The Children of Hiroshima: The True Story Of How I Searched For My Family In The Ruins Of The City

by Sadako Teiko Okuda

The little boy did not cry or speak. He just stood there and stared at me intensely. With great effort I stood up and tested to see if I could walk with my injured foot. When I did, he came to stand even closer to me and, without saying a word, grabbed my little finger very tightly.

Sadako Teiko Okuda was living in Osaki-shimo, an island off the mainland of Japan, when the bomb hit Hiroshima on the 6th of August 1945. Even sixty kilometers from the city, it was clear something horrific had happened. There was a blinding flash and the window next to Sadako smashed, a shard of glass leaving a painful burn on her neck. Soon, news came that her niece and nephew who lived in Hiroshima were missing. There was only one thing she could do - leave the relative safety of the island and set off into the city to find them.

In the seven long days that followed, Sadako roamed the ruins of the city, desperately hoping that she would catch sight of her family and in the meantime coming across dozens of other children who were alone, distraught and in pain. Carrying only water and a little medicine, she did her best to nurse the children and offer what care, compassion and tenderness she could in unimaginable circumstances. And in turn, they helped her to find hope in the very darkest of times.

Told simply and powerfully in daily diary entries, The Children of Hiroshima is an extraordinary and deeply moving human story of loss, innocence and hope.

Genres: Nonfiction, Japan, History

216 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 8, 2025

Reviews

[Fatguyreading · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Children of Hiroshima is the heart-rending tale of the author's first hand account of searching the city for family members after the bomb was dropped in August 1945.

Sadako lived 60 miles away from the blast, bit despite the distance, was still injured but made her way to the city in the hope of finding her missing niece and nephew.

Here she tells her deeply powerful tale of her search through the unimaginable devastation and the absolute horror she encounters.

It's a greatly profound, sorrowful story, but one I believe everyone should read. If we forget the past, we are doomed to repeat it, and events such as this must never be repeated.

I have an interest in history, war, and particularly WW2, so this read peaked my interest instantly, and certainly did not disappoint.

5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.

[Tara · Rating 4 out of 5]

very touching book, how do you even rate something like this??

[Bookworm86 · Rating 5 out of 5]

BLOG TOUR REVIEW


Review for 'The Children Of Hiroshima' by Ellie Midwood. Sadako Teiko Okuda

Well, what can I say but wow!!! This story is definitely not going to leave my head anytime soon. Firstly I must congratulate Sadako Teiko Okuda for sharing her emotional search with the world and creating this emotive harrowing yet beautiful page turner. that seriously needs to be made into a movie which I assure would be best selling!!!

This book is very powerful, heart rendering and extremely well written. It is devastatingly heart-breaking and beautiful at the same time. I must admit that being in the UK I did not know much about Hiroshima although I had heard of it and what happened. This book gives such an insight into what war did to the people of Hiroshima and not only does it tell of the devastation but also of the beauty of those who refused to give up hope, those who put others before them and really shows both sides of humanity in one heartfelt story. It truly is one of those books that I believe that everybody should read and that should be made available in all educational settings around the World. It should definitely be read by those higher up, the ones with the power to cause the destruction and devastation that is captured in this story from the war and the actions taken. Also included in this book at the end of Sadako's story is a summary of the medical impacts of Hiroshima, an article on remembering Hiroshima and also the insights of historical research and social psychology on the effects on Sadako, each of these are extremely compelling articles which really helped me gain an eve larger insight in to the devastation of the effects of Hiroshima. Throughout this beautiful and eye opening story Sadako not only tells us of the horrific sights she witnessed but also of the children and people she met along the way from ones that refused to eat the last of the rice ball as they wanted to give it to their Mum when she returned to the girl who never stopped watching for her parents until she could no longer do so physically and to the friends who become adopted brothers due to the previous war who refused to leave each others sides. Although this book is harrowing, heart wrenching and aa story of devastation it also shows the beauty hidden inside and the compassion and love given to and from others that she met along the way. It truly is a unique, must read and powerful page turner that I implore absolutely each and every person to read.

