Children's Peace Monument — Attraction in Hiroshima

It is located Inside Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, not far from the museum and Atomic Bomb Dome. It is immediately after the peace flame in the way to Dime. It was unveiled on Children’s Day in Japan in 1958 on fifth May. And dedicated to All the children who died as a result of the atomic bombing.

Story of Sadako Sasaki This monument is inspired by Sadako Sasaki, a girl who was 2 years old at the time of the Hiroshima bombing (6 August 1945).Ten years later, she developed leukemia due to radiation exposure. While in hospital, Sadako began folding paper cranes inspired by a Japanese belief that folding 1,000 cranes could make a wish come true. Sadako managed to fold over a thousand cranes before her death in 1955 at the age of 12. Her classmates and friends collected donations nationwide and internationally to build this monument in her memory and for all child victims. The statue is about 9 meters (30 feet) high. At the top stands a bronze statue of a girl (Sadako) holding a golden origami crane above her head, symbolizing hope and peace. On the sides are figures of a boy and a girl representing a bright future and innocence. Around the base are glass cases filled with thousands of colorful paper cranes sent from children and peace groups all over the world every year.

There is an inscription written at the base of the monument in Japanese, the meaning of which is ;

‘This is our cry. This is our prayer. For building peace...

Incredibly moving tribute to Sadako Sasaki, a girl who was died from leukemia as a result of radiation from the atomic bomb, and the thousands of children who also died from the bomb. There was a school group from Osaka that were there to present origami cranes they made, along with a song they sang, for the memorial when we were there. There are so many origami cranes sent from Japan and all over the world to pay tribute to the children and to call for world peace. The cranes are kept in see through boxes behind the monument, and the excess cranes are used to make special recycled paper that are then turned into postcards and other lovely products available in the memorial museum shop. Definitely recommend visiting the monument, the park and the memorial museum. The special exhibition at the museum displaying belongings and stories of victims, a lot of which were children, really brought home the enormity of the horrors the Hiroshima...

The Children's Peace Monument, situated in Hiroshima's Peace Memorial Park, is a deeply moving tribute to the young lives lost and affected by the atomic bombing. Standing tall, a statue of a young girl, inspired by Sadako Sasaki and her thousand paper cranes, stretches her arms to the sky, symbolizing the hope and innocent aspirations of all children impacted.

Beneath the statue, thousands of colorful paper cranes sent from all over the world are displayed, a testament to the shared dream of peace. These cranes, inspired by Sadako's determination despite her leukemia from the bomb's radiation, have become global symbols of peace and resilience. The monument serves as a powerful reminder that the stakes of conflict extend beyond politics and borders; they touch the lives, hopes, and futures of our youngest...