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The Mainichi
5 days ago
- General
- The Mainichi
'Don't let Hiroshima age': Hibakusha's will to immortalize A-bomb memories as ashes remain
HIROSHIMA -- The arch-shaped cenotaph for atomic bomb victims, where the city of Hiroshima holds its annual Aug. 6 peace ceremony, may be one of the most iconic landmarks within Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. However, in an obscure corner of the park also lies the "Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound." Below a low grassy mound is a vault that contains the unclaimed ashes of over 70,000 A-bomb victims. Most of them are unidentified, and remain forgotten. Toshiko Saiki, a late "hibakusha" survivor who lost 13 relatives to the A-bomb, was the de facto "guardian" of this memorial mound. She visited the mound almost every day for about 40 years, and kept cleaning up its surroundings until she collapsed from a stroke in 1998. "Don't ever let Hiroshima age." These were the words she voiced constantly, as she fought against the dimming of war memories through steady, solo efforts based at the mound. * * * At dawn on a mid-May day, Kazuko Watanabe, 81, was seen watering flowers and raking leaves before the "memorial mound for atomic bomb victims" at the peace park in Hiroshima's Naka Ward. The mound -- whose Japanese name "Genbaku Kuyo-to" translates as "atomic bomb memorial tower" -- was built by the city in 1955. It originated as an effort by citizens to memorialize innumerable corpses which were found near the hypocenter, and the city later took up the project. Saiki had voluntarily visited the mound for roughly 40 years until she collapsed from a stroke in 1998. Watanabe, who succeeded the mound's cleaning work from Saiki, has been visiting the mound -- a 30-minute bicycle ride away from home -- almost every morning since 2002. Watanabe herself has a sister-in-law whose ashes may be lying in the vault at the memorial mound. On the day of the Aug. 6, 1945, atomic bombing, her sister-in-law Motoko did not return home after leaving for wartime student labor services. Her bones remain missing. Watanabe says, "The people who rest here haven't found their families, and can't grow any older. They strongly remind us that human beings ought not to meet the end of their life in such an undignified way." On Aug. 6, 1945, Toshiko Saiki was staying at a relative's home on the outskirts of Hiroshima, and was later exposed to A-bomb radiation as she repeatedly entered the city center to search for her family. She lost 13 relatives in the period of two months. When she finally found her mother, what remained of her was part of her head, with the face burnt off, and a melted part of her eyeglasses stuck on it. Saiki eventually learned of the memorial mound as she searched for other missing family members, and began to sweep its surroundings and pull weeds. She also found out that her mother-in-law was kept inside the memorial mound, and was able to receive her ashes. Her cleaning efforts gained trust from city officials, and she was entrusted with the key to the basement vault. Inside, Saiki found a notebook with a list of some of the victims' names and addresses, and frantically phoned and searched for the family members. Thanks to such efforts, more and more people began to visit the mound in search for beloved ones, and families were able to "reunite" decades after the atomic bombing. A woman who received her husband's bones apparently whispered, "With this, I'm finally a widow." For many of the bereaved, time had stopped at the day of the atomic bombing. Until her final years before her death aged 97 in 2017, Saiki had a habit of saying the following words: "Hiroshima has no age." She continued, "Whether it be 50 years, or 100 years on, as long as weapons capable of killing humans exist in this world, we shall not let Hiroshima grow any older." Almost 10 years after her death, Saiki's words continue to resonate with a wide generation of people. Motoo Nakagawa, 66, who has held fieldwork workshops in the peace park since 1994, and was good friends with Saiki, says he often spotted her at the bank of the Motoyasu River, which runs near the Atomic Bomb Dome. It is said that 80 years ago, immediately after the U.S. military dropped the A-bomb, many people seeking water had taken their last breath here. Buttons from school uniforms are said to remain at the river bottom even after several decades have passed, and Saiki collected them as precious keepsakes of the forgotten victims. Nakagawa remembers Saiki saying, "Whether it be the ashes lying in the memorial mound, or the bottoms of rivers flowing in the city -- All of Hiroshima is frozen in time." He explains, "When Saiki said, 'We must not let Hiroshima age,' she meant that we must not forget the memory of that day 80 years ago." Tomoko Nakajima, 68, former principal of an elementary school in the city of Matsubara, Osaka Prefecture, was also moved by Saiki's strong message. Inspired by her encounter with Saiki in 1980, when she supervised a school trip to Hiroshima as a rookie teacher, she created the song "Hiroshima has no age." All 15 public elementary schools in the city visit Hiroshima for an annual academic trip, and hold a commemoration ceremony where students sing the piece before the memorial mound. The song concludes with the lyrics, "I live on, telling the story of Hiroshima," which is sung twice. Nakajima says, "The first phrase refers to Saiki's legacy, but when the students sing the phrase a second time, I want them to voice it as their own determination." Saiki held numerous talks, testifying her experiences as an atomic bomb survivor, in front of children who visited the memorial mound. The following is the message she wished to pass on to the next generation: "All of us who are alive have a responsibility. It's important for each of us to play our own part, and do what we can do."
