Visit Hiroshima — and beyond: Museums marking 80 years since World War II's end
By Laura Payne
On Aug. 6, 1945, Hiroshima became the first city in history to be attacked with an atomic bomb.
Eighty years have passed since this incident and the formal end of World War II in Japan. Hiroshima is now home to a peace memorial park and museum that accommodate crowds of travelers annually. The bombing of Hiroshima is only one chapter of Japan's war experience, however. Countless museums, memorials and landmarks — viewed alongside Hiroshima — can help visitors more fully understand the Second World War in Japan.
From the mainland to the southern islands, there are a few significant museums that are accessible from Hiroshima. Consider visiting these after exploring Hiroshima's story.
Air raids and kamikaze in Osaka and Fukuoka
Osaka Castle is also a war-related site because its structure was damaged by air raids.
Image: とうがらしたんたん/Pixta
Full-scale U.S. air raids occurred across Japan from 1944, destroying both military facilities and residential areas. Evidence shows that in addition to Japanese civilians, air raids impacted Korean and Chinese nationals (countries partially or completely colonized by Japan at the time) as well as Allied prisoners of war.
The city of Osaka endured multiple bombardments until Aug. 14, 1945. Visitors can glimpse life during these attacks through multilingual exhibits at Peace Osaka — a museum near Osaka Castle. Displays, such as a replica of a home prepared for air raids, emphasize the experience of civilians. This becomes especially poignant upon realizing that an estimated 15,000 people died or went missing during the bombings.
Besides fighter planes, the Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum also displays items such as photos of individual kamikaze pilots and letters they left behind.
Image: ふくおかクロニクル/Pixta
In southern Japan, Fukuoka City and nearby towns also have a history of air raids. The Tachiarai Peace Memorial Museum (about 60 to 90 minutes from Hakata station by public transportation) portrays a unique perspective because this area was once a transit point for kamikaze pilots. Artifacts such as preserved fighter planes pass on the stories of these men. Other exhibits, meanwhile, explain how air raids eventually damaged the transit airfield and surrounding townscapes — killing civilians.
Air raid history is worth remembering for many reasons, including the fact that these attacks still pose a threat today. Even in the 21st century, unexploded ordnances (UXOs or unexploded bombs) have been uncovered in former air raid sites. Without discovery and proper disposal, there is still a risk of explosion.
Bullet trains from Hiroshima station can bring visitors to Osaka (via Shin-Osaka station) and Fukuoka (via Hakata station) in about 90 minutes or less.
Tracing the battlefields of Okinawa
Depending on how much you plan to see, it is possible to spend about two to four hours at Okinawa's Peace Memorial Park.
Image: きんとも/Pixta
Most of Japan's UXOs have been uncovered in Okinawa Prefecture. This is because the islands endured the Battle of Okinawa, which killed over 200,000 people. These casualties were made up of Allied and Japanese forces and numerous Okinawan civilians — including women and teenagers as young as 14 who were forcibly conscripted to the front lines.
Okinawa's Peace Memorial Park is an essential stop for anyone wishing to understand this event. At the Okinawa Prefectural Peace Museum — located past the park's main entrance — visitors can encounter an introduction to Okinawa's history from its era as an independent kingdom to the experiences of islanders during and after the Second World War.
Names on the Cornerstone of Peace are written in multiple languages, reflecting the backgrounds of those who died.
Image: きんとも/Pixta
The peace park also features multiple memorial structures. Perhaps the most famous is the Cornerstone of Peace, a stone monument that bears the names of everyone who died in the Battle of Okinawa regardless of nationality or whether they were military personnel or civilians. For some battle survivors, these engraved names are their only connection to departed loved ones. Many people's remains have yet to be recovered.
Okinawa's Naha International Airport is accessible by domestic flights from Hiroshima Airport. Shuttle buses offer airport access from Hiroshima station.
Gifu's lifesaving diplomat and Nagasaki's 'saint'
One highlight of the Chiune Sugihara Memorial Hall is a recreation of the consulate office where Sugihara wrote visas for refugees.
