Historical Hiroshima, Day 153 of Our Tour - A Most Somber Day

Clock in the museum stopped to the moment the bomb was dropped.

Remains of a government building near this Ground Zero.

A few of the hundreds of school children on a field trip to the museum. Note the peace signs, happy faces and welcoming waves. This was not an unusual occurrence for these school children to be at this museum. It happens routinely so that they will see and fully understand the horrors of nuclear war. Yes, they are taught the horrors of war in hopes that they will work to prevent future such tragedies. While they were laughing and being children outside the museum, once inside one could hear a pen drop.

Plaque beside this exhibit read, "These stone steps were at the entrance to the Hiroshima Branch of the Sumitomo Bank. Exposed to the atomic explosion at close range, the person sitting on the steps waiting for the bank to open is thought to have died on the spot with no possibility of escape. The intense heat of the A-bomb turned the steps white, the stone under the sitting person remained dark, like a shadow. Several families have suggested that the person killed on the steps may have been one of their own."

The young girl in the kimono was riding this bike wearing her helmet the morning of August 6, 1945. She lingered for three years after that fateful morning before succumbing to her injuries. A beautiful peace monument has been erected in nearby Peace Memorial Park in her honor and all the other innocent children killed that day.

Our guide was asked if there was resentment of Americans among the residents of Hiroshima, or Japan in general. "No. Horrible things happen in war. We were not there, it is not for us to judge." What we can do is learn from these past events and work to prevent any such events in the future.

From Peace Memorial Park we were taken to Shukkeien Garden for an opportunity to enjoy the peace and tranquility therein. And should anyone wish to feed the fish, a little stand was tucked away to the side of the pond selling fish delicacies.

Today Is Someday! May there be no more Ground Zero's!