Sankichi Toge Poetry Monument

Date of construction: On August 6, 1963, Sankichi Toge was 28 years old when he was exposed to the atomic bomb at his home in Midorimachi, 3km from the hypocenter. After the war, through his involvement in youth and cultural movements, he gradually became a leader in the peace movement, and published many works in opposition to the atomic bomb and in support of peace. When the Korean War began and the occupying forces intensified their crackdown on the anti-atomic bomb movement, he protested President Truman's statement that "the atomic bomb may be used in the Korean War," and wrote "Atomic Bomb Poetry" at the National Hiroshima Sanatorium where he was recuperating from tuberculosis. "Atomic Bomb Poetry" was sent to the World Youth and Students Peace Festival in Berlin in 1951 as one of Japan's representative works, and caused a worldwide sensation. He died at the National Hiroshima Sanatorium on March 10, 1953, at the age of 36. The following poem by Sankichi is inscribed on the monument: Give me back my father Give me back my mother Give me back my elders Give me back my children Give me back me Give me back the people I am connected to Give me back peace that will never be broken as long as the human world exists Give me back peace Sankichi Toge