Fifty-five years after A-bombing — Hisako Taniguchi, Saeki Ward, prays at Zaimoku-cho monument with older brother’s former classmates, tracing family memories to hypocenter, renewing pledge to never let A-bomb memories fade
Aug. 7, 2000
“Ryohei, your friends have come to visit you,” said Hisako Taniguchi, 66, on her visit to a stone monument marking the site of the former Zaimoku-cho area in what is now Peace Memorial Park (in Hiroshima City’s Nakajima-cho, Naka Ward). Ms. Taniguchi, a homemaker living at Yahata 1-chome in the city’s Saeki Ward, lost six members of her family in Zaimoku-cho. One was her older brother, Ryohei, who was 18 at the time. It was Ms. Taniguchi’s first visit to the monument, accompanied by Ryohei’s former classmates from Hiroshima Prefectural Hiroshima Technical School (present-day Hiroshima Prefectural Hiroshima Technical High School).
One of the six classmates was Yoshiyuki Gotanda, 75, a resident of Kanon Honmachi 2-chome, in Hiroshima’s Nishi Ward. They had studied in the school’s electrical program with Ryohei for three years before their graduation in December 1943.
After graduation, the classmates went their separate ways, with some embarking on careers and others joining the military. Ryohei had returned home from the Kure Naval Arsenal on August 5, 1945, the day before the atomic bombing, and he was killed in the atomic bombing. His classmates learned of his death through an article titled “Photographs of the Dead Speak” carried in the Chugoku Shimbun in April of this year. Mr. Gotanda contacted Ms. Taniguchi, which led to the gathering.
Ms. Taniguchi said, “They got together for my older brother even after 55 years. He was blessed with wonderful friends.” With her husband Keisei, 71, Mr. Gotanda, and others, Ms. Taniguchi visited the Zaimoku-cho monument standing on the east side of Peace Park. They placed a bouquet of chrysanthemums and incense at the monument, which measures around 70 centimeters in height, and placed their hands together in prayer.
“Ryohei was the best student in our class,” said Mr. Gotanda as he sorted through his memories. “He was a good guy with a strong sense of responsibility.” Ms. Taniguchi dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief and said, “I can see my older brother in all of you.”
The Zaimoku-cho area, located close to the hypocenter, was decimated in the atomic bombing. Ms. Taniguchi lost six family members — her parents, grandfather, two older brothers, and an older sister. At the time, she had been in Nakajima Elementary School (in the city’s area of Kako-machi, Naka Ward), 1.1 kilometers from the hypocenter. She survived after being trapped under the rubble of the school auditorium’s collapse. After the war, she was raised by relatives, lost all connection with the people of the former Zaimoku-cho area, and was unaware of the monument.
In the future, Mr. Gotanda and the others said they plan to visit the monument every year on August 6 to pray for the souls of Ryohei and other victims.
(Originally published on August 7, 2000)
One of the six classmates was Yoshiyuki Gotanda, 75, a resident of Kanon Honmachi 2-chome, in Hiroshima’s Nishi Ward. They had studied in the school’s electrical program with Ryohei for three years before their graduation in December 1943.
After graduation, the classmates went their separate ways, with some embarking on careers and others joining the military. Ryohei had returned home from the Kure Naval Arsenal on August 5, 1945, the day before the atomic bombing, and he was killed in the atomic bombing. His classmates learned of his death through an article titled “Photographs of the Dead Speak” carried in the Chugoku Shimbun in April of this year. Mr. Gotanda contacted Ms. Taniguchi, which led to the gathering.
Ms. Taniguchi said, “They got together for my older brother even after 55 years. He was blessed with wonderful friends.” With her husband Keisei, 71, Mr. Gotanda, and others, Ms. Taniguchi visited the Zaimoku-cho monument standing on the east side of Peace Park. They placed a bouquet of chrysanthemums and incense at the monument, which measures around 70 centimeters in height, and placed their hands together in prayer.
“Ryohei was the best student in our class,” said Mr. Gotanda as he sorted through his memories. “He was a good guy with a strong sense of responsibility.” Ms. Taniguchi dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief and said, “I can see my older brother in all of you.”
The Zaimoku-cho area, located close to the hypocenter, was decimated in the atomic bombing. Ms. Taniguchi lost six family members — her parents, grandfather, two older brothers, and an older sister. At the time, she had been in Nakajima Elementary School (in the city’s area of Kako-machi, Naka Ward), 1.1 kilometers from the hypocenter. She survived after being trapped under the rubble of the school auditorium’s collapse. After the war, she was raised by relatives, lost all connection with the people of the former Zaimoku-cho area, and was unaware of the monument.
In the future, Mr. Gotanda and the others said they plan to visit the monument every year on August 6 to pray for the souls of Ryohei and other victims.
(Originally published on August 7, 2000)
