We traveled by train from Kyoto to Hiroshima; the site of the first atomic bomb in WW2. Hollander had read 'Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes' in school and wanted to see the memorial to the children killed by the bomb.
Sadako survived the bombing but developed Leukaemia, she believed that if she could make a 1000 paper cranes that she would be granted a wish to live, some of these were in the Memorial Museum.
We also read 'Yoko's Diary', me on the plane going over which was very moving and lead to a serendipitous experience on Myajima Is. Yoko was a young girl 12yrs old who lived on Myajima Island but was schooled in Hiroshima. During the War school children where mobilised to help in factories and clearing streets what ever had to be done. Yoko and her class mates were directly hit by the bomb whilst clearing streets in Hiroshima. She was burnt completely but lived for a short while and was removed to a shelter. Luckily the volunteer carer comforting her knew someone on Myajima Is and sent a message to Yoko's mother who came to her side, unfortunately not long after her death.
The book was written by her brother Kohji who survived and told of the impact of her passing on the family and had transcripts from the people who her. The Australian addition gave fantastic background information re Japan and the War and its customs.
The serendipitous experience came in the form of our interpreter/guide Masako. I showed her the book saying I wanted to see Yoko's family home. She said that she was Yoko's brother preferred interpreter when talking about the diary.
She knew about the difficulties Kohji faced in publishing her diary and said that the account wasn't as popular in Japan. She said that Kohji would be thrilled to hear that an Australian girl of the same age was interested in her story. The other coincidence was the date we visited Myajima Island being the first day of the school year: the date that Yoko started at her prestigious school (selective) and was issued her diary.
On return to Australia we sent a copy of the book to be passed on to Kohji and contacted the publishers to request that they provide some copies to the Memorial Museum so that English speaking visitors could access it there too.
Sadako survived the bombing but developed Leukaemia, she believed that if she could make a 1000 paper cranes that she would be granted a wish to live, some of these were in the Memorial Museum.
We also read 'Yoko's Diary', me on the plane going over which was very moving and lead to a serendipitous experience on Myajima Is. Yoko was a young girl 12yrs old who lived on Myajima Island but was schooled in Hiroshima. During the War school children where mobilised to help in factories and clearing streets what ever had to be done. Yoko and her class mates were directly hit by the bomb whilst clearing streets in Hiroshima. She was burnt completely but lived for a short while and was removed to a shelter. Luckily the volunteer carer comforting her knew someone on Myajima Is and sent a message to Yoko's mother who came to her side, unfortunately not long after her death.
The book was written by her brother Kohji who survived and told of the impact of her passing on the family and had transcripts from the people who her. The Australian addition gave fantastic background information re Japan and the War and its customs.
The serendipitous experience came in the form of our interpreter/guide Masako. I showed her the book saying I wanted to see Yoko's family home. She said that she was Yoko's brother preferred interpreter when talking about the diary.
She knew about the difficulties Kohji faced in publishing her diary and said that the account wasn't as popular in Japan. She said that Kohji would be thrilled to hear that an Australian girl of the same age was interested in her story. The other coincidence was the date we visited Myajima Island being the first day of the school year: the date that Yoko started at her prestigious school (selective) and was issued her diary.
On return to Australia we sent a copy of the book to be passed on to Kohji and contacted the publishers to request that they provide some copies to the Memorial Museum so that English speaking visitors could access it there too.
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| Hiroshima Peace Park |
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| Children's Peace Monument - where paper cranes are left. |
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| Hollander with the many paper cranes |
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| The Peace Memorial Museum in the background and the Flame of Peace. |
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| A model of the epicentre showing the explosion point |
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| Sadako's paper cranes: she used a needle on the small ones. |
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| Many dear on Myajima Island |
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| Tori Gate entrance to Myajima Island |
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| Auspicious Koi |
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| Itsukushima Shrine - washing (mouth and hands) is alway done before entering a Buddist Shrine. Also money offerings can be made in the shrine: bow twice, clap twice, bow once again. |
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| Sake barrel offerings to the Shrine |
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| Pagoda on Myajima Island |
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| Miyajima Ropeway |
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| View at the top |
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