Hiroshima Prefecture releases to the media army uniforms and photo donated by citizens related to Army Clothing Depot which clearly reflect work done there
Jul. 26, 2022
by Yo Kono, Staff Writer
The Hiroshima prefectural government has released to the media a total of five items related to the largest A-bombed structures, the so-called “former Army Clothing Depot” buildings, located in City’s Minami Ward. These items are army uniforms which are believed to have been inspected there, a photo which portrays what work was like there in those days, and postcards. All of these items were donated by citizens. The prefectural government staff say they are very precious materials because of how rare it is to find army uniforms from the Clothing Depot.
Both army uniforms were for noncommissioned officers: one is a one-meter-long overcoat and the other is a 1.1-meter-long cloak. On the inside of the left chest of the overcoat is printed with “Type 98, No. 5, Made in 1941, Hiroshi Kentei,” while the cloak is printed with “Made in 1942, Hiroshisho Kentei.”
According to the Hiroshima prefectural government, “Hiroshisho Kentei” is believed to mean the garment was made by an outsourced manufacturer and inspected at the Clothing Depot. It is also believed “Type 98” is the year 2598 of the Japanese imperial reign, and “No. 5” indicates the size. Both uniforms were donated by Junichi Honma, 86, a resident of Matsue City, who is engaged in activities that pass down history to the next generation.
The photo and two postcards were donated by an 83-year-old man living in Hiroshima City. The photo portrays his aunt and her coworker(s) in the typewriter room of the building. Postcards were addressed to his aunt, and from its contents, one of them appears to have been sent by a woman who had been living in the same room as his aunt in a boarding house of the Clothing Depot.
The Hiroshima prefectural government, which aims to have the Clothing Depot buildings designated as national important cultural properties, solicited the public for items related to the buildings from last December to this March. All the above-mentioned five items were donated in March. The prefectural government continues to seek public assistance and calls on citizens to send them any items related to the Clothing Depot.
Keywords
Former Army Clothing Depot
The former Army Clothing Depot was a facility once used to manufacture military uniforms and footwear for the former Imperial Japanese Army. The facility buildings, located 2.7 kilometers southeast of the hypocenter, were completed in 1913. After the atomic bomb was dropped, the buildings were used as temporary relief stations for A-bomb survivors. The depot originally consisted of 13 buildings, but only four, situated in an L-shaped configuration, remained after World War II. They were used as warehouses for private corporations and as a student dormitory for Hiroshima University. Hiroshima Prefecture owns buildings No. 1–3, while building No. 4 is in the possession of Japan’s national government. The Hiroshima City government registered the structures as A-bombed buildings in 1994, and since around 1995, the buildings have not been used. Now more than 100 years old, the structures show significant deterioration.
(Originally published on July 26, 2022)
The Hiroshima prefectural government has released to the media a total of five items related to the largest A-bombed structures, the so-called “former Army Clothing Depot” buildings, located in City’s Minami Ward. These items are army uniforms which are believed to have been inspected there, a photo which portrays what work was like there in those days, and postcards. All of these items were donated by citizens. The prefectural government staff say they are very precious materials because of how rare it is to find army uniforms from the Clothing Depot.
Both army uniforms were for noncommissioned officers: one is a one-meter-long overcoat and the other is a 1.1-meter-long cloak. On the inside of the left chest of the overcoat is printed with “Type 98, No. 5, Made in 1941, Hiroshi Kentei,” while the cloak is printed with “Made in 1942, Hiroshisho Kentei.”
According to the Hiroshima prefectural government, “Hiroshisho Kentei” is believed to mean the garment was made by an outsourced manufacturer and inspected at the Clothing Depot. It is also believed “Type 98” is the year 2598 of the Japanese imperial reign, and “No. 5” indicates the size. Both uniforms were donated by Junichi Honma, 86, a resident of Matsue City, who is engaged in activities that pass down history to the next generation.
The photo and two postcards were donated by an 83-year-old man living in Hiroshima City. The photo portrays his aunt and her coworker(s) in the typewriter room of the building. Postcards were addressed to his aunt, and from its contents, one of them appears to have been sent by a woman who had been living in the same room as his aunt in a boarding house of the Clothing Depot.
The Hiroshima prefectural government, which aims to have the Clothing Depot buildings designated as national important cultural properties, solicited the public for items related to the buildings from last December to this March. All the above-mentioned five items were donated in March. The prefectural government continues to seek public assistance and calls on citizens to send them any items related to the Clothing Depot.
Keywords
Former Army Clothing Depot
The former Army Clothing Depot was a facility once used to manufacture military uniforms and footwear for the former Imperial Japanese Army. The facility buildings, located 2.7 kilometers southeast of the hypocenter, were completed in 1913. After the atomic bomb was dropped, the buildings were used as temporary relief stations for A-bomb survivors. The depot originally consisted of 13 buildings, but only four, situated in an L-shaped configuration, remained after World War II. They were used as warehouses for private corporations and as a student dormitory for Hiroshima University. Hiroshima Prefecture owns buildings No. 1–3, while building No. 4 is in the possession of Japan’s national government. The Hiroshima City government registered the structures as A-bombed buildings in 1994, and since around 1995, the buildings have not been used. Now more than 100 years old, the structures show significant deterioration.
(Originally published on July 26, 2022)
