Hiroshima and Nagasaki

 The Flame of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Hiroshima was bombed on 8.6.45@ 8:15 am/ Nagasaki was bombed on 8.9.45@ 11:02 am

We Will Never Forget

In Ueno-Kōen (Ueno Park) in Tokyo, Japan there is the monument to the flame of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There is a marble slab with the image of a dove in the middle. In the center of a dove is a burning flame. The marble slab is surrounded by hundreds of paper cranes of all colors, a symbol of peace.

The Origin of “the Flame of Hiroshima and Nagasaki:”

“On August 6, 1945, US forces dropped the world’s first atomc bomb on Hiroshima, and another on Nagasaki. Sometime later, Tatsuo Yamamoto went to Hiroshima in search of his uncle, and found a flame of the atomic bomb burning in the ruins of his uncle’s house. He brought it back to Hoshino-mura, his hometown in a memento of his uncle and an expression of his resentment. But years went by, the meaning of the flame turned into a symbol of his desire for abolition of nuclear weapons and for peace. Hoshino-mura built a torch and transferred the flame to it on August 6, 1968. It has been keeping the flame ever since as the flame for peace, with the support of the villagers.

The use of nuclear weapons will destroy the whole human race and civilization. The elimination of nuclear weapons has become the most urgent and crucial for the very survival for the whole of humanity. There must never be another Hiroshima anywhere on earth. There must never be another Nagasaki anywhere on earth.”

-Appeal from Hiroshima and Nagasaki, issued in February 1951.

In 1988, a flame was taken from the torch and was merged with another flame lit by the friction of broken roofing tiles of Nagasaki. Along with 30 million signatures collected in support of the “Appeal from Hiroshima and Nagasaki”, it was carried to the Third Special Session of the UN General Assembly for Disarmament taking place in New York City.

We hereby pledge to keep burning the A-Bomb flame, convinced that this monument should contribute to strengthening the worldwide people’s movement to abolish nuclear weapons and achieve peace, which is the most urgent task for the people across the borders.

– August 1990, Association for the Flame of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Lit at Ueno Toshogu”