Dear Sisters and Brothers,

As I arrived in Hiroshima, I carried the memory of Nagasaki within me.

At Nagasaki’s ground zero, I was struck by the silence, witnessing the remnants of Urakami Cathedral—sacred objects shattered by fire.

Hiroshima, however, confronted me differently.

The Genbaku Dome, once the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, stands as a haunting reminder beside the Motoyasu River. The bomb exploded above it, claiming every life inside, yet the structure remained while the surroundings vanished. The city debated tearing it down but ultimately chose to leave this scar visible.

Before the Dome, I felt a profound difference. Unlike Nagasaki, which drew me into silence, Hiroshima demanded my attention.

This Dome is not just a monument; it’s a testimony to destruction itself. It compels us to remember the depths of human capability.