Today I received the sad news that Mrs. Chisa Tanimoto passed away on May 4th, 2011 at the age of 95. I photographed Mrs. Tanimoto in Hiroshima during November 2010. She is the third hibakusha, atomic bomb survivor, I’ve photographed to have passed away in the last 4 months and fourth to have passed since the start of the project.
We were introduced by her daughter Koko Tanimoto-Kondo. They are the first parent and child hibakusha I have photographed.
I didn’t spend much time with Mrs. Tanimoto because of her fragile health. But those few moments we spent together were memorable.
Mrs. Tanimoto was the wife of the well-known minister Kiyoshi Tanimoto, famous for his work with the Hiroshima Maidens and support for war orphans. Mrs. Tanimoto life was also equally as devoted to seeking peace. The family has worked constantly helping provide homes for war orphans and relief to hibakusha.
It was an honor to have met Mrs. Chisa Tanimoto.
Her portrait will be a part of the upcoming book, From Above, released on July 27th by publisher Contents Factory. Her portrait will also be shown in the upcoming exhibition at the Kyoto Peace Museum during September 2011.
