Etching in mind the A-bomb experiences, Part 2
Jul. 2, 2010
by Tomomitsu Miyazaki, Kunihiko Sakurai, Masaki Kadowaki, and Aya Kano, Staff Writers
Sixty years have passed since the atomic bombing [this series was originally published in July and August 2005] and the average age of the A-bomb survivors has risen to over 73. Opportunities to hear their stories in person are now diminishing. The survivors feel pressed for time in their quest to convey the experiences of the bombing to younger people, who themselves are overwhelmed by the challenge of grasping these experiences and handing down the memories of the A-bombed cities. In this series, the Chugoku Shimbun explores efforts to pass on the A-bomb experience to future generations as the difficulty increases in step with the age of the survivors.
People stream to and fro outside Hiroshima's main train station, bumping umbrellas. Yui Nagatani, 12 years old and a first-year student at Municipal Kokutaiji Junior High School, stood in the rain in front of the post office near the train station. On the day of the atomic bombing, B-29 bombers were seen from here flying east to west. Yui looked up at the rainy sky and let out a sigh. "I can't really imagine it," she said, trying to visualize the scene. She reflected on the story she heard six months ago from an A-bomb survivor which took place at this spot.
On a day of heavy snow in February, Yui, then a sixth grader at Honkawa Elementary School, listened to the A-bomb account of Mitsuko Yoneda in her peace studies class. Ms. Yoneda lived nearby. She told the class that she was exposed to the bomb's heat rays in front of this post office.
The day after Ms. Yoneda visited the school, she suddenly passed away at the age of 75. Yui learned of her death later and felt regret over the fact that she had been nervous and shy about asking the woman questions. She wondered what Ms. Yoneda was trying to convey to her class?
"I have to learn more about Ms. Yoneda," she thought. With this idea in mind, Yui visited Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims in Peace Memorial Park. Among a variety of materials, she found several writings Ms. Yoneda herself had made. She and other fourth-year students of Gion Girls' High School (now Gion High School) had been assigned to work at the post office to support the war effort.
In one of her writings Ms. Yoneda wrote: "I came stumbling up to the post office and found Ms. Tsuneda, with severe burns, standing there and mumbling, 'Ms. Doi, Ms. Doi.' 'Ms. Tsuneda,' I called."
To learn more about Ms. Yoneda, Sakae Tsuneda, now 76, was swiftly located. The reporters, along with Yui, visited Ms. Tsuneda at her home in Asaminami Ward. She told us, "I don't like to remember that time. It's painful to talk about it alone." So she invited a woman named Ms. Noma, 75, to share their accounts together. Ms. Noma's maiden name was "Doi," the same "Ms. Doi" who appeared in Ms. Yoneda's written testimony.
"Ms. Yoneda was a city girl, and popular, and a bit bad. That day, too, she came to work a little late." According to the two women, they were set to drink water from a pump by the entrance to the post office. Ms. Yoneda arrived on the scene and was about to greet them when they were exposed to the bomb's intense flash.
Hearing about Ms. Yoneda's personality, Yui thought, "Oh, she was a cheerful girl. It's hard to imagine because she was coughing so much in our class that day."
"She had the worst burns among us all." The two women said that Ms. Yoneda was burned on her face and her neck.
"Come to think of it, she really hated thinking about the idea of 'youth.'"
After parting from the two women, Yui looked at photos of keloids on A-bomb survivors. She recalled Ms. Yoneda's story: how others taunted her, calling her a "monster" and throwing rocks at her; how she would run away with her eyes cast downward.
"Why didn't she stand up for herself? She should have had a cheerful life as a school girl…" As Yui learned more about Ms. Yoneda, further questions arose. "It's hard to say when I'll have a full understanding of the atomic bombing," she said.
At the same time, Yui feels some sense of accomplishment. Through reading Ms. Yoneda's testimony and meeting her friends, she now feels closer to her. She thinks she has begun to grasp, although vaguely, what Ms. Yoneda tried to convey to her class.
On that snowy day, Ms. Yoneda spoke earnestly to Yui and her classmates. Yui regrets that she did not properly express her thanks to Ms. Yoneda then.