Grab the tissues, clear your schedules and get lost in history with an extremely talented author and a beautiful heart-breaking and educational read!!

This book was very hard to read as a whole but there were certain parts that will stay with me for a very long time and that were soul destroying. What the bombing did to these innocent people makes me absolutely sick to my soul. However, during this darkness comes light of love and determination. Most importantly it ensures these amazing people are never, ever forgotten. Each of these amazing people will stay in my mind for a long time and my heart absolutely broke with tears streaming down my face for so many of them. I can't say more than that though as I don't want to give anything away so you will just have to pick up a copy and see what I mean.

Thank you Sadako for telling us your story and also to each person who ensured it was spread across the world. Also thank you to Pamela Bea Wilson Vergun PhD, Robert Vergun PhD, Martin Donohoe MD, Catherine Thomaason MD and Paul Joseph PhD for the incredible articles included.

Overall an unputdownable, heart wrenching, absolutely beautifully devastating story.

#TheChildrenOfHiroshima #SadakoTeikoOkuda #monoray #OctopusPublishing #Hachette #RandomThingsTours #RandomTTours

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[Bookstarreviews_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5⭐️

AD-PR PRODUCT ~ Book Tour

A profoundly impactful autobiographical account of the devastating effects of nuclear war in Hiroshima.

⚠️ Triggers ahead regarding children and war! ⚠️

Non-fiction isn’t something I venture into regularly, but after being fascinated with the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki when I learnt about them at school, I just knew this was a must read.

Sadako Teiko Okuda was living in an island off the mainland of Japan, when the atomic bomb hit Hiroshima in 1945. Soon, news came that her niece and nephew who lived in Hiroshima were missing and she set off into the city to find them. In the seven long days that followed, Sadako roamed the ruins of the city to find her family, whilst coming across dozens of other children who were alone, distraught and in pain. Carrying only water and a little medicine, she did her best to nurse the children in unimaginable circumstances. And in turn, they helped her to find hope in the very darkest of times.

Okuda illuminates the past in her diary entries by brandishing descriptions of terror in the war-torn streets of Hiroshima. Unwavering pain, destruction and suffering seeped out of every page and despite making me uncomfortable at times, I also felt honoured to read Okuda’s story.

I spiralled into thinking this was fiction at times, but entry after entry was I reminded of the harsh reality and mercilessness of the event.

What I found so interesting was the guilt and responsibility Okuda felt when interacting with all of the children during the seven days. No matter her actions and the small amounts of medicine at hand, children were dying and it was out of her control.

This book was profoundly impactful and came with an emphasised message that the past is irrevocable, but we have the power to mould the future.

I highly recommend this read, that I read in two sittings. I learnt so much about nuclear war, and the added essays at the end really heightened the impact.

A huge thank you @randomthingstours and @octopus_books_ for this copy of The Children of Hiroshima and for having me on the book tour!

[Narinder Gore · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Seeing war through the eyes of children shluld awaken in ys all the fervor to find new means to resolve international and civil conflicts"

This book made my heart ache. Focusing solely on children and the aftermath which is often forgotten made me feel embarrassed that I was learning something new. I teach about the atomic bomb and other than sharing statistics I don't tend to dwell on the physical or emotional impacts on the people affected by the bomb. Something that will be rectified moving forwards. The stories of 3 year olds losing their parents and the longing for their touch was horrifying. I cannot imagine how people cheered at the success of the bomb in the West whilst simultaneously on the other side people were dying and feeling the ramifications of the aftermath of nuclear destruction. This book is meaningful and important and I truly hope you pick it up ♥️

"Hate is futile and that we should channel our energy instead toward loving people....I've want to teach the youth of today that nothing is more imperative than unity and peace and there is never a justification for such cruelty". 

[Joanne Eglon · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐

Devoured this in a few hours.

Heartbreaking and had me sobbing but such an educational read.

The horrors the author witnessed just broke my heart.

Would highly recommend 💕

[Tomasz Perczyński · Rating 4 out of 5]

Moving and terrifying story. Oppenheimer's nightmare.

