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Hiroshima-Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Exhibition in Chicago
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The 2016 Hiroshima-Nagasaki A-bomb Exhibition was held from October 1-29 at the Japanese Culture Center in Chicago, following on from last year where it was also held in the United States, a nuclear super-power.
At the venue were thirty panels explaining the reality of the damage of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
There were also 17 artifacts on display, including objects that remained after the blast, such as the burnt water bottle of a junior high school student who had been working as a mobilized student and perished in the bombing, and the origami cranes made by Sadako Sasaki.
There was also a section where visitors could make their own origami cranes.
The opening ceremony was held on October 1.
After speeches by Mr. Kenji Shiga, the Director of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and Ms. Keiko Yanai, Principal Consular Officer at the Consulate of Japan in Chicago, there was a tape-cutting ceremony by Mr. Shiga, Ms. Yanai and others.
Following the opening ceremony, many visitors gazed at the A-bomb artifacts and photo panels.
One visitor, looking directly at objects that one would not normally be able to view, seemed to deeply feel the horror of the atomic bombing, saying
"Looking at the articles remaining reminded me of the inhumanity of the atomic bombing."
At the closing ceremony on October 29, Mr. Takashi Teramoto, who is a hibakusha, gave an A-bomb testimony effectively using slides made up of maps, pictures and other materials.
This was followed by a recital of A-bomb testimonies by Ms. Ikuko Katsura and Ms. Mayumi Yamamoto, who are volunteers at the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims.
Visitors listened intently to the testimonies and recitals.
After they ended, a visitor commented:
"Listening to the testimonies made me feel that it is important to work towards preserving peace in the future."
Held in the city of Chicago, which has a connection with former US President Obama, the exhibition communicated what happened on that day under the mushroom cloud.
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Visitor looking intently at A-bomb artifacts
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Visitors making origami cranes at the A-bomb exhibition venue
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| (Peace Memorial Museum Outreach Division) |
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