7  Genbaku-no-zu

　

　

　　At 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6th, 1945 , the first atomic bomb ( A-bomb ) was used against human beings in Hiroshima during World War II.  Its name was “ Little Boy “.  About 260,000 people died, and over 90% of the buildings in the city either burnt down or were destroyed.
　　Maruki Iri (丸木　位里) was born in Hiroshima.  He became a painter and married Toshi (俊) in 1941.  She was also a painter.  They lived in Tokyo at that time.  Their uncle and their two young nieces were killed by the A-bomb.  Their younger sister suffered burns and their father died six months later.  Many friends died too.  Iri left Tokyo for Hiroshima on the first train from Tokyo on Aug. 9th.  Toshi followed a few days later.  They helped and took care of the victims.  When they went back to Tokyo in the beginning of September, they found out the war was over.
　　Three years passed and they began to paint what they saw in Hiroshima .  By painting the pictures, they prayed for the dead.  They hoped strongly that it would never happen again.  It took over 30 years for them to finish painting the series about Hiroshima .  The series is called “The Hiroshima Panels” or “Genbaku-no-zu” in Japanese.  There are 15 parts about the A-bomb; in Hiroshima and Nagasaki .  The pictures show how stupid human beings were and express a strong wish for world peace.

　

  The Panels travel around the world and exhibitions are held in many countries.  The pictures deeply move and impress people all over the world.  They are usually displayed in the Maruki Gallery in Higashimatsuyama, Saitama.  Iri died in 1995.  Toshi died in 2000.  But their wish for peace is taking over even now and will continue forever.

 (296語)

　

　

atomic bomb 原子爆弾   burnt < burn 燃える   destroy 破壊する  marry 結婚する  niece めい

suffer burns　 やけどを負う ( suffer 苦しむ )    victim 犠牲者   pray  祈る   strongly 強く

happen　起こる series　シリーズもの   panel 画板   stupid 愚かな  exhibition 展覧会

held < hold 催す、行う   deeply　深く move 感動させる  display 展示する

gallery 美術館　 continue 続く take over   受け継ぐ   forever 永遠に

　

　

　

　

　

入間市 の中学生美咲(Misaki)は、自宅にホームステイをしている留学生のジョン(John)とともに、

東松山市 にある丸木美術館にやってきました。
Misaki: This is the Maruki Gallery.  It has “Genbaku-no-zu”.
Let’s go and see it.
John: Yes, let’s.
Misaki: This is the first part named “ Ghosts ”. This picture was painted in
1950. In those days Japan was an occupied country.  So it was
difficult to present their works then.  And the picture was so
shocking to people.
John: I see.
Misaki: This picture showed a lot of people who became like ghosts because
of burns.  All their clothing burned off at once.
John: I can’t believe it.  I am really shocked.  It’s just like hell.
Misaki: Right.  No one can imagine the scene.  The second one is “Fire ”.
The whole city burned up and people were also burned under the
big fire.  People ran away from the fire and walked all around the
city to look for water, a last drop of water.
John: Terrible.
Will you tell me all the titles of the 15 parts of   “Genbaku-no-zu”?
Misaki: Sure.  Look at this pamphlet.  You can see them in it.
Here you are.

                                                                                                        Ⅰ Ghosts（幽霊）　Ⅱ Fire（火）　Ⅲ Water（水）　Ⅳ Rainbow（虹）Ⅴ Boys and Girls（少年少女）

Ⅵ Atomic Desert（原子野）　Ⅶ　Bamboo Thicket（竹やぶ）　Ⅷ　Rescue（救出）　Ⅸ　Yaizu（焼津）

Ⅹ Petition（署名） ⅩⅠ Mother and Child（母子像）　ⅩⅡ　Floating Lanterns（とうろう流し）

 ⅩⅢ　Death of American Prisoners of War（米兵捕虜の死） ⅩⅣ Crows（からす）ⅩⅤ Nagasaki（長崎）

　

John: Oh, thank you.

Misaki: You’re welcome.
John: I think it is important for us to remember what happened and
never make war again.
Through the paintings Mr.&Mrs. Maruki teach us that peace is
important.
Misaki I agree with you.  Japanese people should tell the world about the
horror of the A-bomb.   We are the only people in the world that
experienced it.
John: You’re right.  Today we thought of world peace. I had a very good
time.

occupy 占領する 　　present 公表する 　 clothing 身につけるもの　hell 地獄  　　drop 一滴

terrible ひどい　　pamphlet 　パンフレット   fact 事実 　horror  恐ろしさ

agree with～　～に同意する  　　peace　平和