1. Second Anniversary—Aug. 6, 1947
April, 1947 - First Post-War Election: Shinso Hamai was
elected mayor by popular vote.
Mayor Hamai established the Hiroshima Peace Festival
Association (Mayor’s Office, Chamber of Commerce, NHK
Hiroshima) and decided to hold a Peace Festival on August
6 every year to demonstrate the “Spirit of Hiroshima.”
(The generic name of this ceremony had been the 'Peace
Memorial Ceremony' since 1965. However, its name was
changed to 'Peace Memorial Ceremony' in 1975.

2. Second Anniversary—Aug. 6, 1947
City declared August 6 declared an official holiday
Two main events: 1) Peace Ceremony and Memorial Service
2) Peace Festival plus side-events
Mayor rang Peace Bell brought from Etajima Naval
Academy and read Peace Declaration
Camphor trees planted; doves released
Peace Festival sponsored costume parade, floats, stages for
song and dance (Chamber of Commerce wanted a festive
atmosphere to revive economy)

3. Mayor Hamai reads Peace Declaration

4. Note from Gen. MacArthur
Aug 6, 1947
“The atomic bomb has given a new meaning to war. The suffering
of Hiroshima serves as a warning to all people everywhere. That is
to say, a warning that the ability to harness the power of nature for
war will quickly develop until we have the power to annihilate
humankind and destroy all its structures. Please God, do not let us
ignore this warning.”

5. Emperor Showa Visits Hiroshima
December, 1947

6. Third anniversary—Aug. 6, 1948
Mayor Hamai’s Peace Declaration: 'We
pray in sincerity that there may never be
another Hiroshima in any part of the
world,” written on the Peace Tower in huge
letters.

7. Hiroshima Peace Memorial City
Construction Law-Aug 6, 1949
A “special law” under Article 95 of the Constitution
Designed to promote Hiroshima’s recovery after its
destruction by the atomic bomb
The law “aims at the construction of Hiroshima as a Peace
Memorial City, a symbol of the ideal of making lasting peace
a reality.”
Made all reconstruction plans a part of Peace Memorial City
Construction Plan.
Reconstruction projects could move forward with grants of
money and property formerly owned by military.

8. Bell of Peace--1949
Original bell was taken by military during World
War II. Empty bell tower was among very few
wooden structures to survive A-bomb on August 6,
1945. Replacement "Bell of Peace" installed in
1949 hanging under a beam cracked by the A-
bomb blast.

9. Peace Memorial Park—1952
In 1949, with enactment of the Hiroshima
Peace Memorial City Construction Law, it was
decided that the entire Nakajima District
would be devoted to "peace memorial
facilities.”
The park covers approximately 122,100 square
meters.
It was designed by Kenzo Tange, a professor at
Tokyo University.

10. Peace Memorial Park-2

11. Peace Memorial Park--today
“Memorial Monument for Hiroshima, City of Peace.”
Inscribed "Let all the souls here rest in peace, for we shall
not repeat the evil." "The stone chest in the center holds the
registry of the names of persons who died from the
bombing, regardless of nationality.

12. Peace Bridge--1953
The railings of Heiwa-ohashi Bridge and Nishi-heiwa-
ohashi Bridge, just east of Peace Memorial Park. were
designed by world-renowned Japanese-American
sculptor Isamu Noguchi.

13. Peace Memorial Bridge, detail
Bridge rails were designed to resemble the rising sun

14. Peace Boulevard/Heiwa Odori

15. Peace Memorial Museum-1955
In September 1949, "the A-bomb Reference Material Display
Room" was established in the Hiroshima City Central
Community Center. This was the start of the public display of
atomic bomb materials.
Under the "Hiroshima Peace Memorial City Construction
Law," which was promulgated that year, the Peace Memorial
Hall was opened in June 1955 and the Peace Memorial
Museum in August 1955.
On July 5, 2006, the Main Building of the Peace Memorial
Museum was designated one of the important cultural assets of
Japan. This is the first cultural asset from among buildings
constructed in the post war period.

16. Children’s Peace Monument-- 1958