[Emma Hamilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

'I wonder if people realise how many victims of Hiroshima were not adults. but young children'.
In her moving account of searching the ruins of Hiroshima for her niece and nephew, Sadako fills in this gap in our understanding with powerful, horrifying stories of loss, destruction and innocence.

-- What's it about? --

When the atomic bomb exploded over Hiroshima in 1945, Sadako was living on Osaki-Shimo Island, from which the blast could be felt but not yet understood. As rumours flooded her village of complete devastation in Hiroshima, locals began travelling to the mainland to search for family members. This is Sadako's account of her eight days of searching for her niece and nephew in and around ground zero.

Based on diary entries made at the time and published in Japan in 1979 and Korea in 1983, Sadako's words have taken longer to reach the English speaking world, being published in the U.S.A in 2008 as 'A Dimly Burning Wick' and, finally, in 2025 in the U.K. as 'The Children of Hiroshima'. (Presumably the title change has arisen at least partly as a recognition of the less religious nature of readers as a whole in the U.K.)

-- What's it like? --

Devastating. Powerful. Purposeful. Sadako writes simply of her efforts to find her niece and nephew, recounting the meetings she had with children and adults she met as she ventured out each day into a world that was both burning and dying, in which she found despair and faith in people whose wounds were such that they frequently died during her time with them.

Although the people Sadako meets and seeks to help are fatally injured, their injuries are described simply and, though horrific, are not gory or gruesome. Shocking, yes, for such is the horrific impact of the bomb, but not recorded in a way that would make most feel unable to read their stories.

Essentially, the main memoir is organised both chronologically and by who Sadako interacted with. As she continues to seek her family, she meets orphans and siblings and each brief chapter focuses on her experiences with a few of the victims. This is the core of the book, supported by various forewords and appendices that briefly clarify and contextualise the contents within Sadako's own life and the broader social and psychological impacts of the atom bomb.

-- Hope in the ruins --

Obviously, a non-fiction account of a deeply traumatic and devastating event will be sad, but 'The Children of Hiroshima' transcends simple sadness by allowing for wonder. Despite everything, despite the terrible circumstances, most people, especially the children, are focused on maintaining social bonds and caring for others. Perhaps this is why Sok-Hon Ham, nicknamed "the Gandhi of Korea" wrote in his foreword to the Korean edition that this book gave him, 'a vision of a small space between the deeply piled decaying corpses where a trembling new green leafy shoot emerged'.

-- Final thoughts --

This is a powerful call for all people to come alive to the brutal horror of atomic war (two of the chapters have been published in Japan as children's books, which surprised me as they are, of course, very sad). At one point Sadako, writing a letter to her mother, asks: 'Mother, how can such a thing be allowed to happen?' In her afterword she is even more explicit, stating that 'I want to teach the youth of today...that nothing is more important than unity and peace and that there is never a justification for such cruelty.' Finally, she urges that, 'I hope that you will take up the cause I have carried and make it your own'.

Read this to understand how the spirit of humanity can survive even as human beings are brutally exterminated en masse, then read it again to reinforce your conviction that the horror visited on Hiroshima - and on Nagasaki - must never be allowed to happen again.

Many thanks to the publisher and Anne Cater’s Random Things Tours for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and a spot on the blog tour.

[Alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Children of Hiroshima, by Sadako Teiko Okuda, takes the form of diary entries covering the period the author spent searching Hiroshima for her niece and nephew in the wake of the 1945 nuclear bombing, during which she helped several injured children.

These children were suffering from horrific burns, wounds, and radiation poisoning, and their parents and other family members had been killed by the blast, or were impossible to find amid the carnage and confusion. While Okuda was able to relieve their suffering a little, all of them soon succumbed to their injuries.

Rather than give in to despair, however, Okuda continued to help as many people as her strength allowed, and the experience bolstered her anti-war stance, which she conveys throughout.

What can I say about this book that hasn’t been said, down the years, by people of far greater standing than myself? The Children of Hiroshima isn’t a book you “enjoy”, but it’s essential reading that gives you a stark, no-holds-barred picture of the aftermath of a nuclear bombing.

