Nekohachi Edoya

Nekohachi Edoya, affectionately known as "Edo Neko," was a talented impressionist and actor who was affiliated with the Rakugo Geijutsu Kyokai (Rakugo Art Association). He was born on October 1, 1921, and his real name was Roku-ro Okada, a name given due to being the sixth son. His legacy left a lasting impact on the world of entertainment.

During the tragic events of the Hiroshima atomic bombing on August 6, 1945, Nekohachi was just 23 years old and serving in the Japanese Army's Naval Artillery Regiment No. 1 (Dawn 2953 Unit) stationed in Ujina, which is now part of Minami Ward in Hiroshima City. He held the position of Corporal Rokuro Okada. On that fateful morning, he had plans to meet with actress Keiko Sonoi, an acquaintance from the traveling theater group "Sakura-tai," in Hiroshima. Unfortunately, after winning a vocal mimicry competition the previous day, he had indulged in the prize of alcohol, leading to a hangover that caused him to oversleep and miss the meeting. It was shortly after being roused from sleep by a subordinate private that he found himself thrust into the midst of the atomic bombing. (Incidentally, Sonoi was lodging near the hypocenter during the bombing and was exposed to the blast. She later evacuated to Kobe, but she sadly succumbed to atomic bomb-related illnesses on August 21, 1945.)

Nekohachi's regiment was positioned in Ujina, a location over 3 km away from the hypocenter, resulting in less immediate impact from the bombing. He received orders from his superior to assess the extent of the damage near the Okihashi Bridge and communicate with the Fukiyama Naval Artillery Battalion headquarters in Hijiyama-cho. This was his first encounter with the devastating aftermath of the bombing. Subsequently, he was mobilized as part of the Dawn Unit to provide relief and medical assistance within the city. His exposure to residual radiation in the city led to persistent health issues that he grappled with throughout his life, attributed to secondary radiation exposure.