Hiroshima, Japan
In 1945, with a blast as bright as the sun, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on the Japanese city of Hiroshima. It obliterated its military target. It also killed between 70,000 to 135,000 people and demolished the city, a thriving, well-populated urban center. Survivors withing the blast zone suffered painful, deep radiation burns and lifelong health problem. Despite the destruction, pain, and massive losses, Japan takes a different approach to dark tourism.
Theirs is a message of peace and hope. Jang (2020) says Hiroshima doesn’t consider itself dark tourism. Instead, Hiroshima wants to be considered a “symbol of peace and a place of commemoration.” The idea of ‘dark tourism’ is considered fukushin, inappropriate or indiscreet. The term lacks sympathy and reverence such a tragedy deserves. Visitors to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial museum can see artifacts from the bombing, hear survivor’s tales, and explore peace memorials and exhibits.
