“I lost my memory for 58 years. I also wished I had not remembered. Now I believe god asked me to remember so I could tell others what happened.”
-Rumi Hanagaki, atomic bomb survivor
Rumi Hanagaki was five years old when the atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima. She was 1.7km from the hypocenter. On the morning of August 6th, 1945, Rumi, her grandmother and aunt were inside their home. Her mother was doing the laundry in the yard carrying her younger brother on her back. Then suddenly there was a flash. In an instant fire spread all over. The house was toppled. A chest of drawers fell on Rumi. She managed to free herself from underneath and run outside. Her mother, brother; who was blown across the yard ran to the bamboo grove nearby. The grove caught on fire immediately. The grass ignited into sparks and bamboo swelled in the heat and exploded, making a huge clanging sound. Splinters of shattered bamboo scattering everywhere, they ran in horror.
While escaping, Rumi was speechless as she encountered dreadful sights. She saw a doll that her mother made, burning quietly without any smoke or fire. The landscape was struin with birds burnt to charcoal and burnt dogs still wearing collars. She came across a woman sitting in a burnt field crying “I can’t leave with my son buried in this rubble.” Rumi passed a black lump with water gushing out. They realized that the lump were burnt bodies without limbs, totally black and swollen like rubber were piled up. Her mother hugged her tightly and said, “Don’t look!”
Because of the shock, she lost her memories about the atomic bomb for 58 years. When she was 63 years old, her memories suddenly returned.
This portrait is a part of my From Above project, which is a collection of portraits and reminiscences of atomic bomb survivors and firebombing survivors from Dresden, Tokyo, Coventry, Rotterdam, and Wielun. From Above is permanently exhibited at the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Hall for Atomic Bomb Victims. It has also been exhibited in museums, exhibition spaces, and at the United Nations. From Above was released as a limited edition book that was sold at PhotoEye.com. It is sold out, but I have the last copies. Contact me if you’re interested.