The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Reminds Us of the Horrors of War

Hiroshima deserves to be so much more than a reminder. Best known to history for being largely razed to the ground by the indiscriminate power of the first atomic bomb 80 years ago, you’re probably picturing a dried-up Fallout-like wasteland. At least, I did before I went as a kid. In reality, Hiroshima’s a lush, verdant, lively city with loads of character, natural beauty, and culture, and one of my favorite cities that I’ve been to. Still, the symbolism its history holds is powerful and necessary. Going there as a 16-year-old reshaped my worldview thanks to the city’s framing of what happened on August 6, 1945. A recent return visit reinforced that it’s a necessary stop for anyone planning a visit to Japan, even just for a day or two. And Hiroshima’s Peace Memorial Museum is one of the main reasons why.

A sobering testament to the horrors of war and the nuclear bomb, the museum challenged a lot of what I thought I knew about the bomb within the context of the war, making an effort to teach holistically. I can’t speak for every American, but I distinctly remember the conversations and debates about the bomb’s validity in my high school history classes. Some of my classes even had graded debates about whether it was a justifiable, measured act of war or a flagrant disregard for human life that would be considered a war crime if it happened today. This removed, intellectual wheel spinning blurs the fact that it’s only been 80 years; millions of people around the world today were alive when the bomb dropped.

The matter-of-fact presentation of artifacts that survived the blast is clear, concise, and harsh in its honesty. Glass bottles that melted and warped together, lunch boxes holding carbonized food, and walls perforated by millions of tiny glass shards from a window broken by the blast carry a sense of tangibility and reality that helps to set the stage for the human toll of it all.

The Human Shadow Etched in Stone is an outline of someone vaporized sitting on the steps of a bank while waiting for it to open. It’s a horrifying sight, but one that forcefully echoes just how inhumane this event was. But the museum isn’t just dedicated to remembering lives lost in the blast, but also the broken families, the orphaned children, and the people who contracted all manner of fatal diseases caused by the blast. What makes the Peace Memorial Museum special isn’t just its insistence on removing the barrier between the past and present—that’s what any great museum would do, after all.

Instead, it takes full advantage of how recent the bombing actually is. Well-preserved artwork, recordings, testimonials, and photographs tell tales of deadly black rain and limbs melting off bodies. The artwork you’ll find here is perhaps the most cutting; removed from the objective camera, seeing the scars left by the bombing made manifest through brushstrokes tells a more personal story, one that more accurately survives translation.

But this museum is more than a window into what was. It doesn’t mince any words in its message that peace is the most important cause of our time. In fact, a significant portion of the museum is dedicated to highlighting the importance of denuclearization with timelines detailing the proliferation of nuclear weapons after the war as well as treaties and regulations limiting them. They all shine the spotlight on the major players that continue to stockpile nuclear weapons while advocating for denuclearization and lasting peace.

But the education doesn’t stop once you leave the museum. The Nuclear Bomb Dome, the closest building to the hypocenter to largely survive the blast, stands at the opposite end of the park. This tangible reminder of the bomb’s carnage is surprisingly tall. It’s also one of Hiroshima’s most recognizable landmarks. And standing across the street from it is Orizuru Tower.

Built by Tetsuya Matsuda, the current CEO of Mazda, Orizuru Tower’s placement across from the Peace Park is a perfect way to end a trip to this museum. It’s a bit expensive, but a trip to its top floors provides a great view. The wooden interior and soft lighting of the observation deck facing Peace Park’s memorials feels pensive and deliberately designed to encourage reflection after a visit to the museum and park.

Again, Hiroshima as a city deserves so much more attention than simply as a symbol. I’ve fallen in love with this city thanks to its amazing people, food, culture, and beauty, but this museum is a must. And with so many people traveling to Japan right now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t sing its praises. Yes, this is a harrowing experience, but with our nation’s leadership seemingly always on the brink of some kind of war (or funding one, at the very least), it’s imperative to remember the human cost so we don’t repeat the same mistakes. Hiroshima’s Peace Museum and Park remind us that it shouldn’t take 80 years and a museum to realize that everyday people regularly pay the price for war.

Charlie Wacholz is a freelance writer. When he’s not playing the latest and greatest indie games, competing in Smash tournaments or working on a new cocktail recipe, you can find him on Twitter at @chas_mke.