Konnichiwa! (Yes, I am *that* lame and predictable.) I have finally made it to Japan and my vacation/adventure has begun!!
On Tuesday morning Andrea and I flew from Seoul to Hiroshima. Hiroshima is probably the quietest place I have ever been. The airport was practically abandonned. Ｗｅ ｃｏｌｌｅｃｔｅｄ ｏｕｒ ｂａｇｓ， ｃｈａｎｇｅｄ ｏｕｒ ｍｏｎｅｙ， ａｎｄ ｔｒｉｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｕｔ ａ ｗａｙ ｉｎｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ． Ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ｎｏ ｏｎｅ ａｔ ｔｈｅ ｉｎｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎ ｄｅｓｋ， ａｎｄ ｚｅｒｏ ｓｉｇｎ－ａｄｇｅ ｉｎ Ｅｎｇｌｉｓｈ ．． ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ ｔｏｏｋ ａｗｈｉｌｅ． ｈａｈａ． Ｗｅ ｆｉｎａｌｌｙ ｇｏｔ ｔｏ ｏｕｒ ｈｏｓｔｅｌ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｎｉｇｈｔ， Ｊ－Ｈｏｐｐｅｒｓ， ｈａｖｉｎｇ ａｌｒｅａｄｙ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｏ ｃａｎｃｅｌ ｏｕｒ ｒｏｏｍ ａｎｄ ｈｅａｄ ｆｏｒ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｔｈａｔ ｅｖｅｎｉｎｇ （Ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ Ｉ ｃｏｕｌｄ ｓｏｒｔ ｏｕｔ ｓａｉｄ Ｖｉｓａ ｐｒｏｂｌｅｍｓ）． Ｔｈｅｙ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ａｔ Ｊ－Ｈｏｐｐｅｒｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｈｅｌｐｆｕｌ ａｎｄ ｑｕｉｔｅ ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｈｅｌｐｅｄ ｕｓ ｆｉｇｕｒｅ ｏｕｔ ｏｕｒ ｗａｙ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ ｔｒａｉｎ ｓｔａｔｉｏｎ．Ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ｗｅ ｈｅａｄｅｄ ｔｏ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｗｅ ｔｏｏｋ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｍａｊｏｒ ｓｉｇｈｔｓ ｏｆ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ ｆｏｒ ｏｎｅ ａｆｔｅｒｎｏｏｎ． Ｗｅ ｗａｌｋｅｄ ｔｏ ｔｈｅ Ｐｅａｃｅ Ｍｅｍｏｒｉａｌ Ｐａｒｋ ａｎｄ ｓａｗ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔｓ ａｎｄ ｍｅｍｏｒｉａｌｓ ｔｏ ｔｈｏｓｅ ｗｈｏｓｅ ｌｉｖｅｓ ｗｅｒｅ ｌｏｓｔ ｗｈｅｎ ｔｈｅ Ａ－Ｂｏｍｂ ｗａｓ ｄｒｏｐｐｅｄ． Ｕｎｆｏｒｔｕｎａｔｅｌｙ， ｗｅ ｄｉｄｎ’ｔ ｈａｖｅ ｔｉｍｅ ｔｏ ｖｉｓｉｔ ｔｈｅ ｍｕｓｅｕｍ．
Ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｉｔｓｅｌｆ ｉｓ ｂｅａｕｔｉｆｕｌ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｔｈｏｕｇｈｔｆｕｌｌｙ ｐｌａｎｎｅｄ， ａｎｄ ｉｓ ｑｕｉｔｅ ．．ｗｅｌｌ．． ｐｅａｃｅｆｕｌ． Ａｌｌ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐｌａｑｕｅｓ ａｎｄ ｄｅｄｉｃａｔｉｏｎｓ ｍａｒｋ ｔｈｅ ｄａｔｅ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ａｒｅ ｅｎｇｒａｖｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌ ｍｅｓｓａｇｅｓ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｉｓ ｓｏｒｔ ｏｆ ｄｅｖａｓｔａｔｉｏｎ ｗｉｌｌ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｏｃｃｕｒ ａｇａｉｎ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｗｏｎｄｅｒｆｕｌ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｈｏｗ ｕｎｉｖｅｒｓａｌｌｙ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌ ａｎｄ ｏｐｔｉｍｉｓｔｉｃ ｔｈｅ ｓｅｎｔｉｍｅｎｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔｓ ｗｅｒｅ； ｗｈｅｎ ｔｈｅ Ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｒｅａｌｌｙ ｈａｖｅ ｔｈｅ ｒｉｇｈｔ ａｎｄ ｏｐｐｏｒｔｕｎｉｔｙ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｕｐｓｅｔ ａｂｏｕｔ ｔｈｅ ｍａｎｎｅｒ ｉｎ ｗｈｉｃｈ ｔｈｅｙ ｗｅｒｅ ａｔｔａｃｋｅｄ． Ｔｈｅ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ ｄｉｒｅｃｔｌｙ ａｂｏｖｅ ｉｓ ｐａｒｔａｉｌｌｙ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ｎａｍｅｄ ｔｈｅ Ａ－Ｂｏｍｂ Ｄｏｍｅ． Ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｕｔｔｅｒｌｙ ｂｏｎｅ－ｃｈｉｌｌｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｉｎ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ． Ｔｈｅｒｅ ｗａｓ ａ ｌｏｔ ｏｆ ａｒｇｕｍｅｎｔｓ ｏｖｅｒ ｗｈｅｔｈｅｒ ｔｈｅ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｓｈｏｕｌｄ ｈａｖｅ ｂｅｅｎ ｄｅｍｏｌｉｓｈｅｄ， ｒｅｓｔｏｒｒｅｄ ｏｒ ｌｅｆｔ ａｓ ｉｓ．．．ｂｕｔ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｅｎｄ （ｓｏｍｅｔｉｍｅ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ６０ｓ） ｉｔ ｗａｓ ｄｅｃｉｄｅｄ ｔｈａｔ ｔｈｅｙ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｗａｓ ａｎ ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ ｒｅｍｉｎｄｅｒ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐａｉｎ ｔｈａｔ Ｊａｐａｎ ｓｕｆｆｅｒｅｄ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ ｏｆ ａｔｏｍｉｃ ｗａｒｆａｒｅ， ａｎｄ ａ ｍｅｓｓａｇｅ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｆｕｔｕｒｅ ｓｏ ｔｈａｔ ｈｏｐｅｆｕｌｌｙ， ｔｈｉｎｇｓ ｗｉｌｌ ｎｅｖｅｒ ｅｓｃａｌａｔｅ ｔｏ ｔｈａｔ ｌｅｖｅｌ ａｇａｉｎ．
Ｔｈｅ ｍｏｓｔ ｔｏｕｃｈｉｎｇ ｐａｒｔ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｗａｓ ｐｒｏｂａｂｌｙ ｔｈｅ Ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ’ｓ Ｐｅａｃｅ Ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ． Ｗｈｅｎ Ｉ ｗａｓ ｉｎ ｔｈｉｒｄ ｇｒａｄｅ， Ｉ ｃａｎ ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｍｙ ｔｅａｃｈｅｒ ｔｅｌｌｉｎｇ ｕｓ ｔｈｅ ｓｔｏｒｙ ｏｆ ｏｎｅ ｌｉｔｔｌｅ ｇｉｒｌ， ｗｈｏ ｗａｓ ｄｉａｇｎｏｓｅｄ ｗｉｔｈ ｌｅｕｋｅｍｉａ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ．Ｓｈｅ ｗａｎｔｅｄ ｔｏ ｆｏｌｄ ｏｎｅ ｐａｐｅｒ ｃｒａｎｅ ｆｏｒ ｅｖｅｒｙ ｐｅｒｓｏｎ ｗｈｏ was ｋｉｌｌｅｄ ｏｎ Ａｕｇｕｓｔ ６， １９４５． Ｓａｄｌｙ， ｓｈｅ ｗａｓｎ’ｔ ａｂｌｅ ｔｏ ｆｉｎｉｓｈ， ｂｕｔ ａｆｔｅｒ ｈｅｒ ｄｅａｔｈ， ｈｅｒ ｃｌａｓｓｍａｔｅｓ ｆｉｎｉｓｈｅｄ ｆｏｒ ｈｅｒ － ａｎｄ ｔｈｅｎ ｐｅｔｉｔｉｏｎｅｄ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｔｏ ｂｕｉｌｄ ａ ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ ｉｎ ｈｏｎｏｒ ｏｆ ｈｅｒ － ａｎｄ ａｌｌ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｏｔｈｅｒ ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ ｗｈｏ ｄｉｅｄ ａｓ ａ ｒｅｓｕｌｔ ｏｆ ｒａｄｉａｔｉｏｎ ｐｏｉｓｏｎｉｎｇ ．．．Ｈｅｒｅ ｉｓ ｈｅｒ ｓｔｏｒｙ ｃｏｐｐｉｅｄ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ Ｃｉｔｙ Ｗｅｂｓｉｔｅ：
Sadako was two years old when she was exposed to the A-bomb. She had no apparent injuries and grew into a strong and healthy girl. However, nine years later in the fall when she was in the sixth grade of elementary school (1954), she suddenly developed signs of an illness. In February the following year she was diagnosed with leukemia and was admitted to the Hiroshima Red Cross Hospital. Believing that folding paper cranes would help her recover, she kept folding them to the end, but on October 25, 1955, after an eight-month struggle with the disease, she passed away.