Image: Monami/Wikimedia Commons-CC BY-SA 3.0
In 1939, diplomat Chiune Sugihara was assigned to the country of Lithuania. Soon after, Jewish refugees gathered outside Sugihara's consulate. They wanted transit visas to Japan, from which they could escape to another country. When Sugihara requested approval to issue visas, he was told not to do so unless the refugees met stringent requirements. Sugihara defied his superiors and issued over 2,000 visas. Some of these granted passage to families, so estimates claim that Sugihara ultimately saved about 6,000 lives.
Sugihara's birthplace of Yaotsu, Gifu, passes on his story at the Chiune Sugihara Memorial Hall. Exhibits provide a timeline of what happened before and after Sugihara's actions, including the fates of people who received visas. Outside the memorial hall, visitors can also explore Jindonooka (Hill of Humanity) Park — a green space that features monuments to peace.
Dr. Nagai's room in Nyokodo Hermitage is about the size of two tatami mats (about three square meters).
Image: Cogavva/Pixta
Nagasaki City preserves the story of another man known for his kindness: Catholic radiologist Dr. Paul Takashi Nagai. After being diagnosed with cancer and given three years to live, Dr. Nagai experienced the atomic bombing of Nagasaki on Aug. 9, 1945. Amid his suffering, Dr. Nagai treated survivors, helped establish a children's library and donated his own money to Nagasaki's reconstruction among other humanitarian deeds. He died in 1951, and in 2021 he was named a Servant of God — a title for people in the early stages of consideration for sainthood.
The Nagai Takashi Memorial Museum — near the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum — shares details of Dr. Nagai's life. Next door to the museum is Nyokodo Hermitage, a small house where Dr. Nagai lived. He named this house 'Nyokodo' after part of the Japanese translation of the Bible verse, 'love your neighbor as yourself.'
Gifu station is about three hours away from Hiroshima station. Take a bullet train to Nagoya station, then transfer to a local train. From Gifu station, rental cars provide the most convenient access to the Chiune Sugihara Memorial Hall. However, there is also infrequent public transportation. Visit the Gifu City Information Centre inside Gifu station for details.
It is possible to reach Nagasaki station in about three hours from Hiroshima station. Take a bullet train to Hakata station, then transfer to an express train for Takeo-Onsen station. From here, the Nishi Kyushu shinkansen (bullet train) runs to Nagasaki.
Reflecting, 80 years on
Many more sites around Japan convey stories from the Second World War, underscoring that tragedy struck everyone during this time. These memorials also pass on a conviction to never repeat history. Reflecting on this wish is vital even 80 years after the conflict.
© Japan Today
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
11 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Nagasaki marks 80th A-bomb anniv. as survivors put hopes of nuke ban in hands of youth
NAGASAKI, Japan (AP) -- The southern Japanese city of Nagasaki on Saturday marked 80 years since the U.S. atomic attack that killed tens of thousands and left survivors who hope their harrowing memories can help make their hometown the last place on Earth to be hit by a nuclear bomb. The United States launched the Nagasaki attack on Aug. 9, 1945, killing 70,000 by the end of that year, three days after the bombing of Hiroshima that killed 140,000. Japan surrendered on Aug. 15, 1945, ending World War II and the country's nearly half-century of aggression across Asia. About 2,600 people, including representatives from more than 90 countries, attended a memorial event at Nagasaki Peace Park, where Mayor Shiro Suzuki and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba spoke, among other guests. At 11:02 a.m., the exact time when the plutonium bomb exploded above Nagasaki, participants observed a moment of silence as a bell rang. Nagasaki pledges to be the last atomic bombing site Dozens of doves, a symbol of peace, were released after a speech by Suzuki, whose parents are survivors of the attack. He said the city's memories of the bombing are "a common heritage and should be passed down for generations" in and outside Japan. "The existential crisis of humanity has become imminent to each and every one of us living