2011年3月11日に起こった福島第一原子力発電所事故、東日本大震災及び津波によるの被害を今なお受け続けている子供達の肖像画です。
子供たちの描いた絵、言葉の中にイギリス人画家ジェフ・リードが子供たちの希望に応じて肖像画を描き入れました。

From Hiroshima to Fukushima

Messages from atom bomb survivors and Hiroshima's children, to Fukushima's children. Japan has experienced three of the world's worst radiation events. The portrait messages on this page connect two of them.


Hiroyuki Higaki 77, Hiroshima atom bomb survivor. For Fukushima's children he drew the flames of Hiroshima on one side of his portrait, and a sunflower to represent Fukushima on the other inspired by this design by Yamato, 13, from Fukushima City. His brush writing says: "To Fukushima from a Hiroshima atom bomb survivor. Be determined. If you are determined the flower will open."

Hiroyuki-san was ten years old when the atom bomb fell on Hiroshima on 6th August 1945. He was 2.5km from ground zero, and was burnt on his neck, arm and leg on the left side.


Takasugi Akira, 69, Hiroshima, lost six family members when the atom bomb fell (see below). His brush written message about Hiroshima and Fukushima says
"Everyone has got a life. Nuclear weapons and nuclear power stations broke them. We don't need them."





























"I was two years old when the atom bomb fell, but I was in the countryside with my grandparents. My brothers were in Hiroshima, and they were all killed. They were aged 11, 12, 13 and 14. Mother was pregnant with my sister when the bomb fell, but the radiation made her give birth after only three months and my sister was born dead. My mother never talked about this personal pain.

My father had been in the army even though he was quite ill, he still had to fight. Our house was destroyed, but luckily he was a carpenter. He took wood from other destroyed houses, gathered it together and made a simple house for our family. I returned to Hiroshima when I was three, but my father died one year after the bomb. 

At first I did not understand that I didn't have a father, as I was only three when he died, but later I began to see that other children had their fathers. Fathers would come to the school sports day, but I had no father there. After that I really missed not having my father when I was growing up.

My mother was very poor. Then Hiroshima City wanted to build a big road and we had to leave the house my father built. They just gave my mother a little money. 

It was very hard for my mother to live, so she married again. Her new husband had two sons, but our relationship was difficult. It was always me that had to go shopping for my mother -  they would not go, as she was not their real mother. I couldn't understand why I always had to go. My step-father was poor too, so it was hard to bring up three boys and pay for their schooling.

At school the teacher asked us 'Who is not paying for their food?' Someone told him that I was eating without paying, and a friend said so too. I was so ashamed that after that I often stayed away from school."



Keiko, child of two Hiroshima atom bomb survivors (2nd generation Hibakusha). Her brush writing says "Never forget Hiroshima and Fukushima." 






Chihiro is the daughter of a Hiroshima atom bomb survivor. Her brush writing for Fukushima's children says "You are not alone!" She said:

“My mother is a hibakshia. When I was growing up she was always so worried when we became ill in case it was her fault because of her radiation exposure. It happened every time we became ill.

Now I have something serious, and the medication for it makes my cheeks swell up so much my friends thought I had become fat. They asked me “Why are you getting fat when you are so busy every day?” It is embarrassing, but it is just the medication. But I have not told my mother about my illness, because she would feel very guilty and would worry too much.

When I was younger I moved to Kyoto, and one of my new friends asked me where I came from. When I told her I was from Hiroshima she moved sideways away from me. I was so hurt. After that I did not tell anyone where I was from and I tried not to use my Hiroshima accent or words.

I really hate the idea that children from Fukushima prefecture will have to have the same experience that I had. When I heard that some of them have been bullied when they have evacuated to other areas it made me so angry. No-one should have to suffer this.”



Shori is 17. His words explain his picture for Fukushima's children:
"My grandmother was an atom bomb survivor (Hibakusha), so I am a third generation hibakshia. She died last March. She was sixty eight, and she was burned by the bomb when she was a baby. My father and mother didn’t live with me since I was a baby. My mother left, and then my father left, so grandma was my mother. I didn’t used to want to listen to her A Bomb stories – but now I think I should have listened to her. My picture is of me listening to my grandma on a bench in the park.

I feel the same kind of anger about nuclear weapons and nuclear plants. Toden* is dirty but rich – they are too selfish. I am angry that Fukushima’s people have a lot of trouble and Toden are selfish."
*Toden means Tokyo Denroku (Tokyo Electric Power Co, or Tepco) the company responsible for the nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daichi



Natsuki is 11 and is from Hiroshima. On his design for Fukushima's children he wrote “Shall we live in cheerful lightness? Shall we keep genki (well and with spirit) for ever?”
His picture is connected to this picture by T-kun, 11, from Fukushima prefecture, which he liked.































Ren is 10 and is from Hiroshima. His design shows him playing football in front of a red Torii, a gate used to enter Shinto shrines. This is because he saw the drawings by boys from Nakadori and Hamadori who cannot play football outside because of radiation like this one, and this one. His writing says "Hiroshima recovered – it is clean – so Fukushima will recover too."



Reo is 6 and is from Hiroshima. He likes fishing, and when he saw the drawings by Fukushima's children expressing how much they love the sea and miss being able to go in it because of radiation, like this one, he designed this picture of him catching a fish in the ocean - Hiroshima has a strong connection with the sea. His writing says "I hope you can go fishing soon."


Miharu is 6 and is from Hiroshima. Like many of Fukushima's children she also loves the ocean. On her picture for them the writing on the fish says "A peaceful world."

No comments:

Post a Comment