Drawn by spring weather, I walked less than ten minutes along the moat from Palaceside Building toward Kudan and stepped into a bakery on the first floor of the Chiyoda Ward Office—when from an unpartitioned space called "Citizens' Hall" at the back of the floor, I heard a fine sound. It was a "Peace Concert"—the strings of Taro Uemura (first prize, violin division, 2005 Japan Music Competition)＝photo lower. I could only hear the last two pieces, but I fully enjoyed Monti's well-known "Csárdás"—tones at times thrilling, at times tinged with melancholy.
At the same venue, a photo exhibition is also on view. That day is almost here again. Not only 3.11—for Tokyo residents, 3.10 is an important date. In the early hours of March 10, 1945 (Showa 20), at the end of World War II, some 100 precious lives were lost overnight to incendiary bombs dropped like rain by more than 300 American B-29 bombers. With the 68th anniversary approaching, Chiyoda Ward is holding "The Tokyo Air Raids Exhibition—Photo Panels and Wartime Materials," and the concert is a related event.
On display are wartime photographs from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Citizens and Cultural Affairs and wartime materials from the Showa-kan museum, but the 18 photo panels provided by the Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage (Director Katsumoto Saotome) caught my eye.Photo upper is one of them—a man bowing before victims' coffins, with an incense burner on a sewing machine. These photos were newly discovered in 2011, labeled "Photographed by Toho-sha Photo Department." Toho-sha was a publisher tied to the Army General Staff that issued the foreign propaganda magazine FRONT from 1942 to 1945.The exhibition ends tomorrow, March 7. Open until 8 p.m. If you want to see it, hurry.
The Center of the Tokyo Raids and War Damage will also mark its 11th anniversary with a gathering to pass on the story of the Tokyo air raids on March 9 at 1 p.m. at Camellia Hall (two minutes from JR Kameido Station north exit). Capacity 400—first come, first served; admission 500 yen. See the website "http://www.tokyo-sensai.net/info/info2013/info2013-02.html".
As with 3.11, I am truly glad to have seen these photos again—to give thanks for peace and keep in memory what happened then.