Orizuru Tower, located at 1-2-1 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima, is holding a special program from Thursday, August 6 through Sunday, August 16, as the city marks 81 years since the atomic bombing.
On August 6, the rooftop observatory will host a choral performance by children taking part in the "Hiroshima Ai no Kawa" project, along with the "My Heart Concert" by Takashi and Chiharu Okita.
From August 8 through August 16, the tower will once again hold its annual "Letter from Hiroshima" program, inviting visitors to send a letter to someone important to them ahead of the anniversary of the end of the war.
Singing Toward 2045, a Century After the War
This summer marks 81 years since the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. The average age of hibakusha (atomic bomb survivors) has now passed 86, making it an ever-greater challenge to convey the reality of what happened to the rest of the world. As the voices that have carried these memories for decades grow fewer, new ways of passing them on to the next generation are taking shape.
The "Hiroshima Ai no Kawa" Project
The "Hiroshima Ai no Kawa (River of Love)" project began in 2015, based on a poem written by Keiji Nakazawa, the author of "Barefoot Gen," a few years before his death.
In the poem, Nakazawa described the river he once saw filled with the devastation of the atomic bombing as a "river of love," expressing his wish to leave behind a legacy of human kindness for future generations.
That poem was later set to music, and the song "Hiroshima Ai no Kawa" has since been sung by children every August 6 during the toro nagashi (floating lantern) ceremony. Through it, generation after generation of children have carried forward a wish for peace.
This year, too, the children's voices will be sent out to the world from the rooftop observatory.
August 6 Schedule ("Hiroshima Ai no Kawa")
- Location: Rooftop observatory
- Time: 6:30 PM — "Hiroshima Ai no Kawa" chorus
Official website of the Hiroshima Ai no Kawa project: https://www.ainokawa.com/
A Melody of Peace Beneath Hiroshima's Night Sky and Lantern Light
"My Heart Concert"
Every August 6, the lights of the toro nagashi lanterns can be seen from Orizuru Tower. They carry not only prayers for lives lost, but also quiet hopes and wishes for the future.
On August 6, Orizuru Tower will hold the "My Heart Concert" on its rooftop observatory, bringing a wish for peace to life through music. The performance features Takashi and Chiharu Okita, whose music has been played at numerous events held at Orizuru Tower, including the G7 Hiroshima Summit 2023 Partners Program and Asian qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup. The duo will perform "We Love the Earth from Hiroshima," a song they have played for close to 20 years, sending it out to the world from beneath Hiroshima's sky.
A melody carrying heartfelt wishes will help carry hope into the future.
August 6 Performance Schedule
- Location: Rooftop observatory
- Time: From 8:00 PM
Letter from Hiroshima: Words Carried Into the Future, Overlooking the City
This summer, Orizuru Tower will once again hold a special program ahead of the anniversary of the end of the war.
Every August, people from around the world visit Hiroshima. From the observatory of Orizuru Tower, visitors can look out over the city's green streets — a view that invites them to reflect on the past, consider their present selves, and think of the children who will carry the future forward.
"Letter from Hiroshima" is a special program in which visitors write down what they felt in Hiroshima, or a wish for the future, as a letter sent to someone important to them.
A letter lets you put your thoughts into words while picturing the person it's meant for, leaving something lasting in a tangible form. This summer, too, the hope is that the words of each visitor to Hiroshima will reach someone in the future, across borders and generations.
The postcards feature nine mural designs from the WALL ART PROJECT "2045 NINE HOPES," displayed on the east-side slope wall of Orizuru Tower. The murals were painted by nine artists connected to Hiroshima, each expressing a "wish" for the year 2045 — a century after the war — and together representing the voices of generations ranging from people in their twenties to their nineties.
How to Send Your "Letter from Hiroshima"
Steps
- After entering the observatory, pick up a postcard at the "Orizuru Counter" on the 12th floor.
- Limited to one postcard per person who purchases an observatory ticket.
- Limited quantities available; the campaign ends once postcards run out.
- From Saturday, August 8 through Sunday, August 16, drop your postcard in the box set up in the "Orizuru Plaza" on the 12th floor (mailing both domestically and internationally is possible).
Notes
- You cannot choose the design of your postcard.
- Postcards that have been submitted cannot be returned.
- Delivery dates cannot be specified.
- Orizuru Tower cannot handle letters with no recipient address or that are returned due to an incorrect address.
- If the content of a letter is judged to go against public order and morals, Orizuru Tower may decide not to mail it.
- Postcards may be taken home instead of mailed, but they cannot be mailed afterward.
Sample postcard design (image)
Orizuru Tower Visitor Information
Hours (observatory, gift shop, and cafe): 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM (last entry to the observatory 30 minutes before closing)
- All facilities on August 6: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM (extended hours)
- Gift shop from August 8 to August 15: 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM
Observatory admission: Adults ¥2,200; junior high and high school students ¥1,400; elementary school students ¥900; preschoolers (age 4 and up) ¥600; origami crane fee ¥100
Observatory admission is required to view the events and performances above.
Programs may be canceled without notice. Please check the official website for the latest visitor information.
Address: 1-2-1 Otemachi, Naka-ku, Hiroshima
