This document summarizes the history of Hiroshima's peace memorial ceremonies from 1946 to 1948. It discusses how the first anniversary in 1946 involved a peace restoration festival and moment of silence. It then describes how the second anniversary in 1947 was declared an official holiday by the mayor and included a peace ceremony, memorial service, and peace festival. Finally, it notes that the third anniversary in 1948 continued these traditions and saw Mayor Hamai's declaration written on the new Peace Tower.

1. Facets of Hiroshima
Dr. Ron Klein
Hiroshima Jogakuin University

2. Pre-war Nakajima-cho

3. August 6
o As memorial ceremony?
o As peace festival?
o As local event? national
event? international event?

4. Peace Tower—May, 1946

5. First anniversary—Aug. 5-6, 1946
A “Peace Restoration Festival”
A “Hiroshima Citizens' Rally” for the Restoration
of Peace was held on August 5 at what had
previously been the Gokoku Shrine. Exactly at
8:15 on August 6, sirens were sounded all over the
city. Streetcars, buses and people all stopped
moving and those in offices stood, leaving their
pens and abacuses on their desks, and paid silent
tribute to the victims for one minute.

6. First anniversary-1946

7. 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 the 'Ceremony to Pray for Peace' in 1968 and
again to the 'Peace Memorial Ceremony' in 1975.

8. 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)

9. Mayor Hamai reads Peace Declaration

10. 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.”

11. Emperor Showa Visits Hiroshima
December, 1947

12. 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.