Japan: Day Three

Hiroshima Peace Park

With only one day in Hiroshima the Peace Park was all we really had time for. I think it was worth it. It was beautifully and tastefully done. The museum was geared not at placing blame or bashing one country over another but at promoting peace and advocating for the abolition of nuclear weapons. It was very informative and heart-breaking.




The A-Bomb Dome is the only remaining structure from before the bomb.

















This memorial holds the names of all the victims regardless of nationality. And behind is a flame (you can't see) that will not be extinguished until all nuclear weapons are destroyed.






















One thing I was interested in seeing was the Children's Monument and seeing the displays about Sadako. Years ago I read a children's book about Sadako, a little girl who developed leukemia after the bombing. It is said that if you fold 1,000 paper cranes your wish would come true, so she spent most of her time folding paper cranes. Some of her paper cranes were distributed at her funeral. Now at the children's monument, elementary school children have displayed art made from paper cranes in honor of Sadako.