The scenes and injuries Okuda depicts are like something out of a horror movie, but this really happened, at the hands of humans, just 80 years ago. In many of the cases she describes, it seems miraculous the grievously-wounded victims are still alive, and are just holding on to life for the time it takes for them to obtain aid for someone they love.

This is the vision of humanity Okuda returns to throughout the book: people, usually children, using their last moments to help their parents, siblings, or friends, even when they’re in unimaginable pain. Her over-arching message is that, unlike caring for others, war is not inherent to humanity and can be eradicated.

Okuda doesn’t play up her role in assisting people or paint herself as a heroine, instead coming across as endearingly modest, and even vulnerable. She recalls despair, when she wanted to give up looking for her young relatives and go back home to Osaki-shimo; beating herself up for not being able to save people, even though the severity of their injuries was such that nobody had that power; and moments of fear of, and anger and disgust at some of the survivors. She also experiences survivor’s guilt.

Of course, by its very nature, autobiography is curated and (consciously or otherwise) filtered to convey a particular narrative about events and the person describing them. Okuda put together the original Japanese edition of this book from scrappy, disordered diary notes in the 1970s, so in order to create a coherent account, we can reasonably assume she left out stories that were too similar to, or less detailed, illustrative, or striking than the ones she did include.

It’s also unavoidable that knowledge and wisdom Okuda gained subsequently would have altered her memories, and her interpretation of them – not that that detracts from their veracity. The emotions, admissions of weakness, and clarity of what Okuda stands for keep you turning the pages, and give this book far more power than, say, a dispassionate timeline of events.

Either side of Okuda’s narrative are remarks and short essays from relevant scholars, which pay tribute to her as a person and provide some medical and historical/social context for her recollections. These are mainly from the 2008 edition of the book, which this publication reproduces, but it does seem like a bit of a missed opportunity that these haven’t been added to/updated for 2025.

Not only do I expect we’ve learned some more about the long-term health impacts of the Hiroshima bombing in the past 17 years, but it would be interesting to read a sociologist/peace scholar’s take on Okuda’s story today, considering, for example, Israel’s targetting of children in Gaza, and that the Doomsday Clock is closer to midnight than it’s ever been.

Having been born in 1915, Okuda has almost certainly died by now, yet I can’t find any reference to her death online, which is quite surprising considering she was such a remarkable, respected woman. Then again, that might have been what she wanted: having lived an otherwise quiet, ordinary life as a home economics teacher, maybe she intended her contributions to the 2008 edition, at the age of 93, to be her closing remarks, and she didn’t want to risk her death overshadowing the premature, brutal ones she witnessed in 1945.

The Children of Hiroshima is a harrowing, vital read.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been interested by the attack on Hiroshima for as long as I can imagine and have read many books on the topic over the years. I was keen to read Sadako’s book, as it is a true story about family, hope and survival.
She was on Osaki-shimo Island when the bomb dropped, but travelled the 60km to Hiroshima to check her family were okay. She found her sister-in-law at her uncle’s house, but the children were missing, so Sadako set off to find her niece Fuyoko and her nephew Yukiaki.
Her account of the eight days she spent in Hiroshima straight after the bomb are harrowing, but an important read. I read the book in just two days, but it is a difficult read in many ways, though fascinating. As her emphasis is on the children she finds and helps, it has a very emotional angle to it, but a vital one to consider. While war can be given as a reason, or excuse, to kill people, this book is a constant reminder that children are always innocent victims of war and conflict, no matter what their nationality or what ‘side’ their country is fighting on.
The book is written in the first person, as Sadako observed what was happening around her. It can therefore be disturbing to hear about the physical condition of survivors and the way they become more ill as the days went on, but this was the reality for Hiroshima.
While any books on this topic are upsetting, they are also vital to educate people nowadays, especially when our world in 2025 seems particularly frightening. I also think these kids of books are inspiring. Sadako’s book shows not only her own kindness and resilience and bravery, but also of the others she meets, such as grandfathers looking after their grandchildren after the rest of the family have been killed. There is so much love in this book, albeit with tragically few happy endings.
After the main text, there is still more to read including an update of her life following the bombing and an interesting report on the medical impacts of Hiroshima. The book inspired me to do further research and watch some videos on YouTube to find out more.
Highly recommended.

