Hiroshima - Day 2 - Peace Memorial Museum

25-7-06

Up early, have our breakfast downstairs in hotel lobby area, seems like a longtime since we have stayed anywhere where breakfast was included. I think maybe Vietnam was the last.
Anyway, eat brekkie, check-out and store our bags in reception area and head back to Peace Memorial Park.
We take a different route this time and wander down a rabbit warren of side streets absolutely chock-a-block with bars. Each building has a different bar/restaurant on each floor, if not more. Finally hit the main street and walk down for about 10 mins till we reach the Park.

Tickets for entry to the museum are only 100 Yen - approx. $1.20, we each hire an English language audio device like the ones you can hire at Te Papa. The museum is extremely thorough covering all aspects of the Atomic bombing on 6 August 1945.
The first section has photos and plaques about Hiroshima prior to the bombing at certain displays it would show an icon of headphones and a number, you then punch the number into you audio system and an American voice translates the description for you. Rather handy since neither of us speak/read Japanese.
Inside the building they have an almost life-sized replica model of the A-bomb dome, and there are many minature models of before and after the bombing, it is mind boggling to see, the bomb completely obliterated the entire city, I am surprised there were any buildings left upright.

Understandably Hiroshima have taken it upon themselves to act as activists against nuclear testing and everytime a nuclear test takes place, the current mayor of Hiroshima sends a letter to the president of the country in question, protesting it. Copies of these letters are posted on pillars within the museum. Infact the most recent letter was sent in Feb 2006 to none other than George W Bush and his henchman T. Blair for nuclear tests conducted in the States earlier this year.

There are 3 levels to the building, the second level deals with the make-up of an atomic bomb and which countries currently test, and interestingly enough how many major accidents have occured. One place in the USA has been testing for the past 28 years and they have had 30 MAJOR accidents...

The final floor deals with the affects the atomic bomb/radiation had on human beings. Rather disturbing this section was -NB: DO NOT READ NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU ARE SQUEAMISH.

Displays of children with skin melting off.
Photos of skin discoloratin, and strange ulcers.
One cabinet displayed the actual skin and fingers off a small boy- skin blackened.
Photos of strange black fingernails that started growing out of mans hand after exposure to atomic bomb and radiation.
Photos of horrific burn marks, pus filled sores. Faces burnt off.
Displays showing which internal organs are affected most by radiation.

List goes on and it was rather disturbing. The audio device we were carrying even told disturbing stories about children that actually survived the bombing with extreme injuries only to die the next day.

This was the last section of the Museum and as we came out the other end, and exited there were a number of photo books with various presidents and prime ministers who had visited the museum, each had written a comment expressing their support for the Museum. Among them were NZs very own Helen Clark and Fidel Castro.

All in all the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum is very thorough and inspiring in terms of the vigilant protest against Nuclear Testing and weapons. All I can say is after visiting that museum I am very pleased and proud that NZ is nuclear free, I hope that one day the whole world will be.

- EM