An era without hibakusha: keeping the memories of war and nuclear bombs

Hibakusha are victims of nuclear bombings, often used to refer to those who have experienced the nuclear explosions of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Like the worry of preserving history when the last Holocaust victims pass away, Hiroshima faces a problem: as the era without hibakusha approaches, how will it continue to preserve their memories?

Currently, Hiroshima and Nagasaki have extensive documentation and steadfast communities of volunteers backing the efforts to help us recall these memories. However, the human race is a forgetful species, prone to repeat its mistakes. Are we doing enough to ensure future generations will understand tragedies that should not happen? If not, what can we do about it?

To help us discover the underlying gaps and possible solutions, Zenbird Media spoke to Hiroshima Peace Volunteer Kazumi Kuwahara and A-bomb Legacy Successor Shiho Nabara. We explore the current awareness trends in Japan and find out what we can do to preserve Hiroshima’s message against nuclear weapons and prayer for world peace.

The storytellers of Hiroshima – preserving the memory of the nuclear bombing

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum was established in August 1955 and is perhaps one of the most impressive museums in Japan. It is a must-visit as the exhibition is comprehensive and easy to understand, bringing the visitor through an emotional ride of loss from the bombing and the suffering from nuclear radiation that followed. Periodic special exhibitions make it worthy for revisits. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park also displays multiple memory points, including the Atomic Bomb Dome, a sight that many are familiar with.

Of course, the many learning opportunities don’t end there, but the most impressive is the people supporting these opportunities. You can find Hiroshima Peace Volunteers on-site daily, dedicating their time, regardless of the season, to share their knowledge about the various parts of the park. These trained volunteers offer their time at least twice a month for a year or longer, dedicating themselves to sharing the story of Hiroshima and the bombing.

You can also listen to A-bomb Legacy Successors (or denshosha) who continue to tell the stories of hibakusha even after they have passed away. A-bomb Legacy Successors go through rigorous three years of training (recently shortened to two). These include learning the background of the bombing and the war in the first year, studying with one of the hibakusha, preparing testimonies, and training with other trainees in the second, and actual lecture training in the final year. There are 149 Successors as of April 2021, and some live outside of Hiroshima Prefecture, like Nabara.

We remember because we wish for peace

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum retraces the events of the day through records of individuals who suffered, including those who suffered the after-effects. Various monuments are also displayed around the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, dedicated to specific groups of victims, like the Children’s Peace Monument and Korean Atomic Bomb Victims Cenotaph.

Of course, these efforts are more than just about the painful memories of and the debate against nuclear weapons. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony is held annually to send prayers not only for the victims, but also for world peace.

Kuwahara: “We cannot let anyone else suffer the same tragedy. Our message is not about Hiroshima’s suffering but about creating a future of peace. Hibakusha are often asked if they abhorred America for dropping the bomb. Their replies were ‘no,’ as they understood that it was the war that brought about the bombing. As human beings, we must find equal grounds for the sake of our blue planet and the next generation who will inherit this earth.”

The thinning memories of the atomic bomb

Every August 6, there is national news broadcast about the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony to pray for the victims of the atomic bombs and world peace. The topic trends on Twitter, special interviews programs are broadcasted on television and radio, and these offer the viewers a reminder to think about the events more than 70 years ago. Most people do not think about the tragedy for the rest of the 364 days. That is not the problem, however.

Kuwahara: “In Hiroshima, residents frequently see news about the remaining hibakusha, and are exposed to the concern about the advent of an era without hibakushas. Even if the topic is not discussed among themselves, the residents have a high awareness of the issue.

“This is not so for residents living outside of Hiroshima. There is less chance to see such news or reminders of the tragedy. Awareness would have fallen over the years. So, an era without hibakushas is not a concern many have.”

Nabara also shares the same concerns, who is currently living in the neighboring Shimane Prefecture.

Nabara: “Historically, there were also Shimane hibakusha, some who traveled to Hiroshima for work and witnessed the atomic explosion. Even though some Shimane residents try to pass on their memories, the population on a whole do not actively participate in related conversations.

“There’s also been a drop in the number of school trips from other prefectures visiting the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Furthermore, the COVID pandemic has made it harder for hibakusha to share their experiences face to face, which is what visiting students want to listen to. As we enter an era without hibakusha, schools may switch to screening footage of their testimonies instead.”

Not about “doing enough,” but about creating peace

We might think that it is natural for memories to fade. However, it is the lesson behind them that matters. It is easy to be complacent if we forget the precious memories and proper lessons.

Kuwahara: “Peace is not something that comes naturally, but requires action. Youths must realize that it is essential to increase our efforts to create a future of peace.”

It is also why Kuwahara thinks hibakusha’s direct sharing of their testimonies are crucial. They can share information, thoughts and feelings beyond the facts. Without these, what we will remember is but a fraction, and less impactful.

However, these are sources available only if one actively searches for them. There are seldom “reminders” outside Hiroshima, or even outside Japan, to reflect on the horrors of nuclear bombs and the maintenance of peace.

