August.2005
■"The figure of my own"　by Yuko Hamasaki

The figure of my own
■Yuko Hamasaki
My ordinary job is a bit strange.In addition to producing Kagee ( shadow pictures ), I work on archives organizing the black and white pictures in old times.I was repeatedly exposed to the numerous pictures showing the Atomic-bomb influences. That drove me into thinking what we could do now. What do those miserable looking people want to tell to us ? I could feel about what those cameramen wanted to impress through those pictures i.e. strong intent to keep records for the future generations.However, most of people would be not happy to see those pictures. Some may say " I hate to see them, or to hear from them" because they are such sad pictures and stories. I believe we must face the music and assure accepting them if we want to appeal peace.And then, we need to be creative enough to make people pay attention to it.This is why I produced Kagee with my fumble wish to care about the dead and those who have now continued to suffer in 60 years after the war. At the same time kagee functioned well as sort of my small experimental device to try to be creative to attract people.I was so happy that many visitors crowded in Motyasu Bridge on August 5&6 and lots of people took pictures with their cameras and cell phones. I wish yet as an unskilled producer that each visitor could feel the depth of Hiroshima amid the light of the pictures beyond curiosity.
　
Creation of Peace
■Haruki Nonaka

All of us had no knowledge on Kagee (shadow pictures) when Kyoko Heya invited us ,sudents of high school , into Kagee Exhibition “Modest Wishes”.　Watching the Kagee Planet through Internet, we noticed beauty of Kagee and yet wondered how Kagee would be put into use for the Kagee Exhibition.

Those who live in Hiroshima have many opportunities to hear from the casualties from the A-bomb, to visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Hiroshima Peace Park and to think of peace in general. When we are very young like kindergarten pupils and in the first stage of primary school, we are freshly shocked by the stories of A-bomb and urged to immediately do something about peace. Getting elder, we gradually lose momentum to put what we learn into actions in daily life. We like to do something but we don’t know what to do specifically. Many students at the middle and high schools in Hiroshima have the same problem.

Ten students at the middle and high schools tried to produce Kagee with help of Yuko Hamasaki and Kimiko Nishikawa in Kosakusha plant. We made fireworks over the streets in Hiroshima, put the Yakatabune( roofed pleasure boat) on the river and made Orizuru ( folded paper crane). We cutted out and pasted the parts ,the fireworks and the boats which were all made of special Japanese papers. We were a bit afraid that our amateur works might have disturbed the exquisite pictures made by the professional producer. Those Kagee pictures were carried to Motoyasu Bridgei and Sorasaya Bridge for set-up. We guided for visitors. We were further satisfied with the fact that we contributed to production of the Kagee display. All the students met numerous number of people along the riverside of Motoyasu Bridge and Sorasaya Bridge for the 2 days except working at Kosakusha plant. When we used to start explaining about Kagee to visitors, some of them occasionally introduced to us their experiences on the A-bomb and Hiroshima.

Kagee looks great in the dark evening. So we asked many visitors during the daytime to come back again in the evening. Around 6 in the eveninｇ，Kagee appears impressive and strong. The changing process is quite moving. The visitors were so pleased with the bright Kagee pictures showing the well-lighted downtown in Hiroshima. There was sort of peace in the space that the people create together with Kagee.

Students so far used to be visitors to Heiwa Park. This gave them a new experience of being the guides to welcome visitors. We thank it for participating in a movement to create peace.

