On June 27th at 6:10 p.m., NHK Hiroshima’s “Okonomi Wide” program featured the picture book Red Parasol, which recounts the atomic bombing experience of Ms. Hiroko Takanashi . The segment included an interview with Ms. Takanashi herself. Although the broadcast was limited to the Hiroshima area, it is available for viewing nationwide via NHK+ for 1 year.
At 95 years old, Ms. Takanashi speaks with heartfelt determination about the atomic bomb that, in an instant, stripped away human emotion. We warmly encourage you to watch her powerful testimony along with the beautiful illustrations by Izumi Momose.
For Ms. Takanashi, recalling these memories is deeply painful. Yet she shares them because, as she says,
“Even when I saw the devastation after the bomb was dropped, my senses were numb—I felt no fear, no emotion at all. I do not want people today to have to experience such a thing.”
The program will remain available on NHK+ for one year. We sincerely invite you to watch as Ms. Takanashi, who at first hesitated to be interviewed, finds the courage to speak out.
