Entering a City in Ruins

Filming by the Biology Team

The biology team was the first to enter Hiroshima on September 21 and its film crew gathered footage until October 3. Traveling with the biology team was Hiromi Nakayama of the Institute of Physical and Chemical Research, who studied the possible effects of A-bomb radiation on plants.


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Holly leaves exposed to heat rays

October 2, 1945 Minami-machi 3-chome (now, Midori 1-chome) Hiroshima Higher School
2,690m from the hypocenter Taken by Japan Film Corporation (Kiyoji Suzuki)
Portions that were shielded from the heat rays by other leaves escaped being burned, but a silhouette of the leaf edges was left on the leaves below.

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Plant survey near Gokoku Shrine

September 28, 1945 Moto-machi
250m from the hypocenter Taken by Japan Film Corporation (Kiyoji Suzuki)
The filming staff filmed the investigation being performed by Hiromi Nakayama. Nakayama walked about the area near the hypocenter and discovered abnormalities in castor-oil plants and sickle senna plants.

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Investigation of living organisms in the ground

October 1945 Saiku-machi (now, Ote-machi 1-chome)
Photo by Shigeo Hayashi
In the film, an investigation of living organisms in the ground is also shown. Earthworms near the hypocenter were collected, but no particular abnormalities were discovered. During the academic survey team's investigation, however, animals such as birds and rabbits were confirmed to have bled, lost fur, and died in cases.

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Daily Logs of A-bomb Damage Survey

Donated by Peace Museum of Saitama (from “Material provided by Hidetsugu Aihara”)
Daily logs of Hiromi Nakayama. Nakayama stayed in Hiroshima from September 21 to 30. Contents of the survey and descriptions of the filming from Hiroshima and Nagasaki are written in detail. Diagrams and figures are used as well.
 

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Sketches of filmed scenes (copy)

Donated by Peace Museum of Saitama (from "Material provided by Hidetsugu Aihara")
Sketches drawn by Kiyoji Suzuki, who entered Hiroshima as a member of the biology team's filming staff. The film scene is depicted, and the exposure and a simple explanation are included.