The “Hiroshima Letters” Research Group

http://hiroshima-letters.net/

Firsthand accounts of the atomic bombing convey the reality of the devastation and continue to play a vital role in passing on hibakusha experiences to future generations, especially as the number of survivors declines. We created this website to make such personal narratives publicly accessible through a searchable database and to encourage younger generations to engage with, read, and carry forward these stories.

In 2024, the Hiroshima Letters Research Group published Hibakusha Shizuko Abe Speaks, a memoir by Shizuko Abe, who was active from the earliest days of the atomic bomb survivors’ movement and participated in the founding conference of the Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations (Nihon Hidankyo), which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024. Due to the strong interest generated by the publication, we have made the first half of her account available on this website to share it with a wider international audience.

Contact: hifukusho@gmail.com