Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park

​When I planned my trip to Japan, I knew I wanted to visit Hiroshima. It only felt right to pay my respects and visit the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. The park has a solemn, hopeful feel to it. It exists to remind visitors of the destruction that occurred there, so we can learn from our mistakes and be hopeful for a more peaceful future. It begins with the Atomic Bomb Dome, which was the only structure left partially standing and has been preserved in recent years. Although the bomb was dropped right above it, the building’s structure still stands with the metal frame of the dome and some of the walls’ foundations. The rest of the park is home to memorials and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. The memorials were created to pay respects to specific people or groups who perished in the attack.

​The memorials are quite moving, especially the Children's Peace Monument in honor of Sadako Sasaki, who died of leukemia from the atom bomb’s radiation, and the other children who passed away from the atomic bomb. The statue is surrounded by glass boxes filled with thousands of handmade paper cranes. Many of the memorials are decorated with handmade paper cranes. In Japanese culture, paper cranes symbolize peace, hope, and healing during difficult times. While visiting the park, I saw a live crane on the A-Bomb Dome and took it as a sign of hope.

​I found it especially moving to learn more about Hiroshima and who perished in the attack. Too often, we learn about numbers but not about who they were as individuals. For instance, on the day of the attack, many students and volunteers were in downtown Hiroshima to help clean the river. Unfortunately, they all passed away. There were also many Koreans since thousands were brought to Japan during World War II to work as slaves. It is estimated that one in seven people who perished in the attack were of Korean descent. Every year, Hiroshima holds a memorial service for the Koreans who never returned home to their families.

If you ever have the opportunity to stop by Hiroshima, even for an hour or so like I did, I recommend it. It’s a beautiful city that has turned a dark history into a hopeful future.

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