Sadako's death triggered a campaign to build a monument to pray for world peace and the peaceful repose of the many children killed by the atomic bomb. The Children's Peace Monument that stands in Peace Park was built with funds donated from all over Japan. Later, this story spread to the world, and now, approximately 10 million cranes are offered each year before the Children's Peace Monument.
Ｓｅｅｉｎｇ ｔｈａｔ Ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ， ａｎｄ ｔｈｅ ｃａｓｅｓ ｏｆ ｐａｐｅｒ ｃｒａｎｅｓ ｓｅｎｔ ｉｎ ｆｒｏｍ ａｌｌ ｏｖｅｒ ｔｈｅ ｗｏｒｌｄ ｗａｓ ｓｔｕｎｎｉｎｇ － ａｎｄ ｅｘｔｒａｏｒｄｉｎａｒｉｌｙ ｆｕｆｉｌｌｉｎｇ！ Ｉ ｃａｎ ｒｅｍｅｍｂｅｒ ｌｅａｒｎｉｎｇ ａｂｏｕｔ Ｊａｐａｎ， ａｎｄ Ｈｉｒｏｓｈｉｍａ ｆｒｏｍ Ｍｒｓ． Ｃｏｂｌｅ ｓｏ ｃｌｅａｒｌｙ － ａｎｄ ｔｈｉｎｋｉｎｇ ｈｏｗ Ｉ ｗａｎｔｅｄ ｔｏ ｇｏ ｔｈｅｒｅ ｓｏｍｅｄａｙ．Ａｎｄ ｎｏｗ Ｉ ｈａｖｅ！Ｉ ｄｏｎ’ｔ ｋｎｏｗ ．．． ｉｎ ｍａｎｙ ｗａｙｓ ｉｔ ｆｅｌｔ ｓａｃｒｅｄ ｔｏ ｂｅ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ ｔｈｅｒｅ．
Ａｆｔｅｒ ｓｅｅｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｐａｒｋ ｗｅ ｃａｕｇｈｔ ａ ｔｒａｉｎ ｔｏ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ａｎｄ ｗｅ ｂｏｔｈ ｐａｓｓｅｄ ｏｕｔ！ ｈａｈａ． Ｉ ｈａｄ ｂａｒｅｌｙ ｓｌｅｐｔ ｔｈｅ ｐａｓｔ ｆｅｗ ｎｉｇｈｔｓ， ｈａｖｉｎｇ ｌｅｆｔ Ｋｏｒｅａ ｉｎ ｓｕｃｈ ａ ｗｈｉｒｌｗｉｎｄ，ｎｏｔ ｔｏ ｍｅｎｔｉｏｎ ｈａｖｉｎｇ ＷＯＲＫＥＤ ｔｈｅ ｄａｙ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ！ Ｗｅ ｆｏｕｎｄ ｔｈｅ Ｍａｒｒｉｏｔｔ ｗｉｔｈｏｕｔ ｔｏｏ ｍｕｃｈ ｔｒｏｕｂｌｅ， ａｎｄ ｗｅｒｅ ａｂｌｅ ｔｏ ｃｈｅｃｋ ｉｎ ｏｎｅ ｎｉｇｈｔ ｅａｒｌｙ． Ｉ ｄｏｎ：ｔ ｋｎｏｗ ｉｆ ｔｗｏ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ｈａｖｅ ｅｖｅｒ ｂｅｅｎ ｈａｐｐｉｅｒ ｔｏ ｓｅｅ ｃｌｅａｎ ｓｈｅｅｔｓ， ａｎｄ ａ ｈｏｔ ｓｈｏｗｅｒ！！！ Ａｆｔｅｒ ａｌｌ ｗｅ ｈａｄ ｂｅｅｎ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ， ｓｔａｙｉｎｇ ｉｎ Ｔｏｋｙｏ ｔｈｉｓ ｗｅｅｋ ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ｔｈｅ ｍｏｓｔ ａｍａｚｉｎｇ ｖａｃａｔｉｏｎ． Ｔｈｅ ｐｅｏｐｌｅ ａｒｅ ｋｉｎｄ ａｎｄ ｈｅｌｐｆｕｌ． Ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｉｓ ｅｘｔｒａｏｒｄｉｎａｒｉｌｙ ｃｌｅａｎ． Ａｎｄ ｏｆ ｃｏｕｒｓｅ， ｔｈｅ ｆｏｏｄ － ａｎｄ ＶＡＲＩＥＴＹ ｏｆ ｆｏｏｄ － ｈａｓ ｂｅｅｎ ａｍａｚｉｎｇ． Ｔｈｅｙ ｅｖｅｎ ｈａｖｅ ｏｎｅ ｏｆ ｍｙ ｆａｖｏｒｉｔｅ ｃｏｆｆｅｅ ｓｈｏｐｓ ｆｒｏｍ ｈｏｍｅ （Ｔｕｌｌｙ’ｓ Ｃｏｆｆｅｅ） ｒｉｇｈｔ ｎｅｘｔ ｔｏ ｏｕｒ ｈｏｔｅｌ！Ｔｈｉｓ ｉｓ ａ ｓｐｅｃｔａｃｕｌａｒ ｗａｙ ｔｏ ｂｅｇｉｎ ｏｕｒ ｔｒｉｐ！ |
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Ｔｈｅ ｄｏｍｅ ｙｏｕ ｓｅｅ ｔｈｒｏｕｇｈ ｔｈｅ ａｒｃｈ ｉｓ ｆｒｏｍ ｔｈｅ Ａ－Ｂｏｍｂ Ｄｏｍｅ
Ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ ａｂｏｕｔ 160 meters / 490 feet away and 580 meters / 1968 feet above ｔｈｉｓ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ．Ｔｈｅ ｄｉａｇｒａｍ ｓｈｏｗｓ ｔｈｅ ｏｒｉｇｉｎａｌ ｓｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅ， ｔｈｅ ｄａｎａｇｅ ａｆｔｅｒｗａｒｄｓ， ｔｈｅ ｒｅｉｎｆｏｒｃｅｍｅｎｔｓ ｍａｄｅ ｔｏ ｋｅｅｐ ｉｔ ｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇ， ａｎｄ ａｎ ａｅｒｉａｌ ｖｉｅｗ ｆｒｏｍ ａｐｐｒｏｘｉｍａｔｅｌｙ ｔｈｅ ｅｘａｃｔ ｐｏｉｎｔ ｗｈｅｒｅ ｉｔ ｅｘｐｌｏｄｅｄ．
Ｔｈｅ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ ｗａｓ ａｎ ｉｃｏｎ ｉｎ ｔｈｅ ｃｉｔｙ ｂｅｆｏｒｅ ｔｈｅ ｂｏｍｂｉｎｇ ａｎｄ ｗａｓ ｕｓｅｄ ａｓ ｂｏｔｈ ａ ｔｅｍｐｏｒａｒｙ ｍｕｓｅｕｍ， ａ ｃｕｌｔｕｒａｌ ｃｅｎｔｅｒ ａｎｄ ａｎ ｏｆｆｉｃａｌ ｇｏｖｅｒｎｍｅｎｔ ｂｕｉｌｄｉｎｇ． Ｔｈｉｓ ｉｓ ａ ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅ ｏｆ ｉｔ ｎｏｗ， ａｎｄ ａｓ ｉｔ ｌｏｏｋｅｄ ｏｒｉｇｉｎａｌｌｙ．
Ｃｈｉｌｄｒｅｎ’ｓ Ｐｅａｃｅ Ｍｏｎｕｍｅｎｔ
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