on Earth," Suzuki said. "In order to make Nagasaki the last atomic bombing site now and forever, we will go hand-in-hand with global citizens and devote our utmost efforts toward the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of everlasting world peace." Praying for nuclear abolition and no war Survivors and their families gathered Saturday in rainy weather at Peace Park and nearby Hypocenter Park, located below the bomb's exact detonation spot, hours before the official ceremony. "I simply seek a world without war," said Koichi Kawano, an 85-year-old survivor who laid flowers at the Hypocenter monument decorated with colorful paper cranes and other offerings. Some others prayed at churches in Nagasaki, home to Catholic converts who went deep underground during centuries of violent persecution in Japan's feudal era. The twin bells at Urakami Cathedral, which was destroyed in the bombing, also rang together again after one of the bells that had gone missing following the attack was restored by volunteers. Despite their pain from wounds, discrimination and illnesses from radiation, survivors have publicly committed to a shared goal of abolishing nuclear weapons. But they worry about the world moving in the opposite direction. Survivors put their hopes in younger hands Aging survivors and their supporters in Nagasaki now put their hopes of achieving nuclear weapons abolition in the hands of younger people, telling them the attack is not distant history, but an issue that remains relevant to their future. "There are only two things I long for: the abolition of nuclear weapons and prohibition of war," survivor Fumi Takeshita said. "I only see a world where nuclear weapons are never used and everyone can live in peace." In hopes of passing on the lessons of history, Takeshita visits schools to share her experience with children. "When you grow up and remember what you learned today, please think what each of you can do to prevent war," Takeshita, 83, told students during a school visit earlier this week. Teruko Yokoyama, an 83-year-old member of a Nagasaki organization supporting survivors, said she feels the absence of those she has worked, which fuels her strong desire to document the lives of remaining survivors. The number of survivors has fallen to 99,130, about a quarter of the original number, with their average age exceeding 86. Survivors worry about fading memories, as the youngest of the survivors were too young to recall the attack clearly. "We must keep records of the atomic bombing damages of the survivors and thier lifetime story," said Yokoyama, whose two sisters died after suffering illnesses linked to radiation. Her organization has started to digitalize the narratives of survivors for viewing on YouTube and other social media platforms with the help of a new generation. "There are younger people who are beginning to take action," Yokoyama told The Associated Press on Friday. "So I think we don't have to get depressed yet." Nagasaki hosted a "peace forum" on Friday where survivors shared their stories with more than 300 young people from around the country. Seiichiro Mise, a 90-year-old survivor, said he is handing seeds of "flowers of peace" to the younger generation in hopes of seeing them bloom. Japan's security dilemma Survivors are frustrated by a growing nuclear threat and support among international leaders for developing or possessing nuclear weapons for deterrence. They criticize the Japanese government's refusal to sign or even participate in the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons because Japan, as an American ally, needs U.S. nuclear possession as deterrence. In Ishiba's speech, the prime mininister reiterated Japan's pursuit of a nuclear-free world and pledged to promote dialogue and cooperation between countries with nuclear weapons and non-nuclear states at the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons review conference scheduled for April and May 2026 in New York City. Ishiba, however, did not mention the nuclear weapons ban treaty. Nagasaki invited representatives from all countries to attend the ceremony Saturday. China notably notified the city it would not be present without providing a reason. The ceremony last year stirred controversy due to the absence of the U.S. ambassador and other Western envoys in response to the Japanese city's refusal to invite Israel.