Chicago Tribune
16-03-2025
- Sport
- Chicago Tribune
The best team in the National League? For 2 days in Japan, it's looked like the Hanshin Tigers.
TOKYO — For two days in Japan, it's the Hanshin Tigers who have have looked like the class of the National League. In another sign that Japanese baseball has never been better, the Tigers capped a two-game exhibition sweep over MLB clubs with a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at the Tokyo Dome. Even more impressive, the Tigers didn't give up a run in either game. Daichi Ishii recorded the final out, freezing James Outman for strike three on a 95 mph fastball to cap 18 scoreless innings in a row. 'These two days were priceless,' Hanshin manager Kyuji Fujikawa said through an interpreter. Hanshin tagged two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell for three runs in the fourth inning when the first two batters reached base before Teruaki Sato smoked a three-run homer into the right-field seats, where a jubliant Tigers' fan club erupted in celebration. On the mound, right-hander Hiroto Saiki threw five dominant innings, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out seven. Saiki struck out Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to start the game and then coaxed a harmless popup from the slugger in the fourth. 'Really good ballclub,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. 'I thought they played really good defense. They can handle velocity — good with the fastball. The starter (Saiki) had major-league stuff. Good command, good split. And then Sato, he looks the part, he's a really impressive baseball player.' Saiki was one of the best pitchers in Japan last season, finishing with a 13-3 record and a 1.88 ERA over 167 2/3 innings. The Tigers had a 74-63 record last season, which was good for second place in Japan's Central League. The Tigers started the two-game sweep with a 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday after 20-year-old lefty Keito Mombetsu threw five perfect innings. No Cubs reached base until Miguel Amaya smacked a single through the infield in the sixth that just got past the shortstop. Hanshin also dominated on the basepaths against the Cubs, going 3 for 3 on stolen base attempts. 'They clearly showed they can play at the top level,' Roberts said. Japanese players have made a huge mark on MLB, particularly over the past three decades. Former Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki was recently elected to the Hall of Fame and this week's Tokyo Series features five Japanese players, including three on the Dodgers with Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga play for the Cubs. The Tigers and Yomiuri Giants have played exhibition games against the Cubs and Dodgers in Japan over the past two days as part of the Tokyo Series. The Cubs and Dodgers open the regular season against each other on Tuesday at the Tokyo Dome. Originally Published: March 16, 2025 at 9:33 AM CDT
Japan Times
16-03-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Tigers shut down Ohtani to take exhibition game over Dodgers
Hiroto Saiki got the best of Shohei Ohtani this time and helped the Hanshin Tigers leave their mark on the Tokyo Series. Saiki silenced the Los Angeles Dodgers' bats for five innings, and slugger Teruaki Sato hit a three-run home run off two-time Cy Young winner Blake Snell to lead the Tigers to a 3-0 win over the World Series champions in front of a crowd of 42,059 at Tokyo Dome on Sunday. The Tigers were a perfect 2-for-2 against the MLB clubs visiting Japan after beating the Chicago Cubs 3-0 on Saturday afternoon. Los Angeles split its games against the Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants. The Dodgers and Cubs will open the MLB season at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday night. Tigers slugger Teruaki Sato launches a three-run home run during an exhibition game against the Dodgers on Sunday in Tokyo. | Joshua Mellin Ohtani, who hit a two-run homer against the Giants in a 5-1 win on Saturday night, hit at the top of the Dodgers' order for the second straight day and was 0-for-2 before being lifted for a pinch hitter. 'I thought he took some good swings,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. 'But it was planned for him to take two at-bats today and get ready for the opener.' The superstar homered from his knee against Saiki during one of Samurai Japan's warmup games in Osaka ahead of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Saiki got a little revenge in the first inning on Sunday. He went ahead in the count 0-2 after Ohtani took a fastball for a strike and fouled off another. Saiki missed with a pair of forkballs before he got Ohtani to swing at a forkball in the dirt for the strikeout. He retired the MLB star on a fly ball to center in the third inning. The Tigers faithful gave Tokyo Dome a lively atmosphere on Sunday as Hanshin beat the Dodgers in an exhibition game. | Joshua Mellin Saiki struck out seven, allowed one hit and walked a batter over five innings. The contest was scoreless heading into the bottom of the fourth. Koji Chikamoto drew a walk to start the inning, and Takumu Nakano singled to record Hanshin's first hit. Sato put a charge into the Tigers' cheering section with a homer to right to put the NPB club ahead 3-0. 'Chikamoto and Nakano created the chance for me, and I really wanted to take advantage of it,' said Sato, who had 16 home runs for Hanshin during the 2024 NPB campaign. 