Hiroshima, Japan -- Matthew C. Perry school students from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, visited Hiroshima City as part of a Youth and Teen Center trip Dec. 5, 2015.
The Youth and Teen Center provided station residents the opportunity to explore Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Park, venture through the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and shop around the area. The park is home to several historical monuments such as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, atomic bomb dome, the Children’s Peace Monument, the Memorial Cenotaph, and the Flame of Peace.
“This is an annual trip that we do right before Christmas,” said Paula Smedes, program assistant with the Youth and Teen Center. “It’s a good opportunity for new families on base to go explore Japan.”
The students visited the atomic bomb dome while they ventured through the park. The dome is the only building that remains from the bombing and provided students with a visual image of the aftermath of World War II.
“We can learn a lot of things by going on these trips,” said Kayleena Thevenin, an M.C. Perry Elementary School student. “We went to the museum and got the opportunity to learn about what happened during World War II.”
Exploring the various memorials in Hiroshima provided station residents with a better understanding of Japanese culture. The Memorial Cenotaph lists the names of victims from the atomic bomb and the Flame of Peace has burned continually since Aug. 1, 1964, and will stay lit until the abolition of nuclear weapons.
“Kids should come on these trips more often,” said Gabrielle Romeo, an M.C. Perry Elementary School student. “They can be very educational for us.”
For information on upcoming Youth and Teen Center trips and events, call 253-6454.