The Mainichi
17 hours ago
- The Mainichi
News in Easy English: Free breakfast at Osaka Pref. schools helps children start the day
IZUMISANO, Osaka -- In Izumisano city, elementary school students can get free breakfast at school twice a week. This program is called the "children's breakfast cafeteria." It is very popular, and the city will soon offer it at all of its 13 schools. On a morning in July, children came to Chounan Elementary School to eat breakfast before class. The menu was "summer vegetable chicken curry" with many vegetables, cherry tomatoes and bananas. One sixth grade boy said, "It's fun to eat with friends." A fifth grade girl said, "I feel energized. When I eat breakfast at home, I get hungry by the end of the second period, but on days I use the breakfast cafeteria, I can hold out until the third period." On that day, 47 students used the service, about 15% of the school. The principal, Mikito Yoshioka, said, "The children enjoy eating breakfast together with peers from different classes and grades, smiling and creating a pleasant atmosphere. It's wonderful to see them go to class with energy." The breakfast menu changes every month. Head cook Satoko Tsujino said, "Seeing the lively atmosphere makes me happy, thinking, 'They're energetic today, too.'" Any student can use the breakfast service. The city started the program after hearing that some children did not eat breakfast at home because their parents were busy or they woke up late. The city first tried the program at two schools in 2023. Now, more than 20% of children in the city use the service. The city says the program helps children eat better, make friends, and feel happy at school. It also helps them want to come to school and learn. (Japanese original by Tadakazu Nakamura, Izumisano Resident Bureau) Vocabulary cafeteria: a place in a school where students eat meals energized: feeling strong and ready to do things principal: the leader of a school atmosphere: the feeling or mood in a place
Asahi Shimbun
21 hours ago
- Asahi Shimbun
Resonating sound chambers built on Kii rice terrace
"Onkai," a cluster of resonating concrete chambers by German sound sculptor Lukas Kuhne, sits on a former rice terrace in Totsukawamura village, Nara Prefecture. (Toshiyuki Hayashi) TOTSUKAWAMURA, Nara Prefecture—This sounds unusual: 10 cylindrical chambers have been built on a former rice terrace in the depths of the Kii Peninsula. Arranged in a circle, the interconnected concrete tubes are a sound sculpture that found a home in the Taketo community of Totsukawamura village after a long search. The work is named "Onkai," the Japanese expression for a musical scale. 'Our community has been enlivened by hosting 'Onkai,'' said community leader Takuo Tamaki. 'We are going to do what we can to get the monument to be experienced by as many people as possible.' "Onkai" is the work of German sound sculptor Lukas Kuhne. Its cylinders are of different diameters and heights. The smallest is larger than the size of a public phone booth. The largest is a soaring 5.4 meters high. This makes them resonate at different frequencies. Wind blowing past the entrance causes the chamber to hum. But added to that are the resonances of other sounds--the whisper of trees, the patter of rain and the chirping of birds--all of which are heard differently by a person listening inside. Kuhne is a serial sound artist. He has built works in Estonia, Finland and Iceland. His Japan project got rolling after he spoke to Japanese enthusiasts at an arts festival overseas. The person who put him in touch with a prospective host community was Shin Nakagawa, a professor of ethnomusicology at Osaka Metropolitan University. Nakagawa knows Totsukawamura well. He has researched the village's Bon festival dance for the past 45 years. Kuhne asked to be put in touch, whereupon Nakagawa identified a community within the village that might be suitable. The project appeared to get a green light when local leaders wrote a letter of agreement. But it ran into opposition from some residents and from environmental activists from outside the community. They were concerned about the impacts of both building a concrete structure near a renowned scenic spot and having streams of visitors coming to see it. 'Not in my backyard' was their answer. But three years later, a solution was found. Takuo Tamaki, the leader of the tiny Taketo neighborhood, saw an opportunity for his neighbors. 'I thought that hosting the artwork might bring visitors to our declining community,' he said. Taketo is home to only 12 households with 18 residents in total. Tamaki said their average age is over 70. In 2020, the next hurdle was passed: the purchase of the land from a private owner with donations made to an association based in Taketo. Then it suffered another setback when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Construction finally began in 2024 and was completed within the year. It involved collaboration between a local construction company and a crew of 10 engineers from an Estonian company that specializes in concrete architecture. The Estonian company picked up a large part of the 20 million yen ($135,000) cost of construction, including the costs for materials and transportation. What do visitors think? Mizuki Endo, a curator of contemporary art who has been involved in Kuhne's project from the start, said "Onkai" can be interpreted in many ways. 'It can be taken as architecture, sculpture, musical instrument or public art,' he said. '(It is) something you cannot categorize in one way or another, and opposition to it, in a sense, was understandable.' Nakagawa said the future of "Onkai" will depend on how it is used and received. He thinks it is valuable for three reasons: the engineering perspective of architectural technique; its esthetic value based on its appearance; and its social value in terms of generating a positive impact on locals and their neighborhood. 'Right now, its social value is zero,' he said. 'But it will go up if it is used as a venue for gatherings and events so that people can interact with each other.' The inauguration in June involved several events, including local drummers, ancient traditional dance, professional dancers and sound artists. And that was what Tamaki hoped for. 'This is the first time for us to see a crowd as large as this in the past 40 to 50 years,' he said.
