It is a hot summer afternoon, and I stroll through Hoshima’s Peace Park. It is relatively calm: several visitors read plaques, stand still to look at monuments or listen to a tour guide.
All of a sudden, I hear a bell ringing. A calm yet clear sound makes its way through the park. This way, I learned about the Bell of Peace, situated close to the river and opposite the Peace Memorial of Hiroshima. (https://www.pcf.city.hiroshima.jp/virtual/map-e/irei/tour_08_e.html )
This bell3 symbolizes the desire for peace and the removal of all nuclear wars and weapons from the world. Any person can share this message again, symbolized by ringing this bell.
Toll the bell
Visitors climb the stairs calmly and take their turn to toll it. Just before it’s my turn, a mother and son (at least, that’s what I assume) give it a go. That is, the son has several attempts to toll it for the sound and message and to record it well on video. You want to ensure this message is well recorded so you can share it on your socials or show it to your friends. And Japan isn’t close by for most of us. So you better record it well right now.
However, the several attempts look a bit trite. After all, is it about ringing the bell at this moment and sharing the message that nuclear attacks (such as Hiroshima and Nagasaki) should never happen again, or is it about your recording and possible likes and messages such as “You’re so right” and “100%”? As it turns out, the third attempt was a charm, as the mother and son walked away afterwards, hopefully pleased with the video.
I don’t manage to visit the museum the same day. Instead, I decide to see it the next morning. It is a wise choice, as the museum visit takes some time. More importantly, the exhibition informs the visitors about many important aspects.
Of course, it shows the impact and speed of the bomb when exploding above Hiroshima. But it has a strong focus on the cruel eradication of so many people (not only locals). Afterwards, the exhibition explains what the effects meant to those who survived. Many got ill later on and passed away relatively young. The last part of the exhibition shows the global efforts to decrease, if not remove, nuclear weapons. Somehow, it’s a hopeful message.
Dark Tourism
It is an exhibition that impresses visitors and provides food for thought. Dark tourism may not be each person’s cup of tea. However, such visits add a meaningful aspect to my journeys. A holiday is about careless relaxation and learning about the local culture. I won’t travel to a destination for dark tourism, but if it is part of the local/regional history, then I’m very interested in it.
Visiting sites such as Auschwitz and Chernobyl left impressions that I’ll remember for the rest of my life, and so does visiting Hiroshima. The park and museum show what humans can do to each other but also provide a meaningful and hopeful lesson: we can do better!
Travel tip
So, if you visit Japan and pass by Hiroshima (or Nagasaki), visit the museum and park. It will be a meaningful visit for sure. And if you see the Bell of Peace, ring it; if you want to record it for your socials, share this video with as many people as possible. Not for your likes but to share this message: atrocities like this one should never happen again!
As the plaque states:
“May it ring to all corners of the earth to meet the ear of every man. For in it throb and palpitate the hearts of peace-loving donors. So may you, too, friends. Step forward, and toll this bell for peace”