There are still many things we can do to preserve the memories

While there are many efforts to pass down the memories of hibakusha, there are still many activities that can be implemented. Nabara suggests education. The fixed sharing sessions by the A-bomb Legacy Successors held twice a day at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum will continue. She also suggests going further to tap on the A-bomb Legacy Successors outside of Hiroshima Prefecture.

Nabara: “There are times when A-bomb Legacy Successors give lectures at staff training at governmental locations like city halls. We can also offer educational opportunities through school trips or family vacations, especially before the hibakushas are no longer here. Successors in those regions can also offer to speak at the schools.

“It is an opportunity to ask Successors questions, like what certain words or phrases mean or why certain actions were taken. Beyond facts, Successors also understand the thoughts and emotions of hibakusha, which becomes essential in building the link between children and the events of Hiroshima.”

Remembering in your unique way

When we hear the accounts from hibakusha, Hiroshima Peace Volunteers or A-bomb Legacy Successors, one of the best things we can do is talk about it with families and friends, even as a light conversation. Kuwahara thinks of this as planting a seed of peace. She also suggests that we can find our unique way of sharing.

Kuwahara: “When I was studying abroad in England, there were peace events initiated by volunteers on August 6. They would meet and fold crane origami. Folding crane origami became the opportunity for people to think about Hiroshima. It also drew out the participants’ wish for peace. The cranes are thus a person’s manifestation of their wish for peace.”

And these manifestations do not only come in the form of paper cranes. For example, Yuuki Tominaga, the granddaughter of the hibakusha Emiko Okada, wants to use dance to convey the memories of Hiroshima and its peace message. And Nagasaki hibakusha, Ogawa Tadayoshi, started a photography project, asking residents to take a photo at 11:02 a.m. every August 9 (the time when the nuclear bomb dropped onto Nagasaki).

Kuwahara: “Different individuals have different ways of sharing. I like talking to people, so I became a Hiroshima Peace Volunteer. There was also a visitor who listened to my sharing, then wrote and broadcasted a radio drama about the story. Not everyone needs to become an activist. Instead, we should find our styles of expression, which create peace on a grassroots level. There is no formula for peace, so start with your self-expression.

“It is also good to find the company of friends who share the same emotions as you. It provides mutual support and motivation. These friends also exist outside of Japan, as other countries also went through painful memories themselves.”

Treasure your friends

As a teacher, Nabara has a suggestion for children, too, as she gets questions about what they can do.

Nabara: “Treasure your friends. Conflicts begin with small fights, like the fights between people of power, which grow into a scale that involves the whole country. War is destructive, some will lose their lives and survivors will live in pain. Victims seek revenge and the cycle continues. So we should not fight or bully others, as it leads to war.”

Many ways to remember, even if it’s just for a summer

What can we do in the approach of the era without hibakusha and in the face of thinning memories? We’ve seen how there is more we can do on both an individual level, a national level and an international level, from self-expressions to education policies. And if you are still wondering what form your action will take, how about seeking out a A-bomb Legacy Successor?

Nabara: “Even as a Successor, I do not think of the Hiroshima bombing every day. You may feel the urge to do something after hearing about it, but it’s okay not to think about the bombing every single day. Think about it once every summer, hold that thought in your heart, and remember what happened in Hiroshima and the experiences of hibakusha.

“Only you can find out what action you can take for Hiroshima and world peace. If you are lost, seek out a Successor, and you might be able to find hints on what to do. We can search for the answer together. So do visit us at Hiroshima or connect with us online.”

Addressing the elephant – nuclear energy

Nuclear energy has found a resurgence in interest in Japan in recent years. There is a debate to restart nuclear energy reactors in Japan, with supporters arguing it as a necessity for the country to go carbon neutral.

On the other hand, there are many arguments against nuclear energy in Japan. Anti-nuclear groups argue that we underestimate its impact on society, how nuclear power is losing importance as an energy mix, and the difficulty in handling nuclear-waste disposal. Another argument is that possessing access to atomic energy leaves the option to weaponize it. There have even been security concerns on top of the safety issues.

Kuwahara: “If we think about climate change, nuclear energy is an attractive energy source that releases zero carbon emission. But the decision to use nuclear energy should go beyond it being a green source or not, and be looked at from multiple aspects. There is still plenty of room for debate.”

Yet, the Japanese government is set on restarting the nations’ reactors. For examples, Shimane City’s mayor has already announced the restart of Shimane-2 Nuclear Power Plant. Nabara shares that Shimane citizens have collected signatories to protest its restart.

Nabara: “When my grandmother shares her experiences as a hibakusha, she would also talk about nuclear energy. With good intention it will be used for energy. But with bad intentions, it will be turned into a weapon. My grandmother believes the world should do without it, and I agree with her. But Japan uses a lot of energy as a developed country. In reality, there will be a shortage without nuclear energy. Japan will still require a lot of resources before it can effectively shift to renewable energy.”

And that is the dilemma that Japan faces. As a country highly dependent on fossil fuels for energy, its delayed progress towards renewable energy has forced itself to tempt with the risks of nuclear energy once again.