Deaths of 112 in Sarugaku-cho, A-bomb Dome area, confirmed as bereaved families continue to make contact; only 54 households with survivors remain in area — Joint memorial service to be held today
Aug. 2, 1997
On August 2, 1997, people with ties to Hiroshima City’s area of Sarugaku-cho which, except for the A-bomb Dome, all but vanished in the atomic bombing, will gather for the first time in 52 years to hold a joint memorial service for the A-bomb victims. Before this service, former residents of the Sarugaku-cho area together with the Chugoku Shimbun worked to uncover records of damages from the atomic bombing, confirming that the number of residents of Sarugaku-cho who died in the bombing by the end of 1945 had risen to 112 people, and that survivors remained in 54 households.
A recreated map showing each household in the Sarugaku-cho area before the atomic bombing, as well as detailed records of 91 residents who had died from the bombing by the end of 1945 and another who died in 1946 were reported in the Chugoku Shimbun on July 23, 1997. As a result, more than 100 inquiries from people involved in some way have been made to the Yakura-kai organization of people with links to the Sarugaku-cho area (chaired by Karoku Masumoto) and others.
The follow-up work led to the discovery of 21 additional residents of nine households confirmed to have died by the end of 1945, except for one who died the following year, due to acute effects of the atomic bombing, with 20 of that total dying the day of the atomic bombing. There were 96 people who were victims of the bombing itself, including those whose deaths had been confirmed previously. Many of the victims newly confirmed to have died experienced the bombing at their home or at a site where they had been working.
The surviving families of the victims in Sarugaku-cho confirmed to have died by this recent survey had relocated elsewhere, such as Tokyo, Aichi, Yamaguchi, and Fukuoka prefectures, after the atomic bombing. In one case through its own search, a surviving family found rare photographs of the area, recognized as being seen for the first time by the Hiroshima City government and sent to the city by the family. “I had felt as if my experience in Hiroshima was growing more distant and was thus was deeply moved after learning of the efforts of those involved with Sarugaku-cho to try and recreate the area,” read the message.
Around 60 people including victims’ bereaved family members will gather from throughout Japan to attend the memorial service to be held at Saiko-ji Temple, located next to the A-bomb Dome. The gathering will memorialize the dead and discuss opportunities to conduct other survey work to recreate the image of the area before the atomic bombing.
Legend: Name of the dead (and age), occupation or workplace, circumstances at death from the bombing, inhabitants in household as of August 6, 1945 (excluding those who had been drafted into military service or evacuated), and circumstances at bombing of family members and others — all such information is based on records and interviews with surviving family members (honorifics omitted).
Tsunejiro Hiyama, 62
- Inn
- Entered hypocenter area from Asakita Ward in search of wife and others; died on November 13, 1946
- Six people including wife and children, nephew’s wife and children Kise, Mr. Hiyama’s wife, 52
- Died in bombing at home, located at 20-1 Sarugaku-cho
Kiyoshi, 24, oldest son
- Food shop
- Died in bombing at home
Izumi Hiyama, 47, wife of Mr. Hiyama’s younger brother
- Died on August 6 after participating in building-demolition work in area of Zakoba-cho (in present-day Kokutaiji-machi, Naka Ward). Her remains have never been found
Nobuyuki Suetomo, 46 - Writing brush shop
- Died in bombing after participating in building-demolition work
- Three, including wife and oldest daughter. His wife and daughter had moved to her parents’ home in town of Kumano-cho, Aki-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture the previous day.
