NEAR SHIMA HOSPITAL
The Hiroshima Panorama Project, Photography of October, 1945
Out of print since 1975, through special arrangement with the original publisher in Japan, we have made available again the three photo-panoramas of the destroyed city of Hiroshima. This is a not-for-profit project created for education about the effects of nuclear war. The project has no official connection with the city of Hiroshima, nor with Shima Hospital there, but we believe both would support this effort. Our project name is taken from the title given to one of the panoramas in 1973. All panoramas are on heavy chart paper and folded, each about 8 feet long.
1. NEAR SHIMA HOSPITAL (Ground level from the hypocenter) by U.S. Research Group. Almost 360 degrees , Paper: 13.75" X 91.5"; Photo: 10.25" X 89.25"
2. FROM THE (roof top) FORMER CHUGOKU SHIMBUN BLDG. by Shigeo Hayashi; 360 degrees , Paper: 13.75" X 106.6"; Photo: 10.25" X 104.5"
3. FROM THE (roof top) HIROSHIMA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BLDG. by Shigeo Hayashi; 360 degrees , Paper: 13.75" X 106.5"; Photo: 8.1" X 102.4"
The panoramas show the physical effects of a small (15 kiloton*) nuclear weapon on a city of 400,000. Japanese and English text in the photo border indicates significant landmarks. This is a remarkable photo-record of an extraordinary historical event. Displayed, they should provoke serious thought from students and adults.
The photo on this page (greatly reduced in size) is a small section of panorama 3. It shows the "T-Bridge" (Aioi Bridge), which was the aiming point, and in the distance beyond, the Honkawa and Kodo Elementary Schools. All three of the charts photographically sweep over the entire 360 degree panorama of the destroyed city. They are a devastating comment on the effects of a small nuclear weapon.
*U.S-Japan Joint Reassessment of Atomic Bomb Radiation Dosimetry in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Vol.1, Chapter 1. Radiation Effects Research Foundation (RERF), Hiroshima, Japan; and National Research Council, Washington, DC.
Would you like to see a section of Panorama 2?
Questions? Please e-mail me at: rwilson@iwu.edu R. Wilson Home Page