　
Let's do what we can !
■Kimiko Nishikawa
I joined the shadow pictures exhibition" Modest Wishes" in Hiroshima. I have been helping my friend ,Yuko Hamazaki who is the producer of this Kagee Exhibition, for many years. I participated in the exhibition this year with very special motivation.The exhibition "Modest Wishes" attracted many visitors on August 5 & 6 at Motoyasu Bridge and Sorasaya Birdge . When it got dark in the evening, I felt the visitors were impressed with the old and good Hiroshima through the shadow pictures they freshly saw for the first time. Yuko's works are easy to understand and no explanation necessary. They make people through generations feel nostalgic and heart-warming. I am thankful that I was in Hiroshima on August 6 together with many people to attend the 60th anniversary after the war. I visited Hiroshima for the first time. I saw the Atomic Bomb Dome that stood out calmly there the first time. To me it was the only spot associated with the A-bomb. Having talked casually about beautifully arranged cherry trees and many exciting spots in Hiroshima, I was shocked by a taxi driver saying that everything about Hiroshima was younger than 60 years old. People in Hiroshima surely live with the A-bomb that has nothing to do with how many years after the war.Those who experienced the war now get aged in 60 years after the war.My parents belong to the war generation. Although my father went to the war, he never talked about the battlefields. I have only few knowledge about the war that I got from the books and little I could tell about the war. My exposure to
the shadow pictures Yuko produced , the folded-paper cranes made by local students and the fireworks and roofed boats i n the ancient style visualized the old and sweet towns of Hiroshima. That made me reconfirm that what is important is to do things I can do. Let’s think about what I really can do myself !
Power of Imagination
■Ryuji Yamauchi
Hamasaki’s jobs have been surrounded with the documentary films incl. the A-bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
I wanted to visit Hiroshima once for these years. Finally I experienced Hiroshima this year.I was in Hiroshima for other purposes and spent a little time watching the shadow pictures exhibition "
Modest Wishes". I was happy to see lots of people enthusiastically looked into the pictures. Many people have many activities to demonstrate peace and Hiroshima. The shadow pictures exhibition this year was based on the feelings of people of visitors ,not of presenters. This was an excellent thought. I presume that Yuko Hamasaki and people in Hiroshima played catch through light of Kagee. I t is simple and natural to think of those who take instead of those who give. It is easy to say and hard to conduct. I realized myself this is common and true about my jobs as well. it is power of imagination that makes it possible to think about others . I hope young generations particularly work hard to develop imagination power through many books ,pictures and films.I have learned a lot because I had a feeling of temperature , air and clouds and winds in the sky at 8:15 summer in Hiroshima. I thought about that day and peace now. This confirms my duty for the future.I recommend very strongly that those who never been in Hiroshima on Aug, 6 will visit Hiroshima.
　
Power of Pictures that Shadow Generates
■Masumi Takabayashi

Kagee is not so popular for people in Hioroshiama. Kagee normally remind them of hands and animals shown on the shoji (paper sliding doors). I was always impressed with those pictures Yuko made such as calendars, post cards and swimming whale on TV. I wondered how they were made. On August 6, I got the answer.Yuko brought with bunch of stuff to Hiroshima, that seemed difficult to carry on plane. it contained a set of tools needed for the school students to use in order to make Kagee pictures. She immediately proceeded with production for the Kagee Exhibition “ Modest Wishes”. The students sweat hard to paste papers. I was surprised to see unexpectedly the style of works in analog way that produces warm lights and streets reflected on the surface of river. A series of cuttings and pasting of papers were added to colors of cellophane.That's it. And that leads to the world of fantasy. Tens of thousands of people prayed at Hiroshima Peace Park. On the way to and back from the park they dropped in and looked into the Kagee. Curious eyes were attracted to the lights in shadow." Old sweet games", " I enjoyed them when I was a kid". People smiled at the pictures. I continued to watch many many people like this for the two days. I wondered if what would be the effect if any conventional movies, pictures and photos were used in stead of the Kagee pictures.You will notice the rough draft and stains of paste when you look into the details. Yuko and the students in Hiroshima and many other supporters who don't know about the war made those shadow pictures to remember 8:14 on August 6, 1945 after reviewing enormous number of A-bomb pictures , books and news about Hiroshima.These pictures made of light and shadow are the Hiroshima Messages surely in the new fashion.
　
The August 6, each man's Hiroshima and my Hiroshima
■Kyoko Heya
Now we have faced threat of nuclear wars in 60 years after the war, and the wars were endless ever since. Peace will never be realized by complaining about the past.I am determined to be active steadily and calmly in praying for requiem and peace. Being born in Hiroshima, I take it as my duty.