(Originally published on July 26, 2005)
Girl traces the anguish unheard
Sixty years have passed since the atomic bombing [this series was originally published in July and August 2005] and the average age of the A-bomb survivors has risen to over 73. Opportunities to hear their stories in person are now diminishing. The survivors feel pressed for time in their quest to convey the experiences of the bombing to younger people, who themselves are overwhelmed by the challenge of grasping these experiences and handing down the memories of the A-bombed cities. In this series, the Chugoku Shimbun explores efforts to pass on the A-bomb experience to future generations as the difficulty increases in step with the age of the survivors.
People stream to and fro outside Hiroshima's main train station, bumping umbrellas. Yui Nagatani, 12 years old and a first-year student at Municipal Kokutaiji Junior High School, stood in the rain in front of the post office near the train station. On the day of the atomic bombing, B-29 bombers were seen from here flying east to west. Yui looked up at the rainy sky and let out a sigh. "I can't really imagine it," she said, trying to visualize the scene. She reflected on the story she heard six months ago from an A-bomb survivor which took place at this spot.
On a day of heavy snow in February, Yui, then a sixth grader at Honkawa Elementary School, listened to the A-bomb account of Mitsuko Yoneda in her peace studies class. Ms. Yoneda lived nearby. She told the class that she was exposed to the bomb's heat rays in front of this post office.
The day after Ms. Yoneda visited the school, she suddenly passed away at the age of 75. Yui learned of her death later and felt regret over the fact that she had been nervous and shy about asking the woman questions. She wondered what Ms. Yoneda was trying to convey to her class?
"I have to learn more about Ms. Yoneda," she thought. With this idea in mind, Yui visited Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims in Peace Memorial Park. Among a variety of materials, she found several writings Ms. Yoneda herself had made. She and other fourth-year students of Gion Girls' High School (now Gion High School) had been assigned to work at the post office to support the war effort.
In one of her writings Ms. Yoneda wrote: "I came stumbling up to the post office and found Ms. Tsuneda, with severe burns, standing there and mumbling, 'Ms. Doi, Ms. Doi.' 'Ms. Tsuneda,' I called."
To learn more about Ms. Yoneda, Sakae Tsuneda, now 76, was swiftly located. The reporters, along with Yui, visited Ms. Tsuneda at her home in Asaminami Ward. She told us, "I don't like to remember that time. It's painful to talk about it alone." So she invited a woman named Ms. Noma, 75, to share their accounts together. Ms. Noma's maiden name was "Doi," the same "Ms. Doi" who appeared in Ms. Yoneda's written testimony.
"Ms. Yoneda was a city girl, and popular, and a bit bad. That day, too, she came to work a little late." According to the two women, they were set to drink water from a pump by the entrance to the post office. Ms. Yoneda arrived on the scene and was about to greet them when they were exposed to the bomb's intense flash.
Hearing about Ms. Yoneda's personality, Yui thought, "Oh, she was a cheerful girl. It's hard to imagine because she was coughing so much in our class that day."
"She had the worst burns among us all." The two women said that Ms. Yoneda was burned on her face and her neck.
"Come to think of it, she really hated thinking about the idea of 'youth.'"
After parting from the two women, Yui looked at photos of keloids on A-bomb survivors. She recalled Ms. Yoneda's story: how others taunted her, calling her a "monster" and throwing rocks at her; how she would run away with her eyes cast downward.
"Why didn't she stand up for herself? She should have had a cheerful life as a school girl…" As Yui learned more about Ms. Yoneda, further questions arose. "It's hard to say when I'll have a full understanding of the atomic bombing," she said.
At the same time, Yui feels some sense of accomplishment. Through reading Ms. Yoneda's testimony and meeting her friends, she now feels closer to her. She thinks she has begun to grasp, although vaguely, what Ms. Yoneda tried to convey to her class.
On that snowy day, Ms. Yoneda spoke earnestly to Yui and her classmates. Yui regrets that she did not properly express her thanks to Ms. Yoneda then.
(Originally published on July 26, 2005)
