Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, where many gathered on the morning of August 6 to honor the victims and pray for peace. (©Sankei by Kotaro Hikono)
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On August 6, people began gathering before dawn at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park to pay tribute to the victims of the atomic bombing. As the sky began to lighten, a steady stream of visitors offered prayers and silent reflection.
Eighty years have passed since the United States dropped the atomic bomb on the city. Survivors, now elderly, and younger generations alike joined in quiet remembrance, hoping for a future without war.
'Pledge of Peace'
As part of the official ceremony, two 12-year-old sixth graders from Hiroshima — Shun Sasaki of Gion Elementary School and Chieri Sekiguchi of Minami Elementary School — took the stage to read the annual Pledge for Peace. Speaking with confidence, they declared: "We will carry on the voices of the atomic bomb survivors and help build a peaceful world."
Sasaki volunteers as a guide, sharing the history of the bombing with visitors from abroad. Many are moved to tears when he tells the story of his great-grandmother, a hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor).
"One person's power may be small," he said, "but by passing on these stories, we can touch people's hearts and help grow the circle of peace."
His great-grandmother was 12 when she was exposed to the bomb just 1.5 kilometers from the hypocenter and caught in the black rain. Fearing discrimination, she kept her status as a survivor hidden for many years.
Sekiguchi, meanwhile, became friends with two sisters who fled to Japan from Ukraine with their mother after Russia's invasion. That experience made her reflect on how war can suddenly tear families apart and take away everyday life.
"Nuclear weapons are used by countries to force their will and threaten others," she said. "I want world leaders to understand how important it is to respect differences and solve problems through dialogue — not conflict."
Prayers of the Young and Old
Among the many individuals who came to pay their respects was Shigeru Kataoka, 84, from Asaminami Ward. He visited the park with his son and reflected on how quickly time has passed.
"Eighty years went by in the blink of an eye," he said. Kataoka was exposed to the bomb while evacuated outside the city. His father's remains were never found. "War destroys the human spirit," he said. "The wounds never fully heal."
Shinobu Ohno, also 84, from Minami Ward, stood before the cenotaph and remembered his late parents and sister. "I've been able to live in peace," he said. "I pray that we [Japan] never see another war." Speaking about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, his voice broke. "It's just heartbreaking … truly heartbreaking," he said, unable to continue.
Shinsaku Koizumi, 35, an elementary school teacher in Asaminami Ward, came with his seven-year-old daughter Hanae, a first-grader. "I want children to think about this as if it were something that could happen to them," he said. Hanae pressed her hands together and quietly prayed: "I hope a bomb like that never falls again."
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Author: The Sankei Shimbun
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