[Hasliza Rajab · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gathers the testimonies and firsthand accounts from survivors of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. These poignant collections are told through the voices of children, it captures the raw and immediate aftermath of the tragedy like losing families, suffering burns, enduring sickness, and struggling to understand the devastation around them.

By presenting the war through children’s eyes, Sadako Okuda focusing an intimate look into the human cost of the bomb despite explaining it based on political or military aspects. Each story reveals not only pain and loss but also the resilience of young survivors who tried to rebuild their lives from the ruins.

As I read their stories, I couldn’t help but think of Gaza today.
Decades apart, different lands, yet the same suffering repeats. Innocence is always the first casualty of war and we will never learn!

Children, once again, are the ones paying the highest price for wars they never chose. Their laughter silenced, their futures stolen, their scars both visible and unseen will outlive the bombs that created them. I still remember the live that Ardell Aryana did, when people asked what would you do the moment you arrive in Gaza? And she said, she wanna feed the babies with milk.

In Hiroshima, children bore the scars physically, emotionally and it takes generations to heal. In Gaza, children are again the ones that most affected, losing families, homes, and their sense of safety. Gaza’s children will carry their trauma from displacement, grief, and violence long after the bombings and destruction stop. Both show how war robs children of their right to simply be children.

This book is not just a record of the past. It is a reminder, a plea across generations, asking us: Have we learned nothing? Hiroshima was meant to be a lesson, but Gaza shows us how easily humanity forgets. Gaza today is a painful reminder that humanity has not yet learned that lesson. Perhaps the most powerful thing we can do is to remember, to refuse silence, and to keep telling these stories so that one day, children everywhere will inherit peace, not ruins.

[Hannah May Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do love my history so when the opportunity to read and review this one came along, I couldn’t say no! I’m so glad I had the chance to read this as The Children of Hiroshima was a captivating read that had me in it’s clutches. It was raw and emotional and although I was familiar with the events, this put it into perspective and I just couldn’t get my head around how this was allowed to happen. This read also scared me a little, the world we’re currently living in isn’t the best at the moment and it's frightening to think we still have these disastrous weapons!

This really did break my heart, I could feel myself welling up in laces and it is a read that will 100% stick with me. I couldn’t have done what Sadako did, and I admire her strength of continued to tell her story to ensure this horror can not be forgotten.

I won’t finish this review on a doom and gloom note though, this book does also show that there is some hope for humanity, and although the world can be a dark place at time there is some good and some light.

[Kelly Hollingworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must confess I knew only the basics of the Hiroshima bomb attack and very little of the facts. This true story book details the days post the detonation when Sadako Teiko Okuda, who lived on an island off the Japanese mainland, searched for her niece and nephew. On that journey, despite having a burn on her neck, Sadako met, helped and nursed many other people including the high proportion of children who were injured and displaced. This is a poignant, moving, extraordinary diary style book that held my attention from the beginning to the end. This is history but told by someone who was there, who witnessed the devastation, the desolation and the desperation. This book moved me immensely. The long term health conditions, the loss of sight, of limbs, of lives will stay with me long beyond the last page.

[Sarah Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emperor Hirohito (post-bombing broadcast) said "...the atomic bomb is a new and most cruel bomb”

Part of me didn’t truly realise how cruel this bomb actually was.

50,000 people in Hiroshima were Korean prisoners of war.

Many of the victims were women and children.

Those that survived the initial blast died from their burns and radiation poisoning.

What this story does is make those statistics and facts into human beings. Unbearable. Gut wrenching. Desperately sad.

So many stories: the Aunt searching endlessly for her niece and nephew, the mother begging for water for her dead baby, the brother and sister waiting for their mom under the aluminium shelter, and the little girl who waited for her parents to come home.

