Things Left for Families

The atomic bomb was an indiscriminate attack on ordinary people, non-combatants. It was dropped in the center of the city, the center of daily life for many ordinary people. About 350,000 people were in Hiroshima at the time, including residents, those commuting to work or school, and military personnel. The city was full of shopping districts, private homes, schools, hospitals, government agencies, banks, and businesses. Families were carrying on their life activities in their respective places. All of that was utterly and indiscriminately destroyed by the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb stole countless fathers, mothers, spouses, siblings, and children. The previous day, they were families with bonds that should have continued that day, the next and on into the future. Suddenly and inexplicably, these bonds were cut. Here, we will display items in the museum collection that belonged to individual victims along with the memoirs and verbal testimonies of their families. However, the experiences presented here far transcend the individuals involved. These are the heavy, excruciating experiences that burden all families that lost members to the atomic bomb.

Shodo Suzuki The area in Peace Memorial Park from the south side of the Cenotaph for the Atomic Bomb Victims to Peace Boulevard was formerly known as Zaimoku-cho. Six temples on the periphery bordered dense blocks of commercial establishments and residences. Shodo Suzuki (then 55) was head priest at one of those temples, a Soto Zen temple called Denpukuji. He was exposed to the A-bomb at home with his wife Yoshiko (then 48). Zaimoku-cho was quite near the hypocenter. It was totally destroyed, and both Shodo and his wife were found as skeletons.
	40 Shodo in front of a flower dedication stand Around 1926 / Zaimoku-cho (now Nakajima-cho) The surface of the flower stand in the upper right shows the effects of the A-bomb. It was donated to the Peace Memorial Museum to help convey the power of the heat rays. In the background is a small shrine holding a bronze statue of the seated Kannon (Goddess of Mercy).	41 Flower dedication stand Approx. 370m from the hypocenter, Zaimoku-cho (now Nakajima-cho) This flower stand stood in front of the small shrine. The original dirty surface exposed to the A-bomb heat rays was blown away, leaving a whiter surface.

Tamaru Kakui Tamaru Kakui(then 36); husband of Kozumi (then 30), worked at the Hiroshima Prefectural Police Department. On the 8th, Kozuki went to the city to search for Tamaru. She visited the temporary prefectural police station in Yamaguchi-cho. There, she was shocked when the police gave her Tamaru's half-burned wallet, which was all they had of his. They told her he might be at the crematorium near Takanobashi, so she ran there immediately. In the piles of corpses at Takanobashi, she found Tamaru's body just before it was placed into a mass cremation pit. Thus, she was able to obtain his ashes.

	42 Finding her husband among countless corpses Augst 8, 1945 / Approx. 1,250m from the hypocenter, Kokutaiji-machi "So many corpses were lined up there it made me want to hide my eyes. Among them I found my husband, burned a brown bronze, both arms reaching toward the empty sky. I could see the pain he must have suffered and felt I might faint." Excerpt from his memoir
	44 Half-burned Wallet Approx. 1,020m from the hypocenter, Kokutaiji-machi (now kokutaiji-machi 1-chome)

Itsue Ogawa Haruzo Ogawa (then 33) worked at the Toyo Kogyo Company (now Mazda Motor Corporation) located in Mukainada, Fuchu-cho, Aki-gun. The factory Haruzo worked in was 5km from the hypocenter, yet the steel-beam building shook so hard he thought it might fall down. Worried about his wife Itsue (then 21), he left the factory and headed for their home in Zaimoku-cho (now Nakajima-cho). He finally arrived at Zaimoku-cho, but flames were bursting from dirt walls and from under fallen roof tiles. He was unable to reach his home. On August 8, Haruzo was finally able to take his wife's bones and some personal belongings from the still smoldering ruins of their home.
	45 Corpses strewn through the ruins, wandering injured seeking water Around 3:00 p.m., August 6, 1945 / Approx. 500m from the hypocenter, Zaimoku-cho (now Nakajima-cho) "The ruins of Zaimoku-cho were filled with dead and injured students and members of the volunteer labor corps. Especially huge numbers were gathered on both banks of the Motoyasugawa River. Looking to the east, I saw City Hall and the Chugoku Power Distribution Company building standing like ghosts across an empty, burned plain." Excerpt from his memoir
		46 Scissors Approx. 500m from the hypocenter, Zaimoku-cho (now Nakajima-cho) Haruzo Ogawa dug his wife Itsue's bones and some of her belongings from the still smoldering ruins of their home. These scissors were precious to Itsue.

Chuichi Koda Chuichi Koda (then 50); father of Hiroshi (then15), who had been exposed at the Tokaichi streetcar stop, had sustained terrible burns. He was taken into the Hiroshima City Credit Union headquarters in Yokogawa. Hiroshi stayed with Chuichi and did his best to care for him, but in vain. Chuichi died on the 11th.
		48 Relief team members treating the injured August 7, 1945 / Approx. 1,700m from the hypocenter, Yokogawa-cho 3-chome Many victims made their way to the ferro-concrete Hiroshima City Credit Union Headquarters still standing on the burned plain. The credit union became a relief station early in the morning of the 7th with the arrival of a relief team from Kamo Naval Medical School.
		49 Belt Approx. 750m from the hypocenter, Tokaichi This belt was worn by Hiroshi Koda's father Chuichi when he was exposed to the A-bomb. Hiroshi took it home to help his mother and brother accept Chuichi's death.

Takeko Harada
	51 Chemise Takeko Harada (then 14), a third-year student at First Municipal Girls High School, was exposed to the A-bomb at Hiroshima Station, about 1,900m from the hypocenter. She was extensively burned and was carried to the dormitory of Hiroshima Steel Works where she and other students were mobilized to work. Her mother Atsuko ran to her side and nursed her. She appeared to be recovering, but on September 17, her condition suddenly changed. On the 21st, worrying about her younger brother who was then in the fifth grade of elementary school, she said, "Mother, you should be taking care of my little brother. Hurry home to him." Takeko said she would go to join her father, who had already been killed by the bomb. With Atsuko standing by, Takeko passed away at around 7:00 p.m., September 23. This chemise, which she wore while her mother nursed her, still bears stains from oil and pus.

Hiroshima Testimony -The City Obliterated, the Aftermath Nostalgic Scenes of Hiroshima Dropping the Atomic Bomb - Mushroom Cloud Climbing into the Sky August 6, 1945 - Hiroshima Testimony Hiroshima as Seen by Relief Workers Things Left for Families (1) Things Left for Families (2) Conclusion Individuals and Groups Contributors to This Exhibition Return to TOP