Chasing Sakura Day 6 - A-Bomb Dome / Memorial Peace Park, Hiroshima

Assalamualaikum. Konnichiwa.

Before I start...heartiest congratulations to my bestie cum kawanverangancuticutisedunia; Mrs Ernie on the arrival of her second child (20 May 2014). Dalish is officially a big brother now. Macam biasa, cuma mampu wish through alam maya jak. Baby sudah besar baru lah aku ada kesempatan menjenguk. 

Hope u enjoyed ur confinement! Sudah habis kan kau list down makanan waktu berpantang. U're consious with what u consume even before u gave birth so I guess u won't have problem with "kau ndak boleh makan ni, ndak boleh makan tu'. Super happy for u, Dalish & Mr Azwan. Looking forward to my next visit which only Allah knows when it's gonna be. Insha Allah.

Ok, lets continue where I last left (here). 

One of the highlight of my visit to Japan. Be prepared there will be quite loads of informations & facts in this entry. Quoted from various sources in the internet. And some I picked from my recent visit.

That morning (9 April 2014) I woke up early. I was so excited. Finally, I managed to fulfilled my own promise. Alhamdulillah. Once everyone is ready, we checked out from the hostel & left our bags at the storage room. 

Yours Truly before the entrance to our hostel. 

It was a walking distance to the prominent features of Hiroshima. Magnificent view of sakura tress lining up the river. 

Built to strengthen resolve for building peace. 

MUST never repeat the war again...must never repeat the A-Bomb catastrophe.

Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students. A replica of six doves are put scattered around the tower to symbolized peace.

"To make up for the shortage of labour, the government enacted The Student Labour Service Act (1944) that required middle school & higher grades students to work in munition factories. In Nov 1944, many students were required to demolish homes & buildings to create fire breaks; to limit the expansion of fire in the event of air-attacks. Of roughly 8,400 students 6,300 of them died on the day of the bombing. Behind the tower is the list of the dead & this tower was built based on donated funds."

I preferred to roamed the ground of this memorial park alone. If only I could freeze time I'd be able to cover the whole place in a day. Reality sucks! 

A historical witness that conveys disaster of the first atomic bombing in mankind history. It also has become the symbol of the vow to pursue the abolition of nuclear weapons & enduring peace. 

Background of the boy-and-girl statue is Aioi Bridge. The bridge that stood at the time of the bombing was completed in 1932. It was reconstructed after the was but gradually deteriorated & a new bridge was built which in 1983. 

It was said the main target of the bombing was this bridge. But the bomb slightly missed; exploding in the air over Shima Hospital located 300 metres away. The fierce blast however deformed the bridge's girders, handrail of the northern side fell into the river & part of the sidewalk was lifted up. 

View taken from the Aioi Bridge.

Looking at this blooming tulips, I couldn't imagine how it looks like after the bombing. The city once shrouded heartbreaking tragedy. This is near the Peace Clock Tower. I was too carried away reading the information I forgot to take picture of the tower.

"The chime of the tower resounding everyday at 0815, the time when mankind received its baptism of the atomic bomb for the first time; calls out to the world "No more Hiroshima". We pray that the day for lasting peace may soon come to mankind" A memorial epigraph in front of the tower. 

When the atomic bomb exploded, the blast ravaged the building in an instant. Heat blazing from above consumed the entire building killing EVERYONE in it. Some walls escaped total collapse as the blast attacked from straight overhead of the building. 

A world map is engraved on the bell's surface; a map without national boundaries.

"We wish the sound of the bell resound in each corner of the world & reach the hearts of each and every human being."

Walking further up the park...is another monument that invites sorrow in my heart. 

A gold crane modelled after an ancient bronze bell; made as a wind chime initially hung under a bell inside the tower. Currently the bell & golden crane are exhibited at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum.

Flame of Peace.

"Pedestal designed to resembled two pressed hands together at the wrist; palms pointing up to the sky. This expresses condolence for victims unable to satisfy their thirst for water, as well as the desire for nuclear abolition. The flame was burnt continuously since it was first lit on August 1, 1964. It symbolized the anti-nuclear resolve to burn the flame "until the day when all such weapons shall have disappeared from the earth."

I wish! 

Cenotaph for the bombing victims. It was built with the desire to construct Hiroshima after the bombing. Stone chest in the centre holds the registry of the names of persons who died from the bombing regardless of nationality. To dates a total of over 200,000 names are registered.

"Let all the souls here rest in peace. For we shall not repeat the evil."

The Peace Memorial Park area is once a land of Nakajima District; historical town that prospered as one of the foremost downtown areas in Japan. When the bomb was dropped, it exploded over this district. Causing violent death not only to the residents but also many National Militia Unit members & mobilized students. And the cityscape vanished instantly.

The tree that survived the bombing.

Walking along the path next to the river; going back to the hostel to pick up our bags. This pink sakura somehow soothed my aching heart. 

Bound for Kyoto. Sayonara for now Hiroshima. 2 days aren't enough to explore but what to do; time is our main constraint. Sob.

Hiroshima has always been a place I have long want to visit. I've heard the city's name ever since I was little. Albeit not literally knowing what actually happened to the city, I know it was once destroyed by a nuclear bomb.

I will set my foot upon this city; one day. A promise I made to myself long time ago. So when I was given the chance to visit this Land of The Rising Sun; immediately I put Hiroshima on top of the list. I don't mind if I have to skip the other cities including Tokyo. That's how importance & special Hiroshima is to me. I studied a bit about this city before the visit in order to get a clearer picture of what had actually happened there. 

And I thought I've read enough. But the visit proved me wrong. Standing amidst the 'history', I found myself blending with the surrounding. Without conscious,  I shed some tears. Yes I am emotional like that.

My biggest regret for this visit was the museum. If only I know the museum wouldn't take more than 4 hours to tour, I will be more than glad to enter. Although the other members don't want to. My blogger friend; DJ went in. Reading her entry about the museum made me wanna knock my head hard. Admission fee is only ¥50 & audio guide rental is ¥300! My greatest loss. 

Never mind that for I've made a clear notice to myself. If I were to visit Japan again, I will definitely be back to this city. Period. 

Once we reach Kyoto Station, we went to the locker room to stored our bags. Yeah, at this point of time we're already familiar with the station's layout. 

Another train ride to one of Kyoto's scenic area. Later ~~~~

To be continue. Until we meet again in my next entry. Insha Allah.

eryantierdabdulkarim