The bells rang again in Cupertino’s Memorial Park Aug. 6 to honor those lost in the bombing of the Toyokawa Naval Arsenal during World War II.
The annual bell ringing ceremony was organized by Cupertino-Toyokawa Sister Cities Inc. At 6:13 p.m., the exact time of the bombing, attendees gathered around the senbazuru, a tower of 1,000 paper cranes, and rang bells in unison to affirm their dedication to peace and harmony.
The Toyokawa Naval Arsenal was a key military site for the Japanese Imperial Army to store arms and munitions. On Aug. 7, 1945, the US Air Force targeted Toyokawa, dropping 813 tons of explosives, which devastated the city and killed about 2,500 citizens. Many victims were schoolchildren and young women working in the arsenal.
At the bell ringing, Cupertino Mayor Kitty Moore presented a proclamation to Alysa Sakkas, president of the sister cities group. Sakkas said in an email that the event connects with the student delegation selected to represent Cupertino on a trip to Toyokawa.For the last two years, the students have visited the Toyokawa Peace Park at the site of the bombing.
“As our students learn about the history of Toyokawa before visiting our sister city, the annual bell ringing has taken on even greater meaning, reminding us that the exchange program is not just about travel, but about building understanding, empathy and lasting peace between future generations,” Sakkas said.
Student delegate Swayam Shah spoke about his recent visit to the Peace Park in Toyokawa at the Aug. 6 event.
“One moment that stuck with me the most was looking through the pages of unfinished journal entries of students who had been forced to work in military factories,” Shah said. “As bombs dropped from the air raid, many of their last words were apologies to their parents for leaving them behind so early. This was something that no ordinary history textbook could ever teach me.
“Visiting the Toyokawa peace park reminded me that peace isn’t just the absence of warfare or conflict,” Shah added. “Peace is the quiet, heavy weight that a broken town takes after the gunfire has stopped and when the sky turns blue. It is the resilience of a community which refused to stay crippled, but rather chose to become a cradle for tomorrow.”