On August 6th 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Every year, a special ceremony is held to remember the event and commemorate the thousands upon thousands of victims. This year I went to see the ceremony, and I was fortunate enough to hear some first-hand accounts of the atomic bombing.
Please be warned, this wasn't easy listening so it won't make for easy reading. But these are real stories that need to be shared, and I feel as many people probably won't visit Hiroshima, they may find this blog entry informative, and heartbreaking, as I did.
I say I was fortunate to hear these stories, because the hibakusha, as they are called, are actively encouraged to keep their stories to themselves. There is a stigma, even now, for those who saw the destruction of Hiroshima with their own eyes. As if experiencing that horror would not be enough. As if they were excited to tell their stories, instead of reawakening again and again what must be deeply painful and carefully hidden memories.
But, not only do these people want to share their stories, they have studied English so they can share it with foreign visitors to the city. What brave people they are. What an honour to have met them. You couldn't leave that room without feeling emotional, human regret, sadness at what they had to live through. Every person alive should hear at least one of their stories.
We met four people; Isao Aratani, Shoso Hirai, Sumiko Hirozawa and Keiko Oruga. I didn't write any notes while they talked, as I wanted to listen carefully to their stories. We were given some notes on the speakers too. Here's what they said and any thoughts I had to add.
Isao Aratani was 13 years old when the bomb dropped. He explained that in the months leading up to it, students from his school were working to clear fire lanes in the city. So he should have been in the city centre on Aug 6th, but instead the school decided to put his class on farm duty, around 1 and a half miles from the hypocenter. He remembered working in the field, and an air raid, before the deadly bomb was dropped. Like most of his class, he suffered burns to his face, but they weren't permanent. The rest of his school were killed in the city centre. From his speech I learned that many of the victims were schoolchildren trying to help prevent fires in the city.
Hirai Shoso was 16 years old on Aug 6th. His story was the hardest to hear, as he talked about trying to find his family in a hell-like city, and helping his mother carrying his fathers' bones back to his home. He never found his younger brother. His speech made me feel sorrow for the families destroyed by the bomb.
Sumiko Hirozawa was 17 at the time of the bomb. Her family owned a temple, which over 60 students came to for aid and shelter after the bomb. Instead of telling her story, she asked for our questions, which was a difficult thing to do. What kind of questions do you ask someone who has been through that? A few brave people went for it, and most people's questions she replied to with: 'It was a horrible time, but now everything is OK, we are all alright now.' She kept repeating it, like a mantra, and this made me wonder if those who experienced the bomb simply have to block some of it from their minds to deal with it.
Keiko Ogura was the most eloquently spoken of the group, and the director of a peace organisation in Hiroshima. She was only 8 years old at the time of the bombing. She was knocked off her feet by the explosion, and awoke to a world of darkness and horror. Many victims staggered up towards her house as a local shrine was nearby; she witnessed many people dying. One of her most tortured memories is giving water to victims who asked for it; they died shortly afterwards. She didn't know at the time she wasn't supposed to give burn victims water, and she kept it a secret for many years. She says she still has nightmares about that – but no eight-year-old should have to feel guilty over doing what is completely humane. In the present day, she says she still suffers 'invisible scars'. On an interpretation trip to America she was able to see the Enola Gay, the plane that dropped the bomb on Hiroshima. She said that she broke down, sobbing, and many news cameras filmed her. After that, her brother called her and said; 'Thank goodness they used your married name – no-one knows we're related, so they don't know I'm hibakusha too.' She talked about his unhappiness at her sharing her story. But I'm so grateful she did. What a strong and brave woman. I was truly amazed by her, and truly saddened that an eight-year-old girl had to live through that experience.
She also made reference to the current situation in North East Japan. While a natural disaster, she feels that people there have seen the same level of destruction as she did in Hiroshima – a city physically and emotionally destroyed. She spoke about 'mind-mapping' the city, where survivors try to re-map the city they once knew, and it bringing together people who have experienced similar things. This seemed like a very positive approach to a disaster, which made me feel like she has turned her sadness to strength in moving on and helping others.
All of the speakers wanted us to understand they now feel no anger any more towards America or even the people who dropped the bomb. They only feel passionate now about peace; understanding; the end of nuclear arms.
They can forgive, and what amazing and inspiring people they are to do so; but they, and we as a human race, can never forget what happened here. It's as simple as that.
More reading ~
Hiroshima Peace Museum, where the talks took place
http://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/top_e.html
What makes someone a hibakusha? More info
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hibakusha
