[Held on Tuesday, August 11 (national holiday)] Gathering for Peace ～ Includes a talk by an atomic bomb survivor. As conflicts increase around the world, let’s take this opportunity to reflect on peace.

Every year in Japan, August sees many events related to war and peace, including those marking the atomic bombings and the end of the war.

The author, who is now 46, also belongs to a generation that has never known war. As those who experienced the war grow older, opportunities to hear their firsthand accounts are steadily dwindling.

Against this backdrop, the event “Gathering for Peace,” where visitors can hear now-precious firsthand accounts, including a talk by an atomic bomb survivor, will be held on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (national holiday).

About “Gathering for Peace”

“Gathering for Peace” is an event held at Life Park Kurashiki on Tuesday, August 11, 2026 (national holiday), to reflect on the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace.

• A talk by an atomic bomb survivor
• Screening of “Wish,” a film commemorating Disney’s 100th anniversary
• Magic show

In addition to the events listed above, there will be materials to learn about the history of war and an exhibition of a full-scale model of “Little Boy,” the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Interview with the staff member in charge at Kurashiki City’s General Affairs Division, the event organizer

We spoke with Machi Tanigawa and Megumi Iwamoto of Kurashiki City’s General Affairs Division, which organizes “Gathering for Peace.”

This event is held every year. Could you tell us how “Gathering for Peace” came to be planned?

Tanigawa (honorifics omitted)

Eighty-one years have passed since the end of the war, and the number of storytellers who know what happened at the time is dwindling year by year. The reality is that children are also gradually losing awareness of war.

In these circumstances, we hope that through the experience of hearing firsthand accounts, people will feel “how difficult the war was” and “how important it is to preserve the peace we now take for granted.”

Kurashiki City also strongly recognizes the importance of peace education initiatives. We hold this event to give as many people as possible an opportunity to think about war and peace.

What are the highlights and features of this event, and who would you like to see attend?

Iwamoto (honorifics omitted)

The highlight is a talk about the atomic bombing experience by a member of the Kurashiki Branch of the Okayama Prefecture Atomic Bomb Survivors Association, an affiliated organization of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers, which received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024.

We will hear directly from someone who was exposed to the atomic bombing in Hiroshima about the horrors of war and the preciousness of peace. This is an extremely valuable opportunity to hear firsthand accounts that cannot be learned from textbooks alone, so we hope that parents and children will attend together and continue the conversation at home, using it as an opportunity to reflect on the importance of peace.

In addition to these serious themes, there will also be a magic show with a message of peace and a film screening.

Also, as part of the city’s peace initiative “Anne Frank’s Journey,” 57 elementary and junior high school students recently visited the Holocaust Education Center, Japan in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture. An exhibition of panels reflecting on “what we can do” will showcase what they learned, so we hope you will take a look and get a sense of the children’s thoughts.

Holocaust Education Center, Japan — A place that shares hopes for peace with children through the history of tragedy – Bingo Tocotoco

Since opening in 1995, the Holocaust Education Center, Japan has focused on peace education for children. Its exhibits include precious items donated by people connected to the Holocaust, sharing a history of sorrow and a message of peace…

Bingo Tocotoco

Do you have a message for our readers?

Tanigawa

When people hear the word “war,” many inevitably picture something frightening or feel reluctant to attend an event about it.

However, this event is not just about showing the “horror” of war. It is full of ways to think about peace while having fun, including a film and a magic show.

So rather than worrying that it might be frightening, we would be delighted if you came to the venue looking forward to it.

Iwamoto

Through talks by atomic bomb survivors and films, this event helps children from generations who have never known war consider just how important peace is and how to pass that message on.

It is an opportunity to make summer vacation memories while also learning about the importance of a peaceful society. Please join us on August 11.

From the Writer

When I was a child, August brought many television programs that encouraged people to think about war. To put it bluntly, there were plenty of opportunities to see them whether you wanted to or not.

Today, however, advances in information and communications technology make it easy to access the information we like, and I imagine that unless we actively seek it out, we have fewer chances to encounter it. Meanwhile, in recent years, wars outside Japan have not decreased; if anything, they have increased.

Peace in Japan is not something we can take for granted

As the number of storytellers declines, I feel that events encouraging people to think about peace are more important than ever.

Why not visit Life Park Kurashiki on August 11 and take some time to think about war and peace?

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