with a big smile on her face. I was really surprised to see another soul on that rainy day. Althoug...