[Hannah Louise Catherall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very well written book of a horrific incident, this book captures the destruction that the bombing had caused and you could feel the pain in which people were going through and how difficult it must of been for those who survived even when we were told of their passing. The story itself reads very fast due to the diary entries style of writing and you find yourself feeling hope for finding the lost relatives whilst also losing hope of everything at the sights that they witness. This story deeply moved me and allowed me to capture a view I would of otherwise been unaware of and that is what happens to those who survive and are injured and the journey to reuniting or bringing last caring moments to those struggling.

[Anita Dent · Rating 4 out of 5]

A harrowing story of loss and survival in the aftermath of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Sadako Teiko Okuda was living in Osakishimo, an island off the mainland of Japan when the bomb hit Hiroshima. Although sixty kilometres away Sadako felt the impact as the window she was next to smashed and a shard of glass left a burn on her neck.
When she discovered her niece and nephew, who lived in Hiroshima were missing, she travelled into the city to try and find them.
Basing herself in her uncles house she sets out daily to find her family. Whilst roaming the ruins of the city she comes across many children alone afraid and in great pain. She does what she can to help with what little she has. In return she witnesses innocence, trust and strength.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart retching account of short stories from the author Sadako Teiko Okudas, her personal experiences whilst looking for her brothers children in the aftermath of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima.

She details not only the environment & devastation but the suffering & nastiness in some of the human race she saw along with her own heartache & motivational battles to continue looking for her lost family members whilst surrounded by such carnage.

A book that everyone should read to make sure history doesn't repeat itself!

[Robyn Philip · Rating 5 out of 5]

Despite the horrors described by Sadako, the overwhelming emotion I was left with from this account was appreciation of her compassion, and the humanity shown by others. In an impossible situation children physically reached out for their siblings and loved ones: they wanted to be as close as possible. They wanted connection in the presence of death. The story is sobering, but very readable. 5 stars.

‘I wonder if people realize how many victims of Hiroshima were not adults, but young children.’

[ringo · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘When I was growing up, I heard vaguely of the devastation of war, and discussed it in the classroom and read about it in books, but had never felt threatened by it on a personal level - it was always happening to somebody else, never to me. Now that was no longer the case. War had encroached upon our hearts and our lives, and there was no escape.’

such a touching book. read in one sitting but had to stop multiple times to think. just awe inspiring and heartbreaking.

[Lauren J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an extremely sad story about Sadako's search for her niece and nephew immediately after the bomb exploded in Hiroshima. Her detailed story of the people she meets and the ones who she stayed with until they died is hard to read but eye opening. We need to know the consequences of our actions. This book does just that in a very clear way.

[Paula Strachan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely believe that Okuda’s words will stay with me for the rest of my life. She tells a story that the whole world needs to hear and teaches us a lesson we must never forget.

[Robbie Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heart breaking and motivating, what this woman experienced in this week will open your eyes to the aftermath of this incident that the innocents are subjected to.

[Taylor Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could rate this more than 5 stars.

[Peta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it in one sitting. Broke my heart but so glad I read it.

[Jemma Trelour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a book I planned on picking up, but the second I saw it I knew I wasn’t walking out of the shop without it. Short, simple, and absolutely gutting. It doesn’t try to be dramatic, which is probably why it hit so hard.

We always hear Hiroshima in numbers. Tens of thousands dead, injured, displaced. But this isn’t numbers, it’s names and faces. It’s kids wandering the ruins, parents clawing through debris, families gone in seconds. It forces you to stop skimming the headlines of history and actually look at the people in it.

What really got me was the strength that runs through these stories. Not the glossy kind we usually celebrate, but the sort that comes when there’s no choice. People who didn’t have time to make sense of what happened, who just endured the unendurable and kept going. The memories aren’t shared for pity or shock value. They’re there so the truth doesn’t fade, so it doesn’t shrink into a neat little footnote.

And yes, it’s heavy. But it’s also necessary. In a world where nuclear weapons still exist, pretending this is “just history” feels impossible after reading it.

Sadako Kurihara said it best: “We who survived bear the heavy burden of memory, so the world may never forget.”