Commemorating Victory Day

While some Rhode Islanders have the second Monday of every August off to commemorate Victory Day, Japan comes together for a Peace Memorial Ceremony every August 6. The event is held at Cenotaph for the A-bomb Victims (Memorial Monument for Hiroshima, City of Peace) in Hiroshima’s Peace National Park. The goal of this memorial is to honor the dead, provide comfort for victims of the atomic bomb, and provide a prayer for lasting peace in the world.

This year’s ceremony is expected to be their biggest ever, as they are expecting representatives from 110 different countries, beating out the current record of 101 set in 2015. 7,000 seats will be prepared for attendees (the past few years have been significantly lower due to Covid-19), with another 2,200 seats available for a live broadcast viewing at the International Conference Center Hiroshima.

There is an evening ceremony in addition to the one that takes place earlier in the day. The ‘lantern floating ceremony’ started soon after the end of World War II with survivors of the atomic bomb, along with those mourning lost friends and relatives, floating handmade lanterns down the Motoyasu River. The lanterns are lit and filled with messages of peace.

The Peace Memorial Ceremony takes place at the Genbaku Dome (formerly Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotional Hall, built in 1914), which was the only structure still standing near the hypocenter after the explosion of the atomic bomb. Many people have worked hard to preserve the building in the same state as it was immediately after the bombing. The building stands as a reminder that mankind can be destructive but also the hope for peace that most people yearn for.

“The atomic places were horrific and made me ashamed to be human,” says current Japanese resident Matthew Rowles. “The Peace Museum shows photos, memories of survivors and artifacts from the bombing. I’ve watched the ceremony on the news and think it is a great occasion. Some would argue the museums present Japan as victims of WWII, but I felt they are there to show the devastating effects of atomic weapons and the harm they caused to civilians, women, children and animals. They are there to encourage the world to never use them again. While shocking and saddening, this is necessary for Japanese and foreigners alike to witness and learn about.”