Passing Down My Grandfather's Atomic Bomb Picture Books [Part 7] The Picture Books of 'Glued Manuscripts' Left Behind by My Grandfather

My grandfather, Tsutomu Sakaguchi, was an atomic bomb awareness researcher who was shocked to find that children knew nothing about the atomic bomb,
so he broke through the wall of silence and began to convey the reality of the bombing through his writing.

One day, when I was in elementary school, my grandfather handed me something that looked like a picture book.
It was made by cutting out text written on manuscript paper with scissors and gluing it onto backing paper for the layout.
It was a handmade book, carefully bound with staples and with vinyl tape applied to the spine.

The titles were "Tunnel of Fire" and "Burning Hospital."
The titles, designed and lettered by my grandfather, were written on them.

With no illustrations yet, just text, those picture books were quiet, gentle, and yet spoke to me strongly.

The stories in the picture books my grandfather gave me were included in the "Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Reader for Beginners."
I don't know if they were drafts or if he wrote them at the time to get a feel for the atmosphere,
but for me, they were precious handmade gifts from my grandfather.
I think they were also a baton of "passing down the story" that he handed to one of his grandchildren.
At the time, I didn't yet understand my grandfather's deep thoughts or the background behind them.
But from every single character on those glued-down manuscripts,
"Something important is written here."
—I remember that feeling, at least, coming through clearly.

Time has passed since then, and the picture books my grandfather left behind are still in my possession.
And perhaps now, it is my turn to "pass them down."

The main text is long, but next, I would like to present the writing in its original form.

📕Next Time
Passing Down My Grandfather's Atomic Bomb Picture Books [Part 8]