65 years since Hiroshima

Today marks the 65th year exaclty since the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.


Yesterday, I forgot my memory stick.. so no pictures from then. But basically I had a canadian students mid-tour defrief, went to Hiroshima castle (where dozens of huge right-winger trucks protested by basically making bad traffic) Visited Sadako's elementary school (the 1000 cranes leukemia victim), Walked in a park where victims saught refuge (a focus of Hiroshima, a book we read), met with the Mayor of Hiroshima himself (he was very nice), went to the RERF (Radiation effects research centre, which used to be the ABCC- atomic bomb casualty commision), and a Hiroshima Carps baseball game where we won with 4 runs (it was a special 'peace game' so there were some random intermissiony peace message things).


Today we attended the multi faith memorial service before getting seats in the crowd of a lot of people.. (I don't really know how many.. probably like 30 000? it might be online..). Here there were many guests and the UN secretary general was present and gave a speech. At the finishing of the mayor's speech, doves were released.












Again, this ceremony was huge not only becasue of the appearance of the US ambassador and other representatives from 70 countries, but also because nuclear disarment is at a very interesting time right now. After, we took a bus ride then on a boat to miyajima ferry. There was some fresh oysters, one of the 3 sights of japan (its a temple that becomes surrounded with water when the tide goes up), and many other things.





SUPER aggressive crazy deer too:

ok they don't look that bad.. but this is like right before this deer eats 3 people's map of Miyajima.

The rest of the afternoon was spent going to talk with past Mayor of Iwakuni to discuss US Air bases in Japan and looking at the Iwakuni air base. The issue of these bases is highly complicated but one thing is certain - the way Japan currently relates within itself and to the US when it comes to issues pertaining to these bases is not ideal (past prime minister of Japan stepped down because of this one issue).


Though the weather recently has been incredibly hot, I found it hard to complain today in light of the fireball of several million degrees created 65 years ago today. After the lantern ceremony, where lanterns are sent down the river to remember the souls of the people who were lost, I looked up into where about I thought the explosion was. Judging the height to be around 8 times that of a nearby building, I thought about how strong the blast must have been to have had maximum damage at just under 600 m. Hiroko was telling me about her family who experienced the blast and as I looked into the sky I began to feel for the people of this city deeply for the first time. I had a bit of an emotional breakdown so wasn't able to return with the rest of the group but instead stayed with one of the Student Coordinators until much later.


Though I've learned a lot about the atomic weapons and war in general these past few days, I have to say that this was the most meaningful time for me. I believe that if a time comes when we are no longer able to experience the human emotions associated with such a tragedy as this, it is this day that we lose part of what it means to be human.