Hiroshima 3
04 September 2015 | Boat position at Kannon Marina, Japan: 34 21.491'N; 132 24.927'E
Pam Lau
Picture: A family who meticulous folded paper cranes to create a "peace" picture destined to be displayed in one of the glass cases near the Children's Peace Monument, along with thousands of other paper cranes
Across from the A-Bomb Dome is the Peace Park with large trees, green lawns and benches. On nice days, it is a perfect place for family picnics. We sauntered toward the Children's Peace Monument, the nine-meter bronze statue of a young girl lifting a golden crane. The monument was inspired by the story of Sadako Sasaki, who was exposed to the radiation from the atomic bomb when she was two years old and ultimately died of leukemia when she was eleven years old. Sadako's detailed story was documented in the Peace Memorial Museum. The monument stands in memory of all children who died as a result of the atomic bomb. The inscription on the stone block under the monument reads: "This is our cry. This is our prayer�... for building peace in the world." Next to the monument, five ladies holding umbrellas in one hand and a songbook in the other, were singing the sweetest of melodies. The whole scene was quite moving. It was a meditative and peaceful day for both Yuko and me.