Junior Writers Reporting: Interviews held with A-bomb survivors at art workshop
Aug. 15, 2016
Thirteen young artists from Japan, the United States, and South Africa, along with 13 junior writers of the Chuguku Shimbun, split into two groups and asked A-bomb survivors Tsugio Ito, 81, a resident of Aki Ward, and Toshiko Tanaka, 77, a resident of Higashi Ward, about their experiences and their wishes for a peaceful world. This discussion was part of a workshop organized by Cannon Hersey, 39, an artist living in the United States, and others that is seeking to create works of art to convey the desire for peace from the A-bombed cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Mr. Hersey is the grandson of the late John Hersey, an American journalist who communicated the horror of Hiroshima to the world in his reportage titled “Hiroshima.”
Tsugio Ito lost his brother in the atomic bombing and son in a terrorist attack
Mr. Ito shared his story that he called “My Two Ground Zeroes.” The term “ground zero” signifies “the point directly beneath an explosion” and refers to the hypocenters of the atomic bombs and the terrorist attacks that took place in the United States in September 2001.
Mr. Ito’s brother, Hiroshi, who was two years older, was killed in the A-bomb attack and his eldest son, Kazushige, died when terrorists struck in the United States. He showed us photos of Hiroshi, Kazushige, and images of the atomic bombing and the terrorist attacks.
I was surprised to hear that Kazushige’s remains were never found. Instead, Mr. Ito has preserved some debris and dirt from the rubble of one of the buildings destroyed by the terrorist attack of September 11. When he spoke about this, his eyes were wet with tears.
It was the first time that I heard the story of a family member of someone who died in the terrorist attacks in the United States. Mr. Ito said, “Human life is the most precious thing in the world,” words that especially resonated for me. The workshop participants from the United States and South Africa, who listened along with us, were moved by his story, too.
Every life is valuable. When a person dies, no matter how, others feel sad. I think our role as junior writers involves continuing our efforts so that such tragedies will never be repeated. (Tokitsuna Kawagishi, 15)
Toshiko Tanaka’s mother did not recognize her after the A-bombing
We went to the home of Toshiko Tanaka, an enameling artist, to listen to her A-bomb experience. When Hiroshima was attacked, Ms. Tanaka was in the Ushita district (now part of Higashi Ward), about 2.3 kilometers from the hypocenter. She was six years old.
She was burned badly on her neck and her arm, and her hair was scorched. When she returned home in such a state, her mother could not recognize her. For a year, she suffered from the painful burns she received and she struggled with leukemia as well. But she was able to press on and endure, encouraged by her memory of the blue sky she saw on the day of the atomic bombing. She called it encouragement from heaven.
Ms. Tanaka’s works of art on the theme of the atomic bombing and peace, in a palette of red, orange, and blue, are displayed in a room that is adorned with her enameling works. Some students from Nagasaki University and other colleges were there, too. They were actively making notes and taking photos of Ms. Tanaka. They asked her what she most wanted to convey to young people, now that the number of A-bomb survivors is dwindling.
Hirono Shienami, 19, is a sophomore at Nagasaki University. She said, “Ms. Tanaka’s works of art are imbued with the suffering of the A-bomb survivors. We also want to create works of art that will have an impact on the people around us.”
Ms. Tanaka said, “We must not make easy enemies of the people we encounter,” and I saw the wisdom of developing friendships with a wide range of people. Making friendships is the kind of peace activity that anyone can do. (Nanaho Yamamoto, 17)
(Originally published on August 15, 2016)
Tsugio Ito lost his brother in the atomic bombing and son in a terrorist attack
Mr. Ito shared his story that he called “My Two Ground Zeroes.” The term “ground zero” signifies “the point directly beneath an explosion” and refers to the hypocenters of the atomic bombs and the terrorist attacks that took place in the United States in September 2001.
Mr. Ito’s brother, Hiroshi, who was two years older, was killed in the A-bomb attack and his eldest son, Kazushige, died when terrorists struck in the United States. He showed us photos of Hiroshi, Kazushige, and images of the atomic bombing and the terrorist attacks.
I was surprised to hear that Kazushige’s remains were never found. Instead, Mr. Ito has preserved some debris and dirt from the rubble of one of the buildings destroyed by the terrorist attack of September 11. When he spoke about this, his eyes were wet with tears.
It was the first time that I heard the story of a family member of someone who died in the terrorist attacks in the United States. Mr. Ito said, “Human life is the most precious thing in the world,” words that especially resonated for me. The workshop participants from the United States and South Africa, who listened along with us, were moved by his story, too.
Every life is valuable. When a person dies, no matter how, others feel sad. I think our role as junior writers involves continuing our efforts so that such tragedies will never be repeated. (Tokitsuna Kawagishi, 15)
Toshiko Tanaka’s mother did not recognize her after the A-bombing
We went to the home of Toshiko Tanaka, an enameling artist, to listen to her A-bomb experience. When Hiroshima was attacked, Ms. Tanaka was in the Ushita district (now part of Higashi Ward), about 2.3 kilometers from the hypocenter. She was six years old.
She was burned badly on her neck and her arm, and her hair was scorched. When she returned home in such a state, her mother could not recognize her. For a year, she suffered from the painful burns she received and she struggled with leukemia as well. But she was able to press on and endure, encouraged by her memory of the blue sky she saw on the day of the atomic bombing. She called it encouragement from heaven.
Ms. Tanaka’s works of art on the theme of the atomic bombing and peace, in a palette of red, orange, and blue, are displayed in a room that is adorned with her enameling works. Some students from Nagasaki University and other colleges were there, too. They were actively making notes and taking photos of Ms. Tanaka. They asked her what she most wanted to convey to young people, now that the number of A-bomb survivors is dwindling.
Hirono Shienami, 19, is a sophomore at Nagasaki University. She said, “Ms. Tanaka’s works of art are imbued with the suffering of the A-bomb survivors. We also want to create works of art that will have an impact on the people around us.”
Ms. Tanaka said, “We must not make easy enemies of the people we encounter,” and I saw the wisdom of developing friendships with a wide range of people. Making friendships is the kind of peace activity that anyone can do. (Nanaho Yamamoto, 17)
(Originally published on August 15, 2016)