'I'm glad we ended up with the best result.' The Dodgers faced a quick turnaround after playing the late game on Saturday. Dodgers and Tigers players pose for a group photo after the game. | Joshua Mellin Manager Dave Roberts began Sunday's game with the same lineup, but made changes during the contest. Perennial All-Star Mookie Betts, who is moving to shortstop this season, is recovering from an illness, and did not play for the second straight day. Betts worked out on the field during batting practice. The Tigers faced two of the top pitchers in MLB in Snell and Tyler Glasnow, who entered the game to start the sixth. Snell gave up three runs on three hits and struck out seven in 4⅓ innings. He walked two batters. Glasnow officially threw three scoreless innings. The teams played the bottom of the ninth despite the Tigers being the home team, and Glasnow added another scoreless frame after escaping a bases-loaded situation. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and Austin Barnes had singles for Los Angeles.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
The best team in the National League? For two days in Japan, it's looked like the Hanshin Tigers
TOKYO (AP) — For two days in Japan, it's the Hanshin Tigers who have have looked like the class of the National League. In another sign that Japanese baseball has never been better, the Tigers capped a two-game sweep over MLB clubs with a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at the Tokyo Dome. Even more impressive, the Tigers didn't give up a run in either game. Daichi Ishii recorded the final out, freezing James Outman for strike three on a 95 mph fastball to cap 18 scoreless innings in a row. Hanshin tagged two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell for three runs in the fourth inning when the first two batters reached base before Teruaki Sato smoked a three-run homer into the right-field seats, where a jubliant Tigers' fan club erupted in celebration. On the mound, right-hander Hiroto Saiki threw five dominant innings, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out seven. Saiki struck out Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to start the game and then coaxed a harmless popup from the slugger in the fourth. Saiki was one of the best pitchers in Japan last season, finishing with a 13-3 record and a 1.88 ERA over 167 2/3 innings. The Tigers had a 74-63 record last season, which was good for second place in Japan's Central League. The Tigers started the two-game sweep with a 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday after 20-year-old lefty Keito Mombetsu threw five perfect innings. No Cubs reached base until Miguel Amaya smacked a single through the infield in the sixth that just got past the shortstop. Hanshin also dominated on the basepaths against the Cubs, going 3 for 3 on stolen base attempts. Japanese players have made a huge mark on MLB, particularly over the past three decades. Former Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki was recently elected to the Hall of Fame and this week's Tokyo Series features five Japanese players, including three on the Dodgers with Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga play for the Cubs. ___ AP MLB: David Brandt, The Associated Press
Fox Sports
16-03-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
The best team in the National League? For two days in Japan, it's looked like the Hanshin Tigers
Associated Press TOKYO (AP) — For two days in Japan, it's the Hanshin Tigers who have have looked like the class of the National League. In another sign that Japanese baseball has never been better, the Tigers capped a two-game sweep over MLB clubs with a 3-0 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at the Tokyo Dome. Even more impressive, the Tigers didn't give up a run in either game. Daichi Ishii recorded the final out, freezing James Outman for strike three on a 95 mph fastball to cap 18 scoreless innings in a row. Hanshin tagged two-time Cy Young award winner Blake Snell for three runs in the fourth inning when the first two batters reached base before Teruaki Sato smoked a three-run homer into the right-field seats, where a jubliant Tigers' fan club erupted in celebration. On the mound, right-hander Hiroto Saiki threw five dominant innings, giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out seven. Saiki struck out Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani to start the game and then coaxed a harmless popup from the slugger in the fourth. Saiki was one of the best pitchers in Japan last season, finishing with a 13-3 record and a 1.88 ERA over 167 2/3 innings. The Tigers had a 74-63 record last season, which was good for second place in Japan's Central League. The Tigers started the two-game sweep with a 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday after 20-year-old lefty Keito Mombetsu threw five perfect innings. No Cubs reached base until Miguel Amaya smacked a single through the infield in the sixth that just got past the shortstop. Hanshin also dominated on the basepaths against the Cubs, going 3 for 3 on stolen base attempts. Japanese players have made a huge mark on MLB, particularly over the past three decades. Former Mariners star Ichiro Suzuki was recently elected to the Hall of Fame and this week's Tokyo Series features five Japanese players, including three on the Dodgers with Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. Seiya Suzuki and Shota Imanaga play for the Cubs. ___ AP MLB: recommended
