Beez Neez now Chy Whella - Hiroshima Peace Park

Hiroshima Peace Park

Beez Neez now Chy Whella

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Mon 6 Nov 2017 23:47

Hiroshima Peace Park at Night

Over the bridge from our hotel stands the Peace Gates.

Added in 2005, this monument contains ten gates covered with the word "peace" in 49 languages from around the world. The gates represent the nine circles of Hell plus one: "the living hell of Hiroshima caused by the atomic bombing." Each gate is 9 metres high and 2.6 metres wide.

We cross the main road to The Statue of a Mother and Child in the Storm, beyond is the Fountain of Peace.

We stand and watch a full cycle of the Peace Fountain.

We leave the Peace Fountain and as there are diggers behind us so we will have to take a picture of the Peace Memorial Museum from the other side of the building.

We walk half way between the museum and the Cenotaph enjoying the ground lights (no cycling is allowed in the Peace Park).

The Memorial Cenotaph.

Away to our left – lit autumnal trees, to our right – a lit path.

The Peace Flame with the Peace Memorial Museum in the background.

We cross to the Children’s Peace Monument.

The Children’s Peace Monument – Sponsor: Hiroshima Children and Students Association for the Creation of Peace.

Design: Kazuo Kikuchi, Professor, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music.

This monument stands in memory of all children who died as a result of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The monument was originally inspired by the death of Sadako Sasaki, who was exposed to radiation from the atomic bomb at the age of two. Ten years later Sadako developed leukaemia that ultimately ended her life. Sadako’s untimely death compelled her classmates to begin the call for the construction of a monument for all children who died due to the atomic bomb. Built with contributions from more than 3,200 schools in Japan and donors in nine countries (including England), the Children’s Peace Monument was unveiled on the 5th of May 1958.

At the top of the nine-metre monument, a bronze statue of a young girl lifts a golden crane entrusted with dreams for a peaceful future. Figures of a boy and a girl are located on the sides of the monument.

The inscription on the stone block under the monument reads: “This is our cry. This is our prayer. For building peace in this world.” On the surface of the bell hung inside the monument, the phrases “A Thousand Paper Cranes” and “Peace on Earth and in the Heavens” are carved in the handwriting of Dr. Hideki Yukawa. Nobel Prize Laureate in Physics. The bell and golden crane suspended inside the monument are replicas produced in 2003.

Just beyond the Children’s Peace Monument is the Peace Clock Tower.

Quarter past eight every morning, the moment of the blasting back in 1945, the clock will chime its prayer for perpetual peace and appeal to the peoples of the world that the wish be answered promptly may the chime pervade the remotest corners of the earth!

Unanimous with all the members of international Lions Clubs in striving for the goal, we present this clock tower to the municipality and the citizens.

October 28, 1967 – Hiroshima Rijo Lions Club.

We cross Aioi Bridge, boldly lit and reflected.

The former Aioi Bridge was built in 1932, in a distinctive “T” shape. The apparent target of the atomic bombing on August 6, 1945. It was subjected to an estimated blast pressure of seven tons per square meter – 15 times greater than normal.

Under this sudden pressure, the bridge thrashed like a leaf-spring being snapped back and forth with the slab floor up in the air, fortunately, collapse was averted and, when repaired, Aioi Bridge was useable for over 35 more years however, age took its toll, and Aioi Bridge finally had to be replaced with this new bridge.

The calligraphy for the name of the bridge on the newel post was written by Hirokichi Nadao, former Speaker of the House of Rep Resentatives.

October, 1983

Hiroshima National Highway Work Office, Ministry of Construction.