Sukeichi Yamamoto, 64 - Furniture shop
- Died in bombing at home, located at 33 Sarugaku-cho Hisayo, Mr. Yamamoto’s wife, 52
Megumi, oldest son, 21
Takenori, second son, 15
Sumiko, third daughter, 13
Masaru, third son, 8
- All above family members considered to have died in bombing at home (no photo exists)
Isayo Miyamoto, 47 - Her husband worked for Itaya Life Insurance Company, located at 50-1 Sarugaku-cho
- Died in bombing near home after being evacuated from company residence to Nishi Ward
- Three, including children. Her oldest daughter experienced bombing in Nishi Ward on way to workplace as mobilized student
Tadao, Mr. Miyamoto’s oldest son, 13
- First-year student in Honkawa National School’s advanced course
- Died in bombing while engaged in building-demolition work in vicinity of Dobashi-cho, Naka Ward. His remains have never been found
Shigekazu Kumamoto, 46 - Manager for Saeki Benrisha printing/advertising company
- Died in bombing at company, located at 51 Sarugaku-cho
- Lived in Kyobashi-cho, Minami Ward with family of six, including wife and children. His wife and children experienced the bombing, with second daughter dying in bombing on way to building-demolition work
Sumiko Sumiyoshi, 28 - Third daughter of president of Saeki Benrisha printing/advertising company
- Returned to parents’ home with two children after husband had been drafted into military service; died in bombing at family’s printing/advertising company
- Seven family members, including two boys, parents, and siblings experienced the atomic bombing at location of evacuation in Higashi Ward (no photo exists)
Tadao Otsuka, 40 - Clothing shop
- Died in bombing at home, located at 76 Sarugaku-cho
- Three, including wife and daughter. His only daughter experienced the atomic bombing at needle-making factory in Kusunoki-cho, Nishi Ward, where she had been mobilized to work as student
Shizue, Mr. Otsuka’s wife, 34
- Died in bombing at home
Chieko Kamakura, 30 (at left in photo) - Watch shop
- Considered to have died at home, located immediately south of Otsuka Clothing Shop
- Two, including second daughter. Her mother and oldest daughter had been evacuated to present-day Asaminami Ward
Kazue, Ms. Kamakura’s second daughter, 2 (at right in photo)
- Considered to have died at home
Hitoshi Wakai, 47 - Pediatrician
- Died at home, located at 83-1 Sarugaku-cho
- Three; oldest son had been evacuated to home of wife’s parents, in Aki Ward
Matsuka, Mr. Wakai’s wife, 38
- Fled to Shukkeien Garden from home after bombing and died on August 7, after reuniting with older brother
Hiro, second son, 4
- Considered to have died in bombing while having breakfast with father. His remains have never been confirmed.
(Originally published on August 2, 1997)
A recreated map showing each household in the Sarugaku-cho area before the atomic bombing, as well as detailed records of 91 residents who had died from the bombing by the end of 1945 and another who died in 1946 were reported in the Chugoku Shimbun on July 23, 1997. As a result, more than 100 inquiries from people involved in some way have been made to the Yakura-kai organization of people with links to the Sarugaku-cho area (chaired by Karoku Masumoto) and others.
The follow-up work led to the discovery of 21 additional residents of nine households confirmed to have died by the end of 1945, except for one who died the following year, due to acute effects of the atomic bombing, with 20 of that total dying the day of the atomic bombing. There were 96 people who were victims of the bombing itself, including those whose deaths had been confirmed previously. Many of the victims newly confirmed to have died experienced the bombing at their home or at a site where they had been working.
The surviving families of the victims in Sarugaku-cho confirmed to have died by this recent survey had relocated elsewhere, such as Tokyo, Aichi, Yamaguchi, and Fukuoka prefectures, after the atomic bombing. In one case through its own search, a surviving family found rare photographs of the area, recognized as being seen for the first time by the Hiroshima City government and sent to the city by the family. “I had felt as if my experience in Hiroshima was growing more distant and was thus was deeply moved after learning of the efforts of those involved with Sarugaku-cho to try and recreate the area,” read the message.
Around 60 people including victims’ bereaved family members will gather from throughout Japan to attend the memorial service to be held at Saiko-ji Temple, located next to the A-bomb Dome. The gathering will memorialize the dead and discuss opportunities to conduct other survey work to recreate the image of the area before the atomic bombing.
