On August 6, 1945, the United States of American dropped a nuclear bomb over Hiroshima. A devastating offensive move, which eventually brought an end to World War II. Visiting a place like Hiroshima really puts things into perspective. You'll both gain more and lose some faith in humanity at the same time.
 |
| Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima, Japan |
Before we got into the awful facts of 1945, we hit a public bath (also called a
sento) with our local couchsurfing host; Hiro. The temperatures had dropped quite massively and we enjoyed the sauna and hot tubs. The public baths are dying out in Japan, but some locals are still trying to keep the tradition alive. The experience was quite fun and very recommendable.
 |
| A public bath or a "sento" in Hiroshima, Japan |
In Denmark we're taught a lot about the nuclear bombings of Japan during the Second World War. So I was surprised to find, that it's not a part of the history teachings in Japan. A lot of people are unaware of the actual facts of one of the most infamous war offensives ever made.
 |
| Nuclear Clock at Hiroshima Peace Museum, Japan |
There are plenty of places to visit and one that is inevitable is the Hiroshima Peace Museum. A mere 200 yen to enter. A very fair price for a place this important. The first thing you'll notice is the Nuclear Clock. A count of days from the last nuclear bomb and another count of days since the last nuclear testing (which was recently reset).
 |
| A photo of Hiroshima after the a-bomb explosion, Japan |
As we entered the museum we first saw pictures of Hiroshima before the war and before the a-bombing. From the first room you step right into a 180-view of the devastation after the bombing. I had shivers and chills down my spine as I looked a the amount of destruction from a man-made thing.
 |
| A-bomb Dome one of the few surviving buildings in Hiroshima, Japan |
I walked the museum of Hiroshima I had mixed feelings. I was shocked by some of the facts about a-bombs and the amount of nuclear weapons the world has been dumb enough to make. But I also missed a personal aspect of the terrors that happened in 1945. The victim card was posed on several occasions throughout the museum, even though it wasn't necessary. And there was so much technical information that the core of that awful day and the nightmares following it got lost in less important things. I do like the tagline "No More Hiroshimas", but I also like the thought of people visiting a place like Hiroshima, realizing themselves; "we shouldn't repeat what happened here".
 |
| Hypocenter of the a-bomb dropped over Hiroshima, Japan |
The cold fact is, that if a nuclear war were to occur across the globe. Soot, dust, and other particles from the resulting fires would be carried into the stratosphere creating a cloud which would lower the temperature of our planet drastically. A "nuclear winter" would be upon us and it could last for years, resulting in a huge impact on food production. Humanity would have to face starvation and many animal species would simply die out. With Donald Trump in the oval office and Kim Jung-Un on top of North Korea, a war like that doesn't seem so distant. Maybe humanity aren't as bright and intelligent as we claim to be.
 |
| Autumn leafs at Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima, Japan |
To create a distance and process it all the Shukkeien Garden in Hiroshima worked perfectly. Lit up at night the colors of autumn were shining bright in a place which was completely destroyed less than 75 years ago.
No comments: