Hiroshima and Fukushima

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony was held on August 6th.

Many people including many of atomic bombing victims have thought of the peaceful use of nuclear energy and of its use for military purposes as two separate issues. However, the nuclear accident in Fukushima obliged us to reconsider peaceful utilization of nuclear power.

Recently I ate some peaches from Fukushima. It was so delicious, but they were cheap due to the nuclear accident. Quantity of radioactive material in the peaches from Fukushima doesn't exceed limit imposed by regulation.

The Fukushima Waraji Festival was held in Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture on August 6th. I knew the festival for the first time when the Tohoku Rokkon-sai(東北六魂祭) was held on July 16th and 17th.
Waraji is a traditional straw sandal.  A giant waraji is dedicated to the Haguro Shrine(羽黒神社) in Fukushima City to pray for health in February. That ritual has a history of over 300 years. The waraji is 12 meters long and weighs 2 tons.
The Fukushima Waraji Festival started using examples from the ritual in 1970. The festival includes dedication ceremony of a giant waraji, a waraji race and a dance parade.

The 93th national high school baseball championship has begun at Koshien Stadium yestereday. A member of a high school baseball team in Kesennuma, one of tsunami-hit areas, threw out the ceremonial first pitch. His school was engulfed by the tsunami.
The team representing Fukushima Prefecture won its first-round match. Many members of the high school baseball teams in tsunami-hit areas gave up participation in the championship or were not able to fulfil their potentials this summer.