Legend: Name of the dead (and age), occupation or workplace, circumstances at death from the bombing, inhabitants in household as of August 6, 1945 (excluding those who had been drafted into military service or evacuated), and circumstances at bombing of family members and others — all such information is based on records and interviews with surviving family members (honorifics omitted).
Tsunejiro Hiyama, 62
- Inn
- Entered hypocenter area from Asakita Ward in search of wife and others; died on November 13, 1946
- Six people including wife and children, nephew’s wife and children Kise, Mr. Hiyama’s wife, 52
- Died in bombing at home, located at 20-1 Sarugaku-cho
Kiyoshi, 24, oldest son
- Food shop
- Died in bombing at home
Izumi Hiyama, 47, wife of Mr. Hiyama’s younger brother
- Died on August 6 after participating in building-demolition work in area of Zakoba-cho (in present-day Kokutaiji-machi, Naka Ward). Her remains have never been found
Nobuyuki Suetomo, 46 - Writing brush shop
- Died in bombing after participating in building-demolition work
- Three, including wife and oldest daughter. His wife and daughter had moved to her parents’ home in town of Kumano-cho, Aki-gun, Hiroshima Prefecture the previous day.
Sukeichi Yamamoto, 64 - Furniture shop
- Died in bombing at home, located at 33 Sarugaku-cho Hisayo, Mr. Yamamoto’s wife, 52
Megumi, oldest son, 21
Takenori, second son, 15
Sumiko, third daughter, 13
Masaru, third son, 8
- All above family members considered to have died in bombing at home (no photo exists)
Isayo Miyamoto, 47 - Her husband worked for Itaya Life Insurance Company, located at 50-1 Sarugaku-cho
- Died in bombing near home after being evacuated from company residence to Nishi Ward
- Three, including children. Her oldest daughter experienced bombing in Nishi Ward on way to workplace as mobilized student
Tadao, Mr. Miyamoto’s oldest son, 13
- First-year student in Honkawa National School’s advanced course
- Died in bombing while engaged in building-demolition work in vicinity of Dobashi-cho, Naka Ward. His remains have never been found
Shigekazu Kumamoto, 46 - Manager for Saeki Benrisha printing/advertising company
- Died in bombing at company, located at 51 Sarugaku-cho
- Lived in Kyobashi-cho, Minami Ward with family of six, including wife and children. His wife and children experienced the bombing, with second daughter dying in bombing on way to building-demolition work
Sumiko Sumiyoshi, 28 - Third daughter of president of Saeki Benrisha printing/advertising company
- Returned to parents’ home with two children after husband had been drafted into military service; died in bombing at family’s printing/advertising company
- Seven family members, including two boys, parents, and siblings experienced the atomic bombing at location of evacuation in Higashi Ward (no photo exists)
Tadao Otsuka, 40 - Clothing shop
- Died in bombing at home, located at 76 Sarugaku-cho
- Three, including wife and daughter. His only daughter experienced the atomic bombing at needle-making factory in Kusunoki-cho, Nishi Ward, where she had been mobilized to work as student
Shizue, Mr. Otsuka’s wife, 34
- Died in bombing at home
Chieko Kamakura, 30 (at left in photo) - Watch shop
- Considered to have died at home, located immediately south of Otsuka Clothing Shop
- Two, including second daughter. Her mother and oldest daughter had been evacuated to present-day Asaminami Ward
Kazue, Ms. Kamakura’s second daughter, 2 (at right in photo)
- Considered to have died at home
Hitoshi Wakai, 47 - Pediatrician
- Died at home, located at 83-1 Sarugaku-cho
- Three; oldest son had been evacuated to home of wife’s parents, in Aki Ward
Matsuka, Mr. Wakai’s wife, 38
- Fled to Shukkeien Garden from home after bombing and died on August 7, after reuniting with older brother
Hiro, second son, 4
- Considered to have died in bombing while having breakfast with father. His remains have never been confirmed.
(Originally published on August 2, 1997)
