GREAT EATS HAWAII: HEROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL

Monday, April 3, 2017

HEROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL - ATOMIC BOMB DOME, JAPAN

HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL

ATOMIC BOMB DOME

HIROSHIMA, JAPAN

The A-Bomb Dome (Genbaku) stands as a symbol of peach and a memorial to those who died when the first atomic bomb was dropped by the B-29 bomber Enola Gay at 8:15 am on August 6, 1945. It is a powerful sight that was almost demolished to make room for the rebuilding of Hiroshima. The bomb was intended to be detonated above the Aioi Bridge just 790 feet from the structure. Because the atomic bomb exploded directly overhead, the building was able to retain its shape. The buildings vertical columns were able to resist the nearly vertical downward force of the blast, and parts of the concrete and brick outer walls remained intact. The center of the blast was displaced 490 feet and 2,000 feet vertically from the dome which was just 160 meters from the hypocenter of the atomic blast. Everyone in the building was killed during the blast. A total of 140,000 people were killed this day with many being woman and children. Another 140,000 have died from of the effects of radiation. Truly a heartfelt moment standing before the memorial.

I asked our tour guide who was an incredible local who grew up in Hiroshima why Hiroshima was chosen for the bombing. Evidently Hiroshima was an important port/industrial city with over 40,000 military personnel living here. The blast created what they call Black Rain which came down for miles around the city. The Black Rain (nuclear fallout) yielded some 200 different kins of radioactive isotopes (nuclear fission particles of uranium and plutonium what escaped fission) Following the explosion, these and other materials irradiated by neutrons from the bomb were carried hight into the atmosphere. The mixing of enormous amounts of airborne irradiated materials combined with heat and thermal currents from the firestorms let to rainfall over Hiroshima within 30-40 minutes of the bombing. As the fallout particles were mixed with carbon residue from citywide fires, the result was the awesome - and injurious - "Black Rain". Along with Black Rain, blast temperatures reached as high as 10,000 degrees with everything and anything flammable near the site being destroyed.

Click the link below for more information on the Hiroshima Peace Memorial;
https://greateatshawaii.blogspot.com/2017/03/hiroshima-orizuru-tower.html

www.visithiroshima.net/world_heritage/a-bomb_dome.html

THE ATOMIC BOMB DOME (GENBAKU) STANDS AS A PEACE MEMORIAL

SIMPLE YET SO POWERFUL

MEMORIAL TO ALL OF THE SCHOOLS WHO LOST CHILDREN

PAPER CRANES ADORN THE MEMORIAL

After Sasaki Sadako's death (12 years old), a campaign started, commemorating the spirits of children victims of the A-bomb and raising funds to build a memorial for Sadako and all of the children who died from the effects of the atomic bomb. Later, the news spread over the world, and people from all over the world visit the "Children's Peace Monument" to lay down folded-paper crane around the monument. The number of paper crane put down is over 10 million annually. A bronze girl who holds a gold crane is standing on the top of the tripodal domed statue, and located next to the domed statue, there are the statues of boys and girls symbolizing bright future and hope.