Memory Will Fade Without a Means to Convey It

2045 — the year marking the 100th anniversary of the atomic bombing. What should be happening in Hiroshima during that year? No one has the answer yet. However, the movement to create a ‘vessel’ for that answer has already begun.

The Hiroshima City-established ‘100th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing Town Development Council’, the peace memorial ceremony expected to see representatives from a record 127 countries, and the introduction of a reservation system at the Atomic Bomb Museum — when these seemingly separate initiatives are lined up, a single structure emerges. There is a quiet redesign underway, shifting memory from ‘those who hold it’ to ‘a means of conveying it’.

The average age of atomic bomb survivors has surpassed 87. The era when those who can share their testimonies will no longer be around is no longer a distant future. Memory will fade without a means to convey it. So, who is designing that means?

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The Council — A Space to Transform ‘Voices’ into ‘Structures’

In 2025, Hiroshima City held the ‘100th Anniversary of the Atomic Bombing Town Development Council’. Mayor Kazumi Matsui, along with 12 participants including atomic bomb survivors, citizens, and experts, discussed the expansion of exhibitions at the Atomic Bomb Museum as a primary agenda.

What is noteworthy is that this council is not merely a space for exchanging opinions; it is designed to discuss concrete policy directions. Reports indicate that voices from the survivors expressed that “if the quality and quantity of the exhibits are not enhanced, the events of that day will not be conveyed.” This statement reflects a resolve to consider the time after they can no longer speak.

During the discussions, proposals were considered for digitally archiving survivors’ testimonies and introducing interactive exhibits that allow visitors to experience the moment of the bombing. Reports suggest that the budget for expanding the exhibitions is expected to be around 1 billion yen in the initial stages. However, this figure is merely a rough estimate at this point and will be scrutinized further in future council discussions and the city’s budget formulation.

Let’s pause for a moment to reflect. It is not the magnitude of the 1 billion yen figure that matters, but rather the design of the circuit that asks, “Whose voices are being transformed into what structures?” As long as the memories of survivors are shared as personal experiences, they will end with those individuals’ lives. The task of transferring those memories into the ‘vessel’ of exhibitions is an act that alters the very nature of memory. How much of the warmth of their living voices can be preserved within the structure — that is where the quality of the design is questioned.

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127 Countries in Attendance — The Function of the Ceremony as a ‘Diplomatic Device’

The peace memorial ceremony scheduled for August 6 is expected to see representatives from a record 127 countries. This increase in international attention is attributed to the G7 Hiroshima Summit in 2023, but rather than focusing solely on the numbers, I want to highlight the ‘function’ this ceremony serves.

The peace memorial ceremony has functioned not only as a place of mourning but also as a venue for international expression regarding nuclear weapons. The number of participating countries reflects the international situation of that year. Since the entry into force of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW), the attitudes of nuclear-armed countries and their allies towards the ceremony are read as diplomatic signals. The figure of 127 countries indicates that Hiroshima functions both as a ‘place of memory’ and as a ‘diplomatic device’.

However, there is a structural tension here. The serenity of a place of mourning and the political nature of a diplomatic venue do not always align. For the Hiroshima City officials involved in organizing the ceremony, reconciling these two demands within a single space remains an annual design challenge. While the preparation and operation of the ceremony incur significant costs, the detailed breakdown of these expenses can only be partially confirmed from publicly available information. What is crucial is not the amount of money involved, but rather, “Who does this space serve?” — how effectively it functions as a circuit to convey the thoughts of the survivors to the international community.

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Reservation System — Designing for ‘Quality of Experience’ Rather than ‘Tourist Flow’

The introduction of a reservation system at the Atomic Bomb Museum is driven by a recent surge in visitor numbers. The number of visitors in 2023 reached approximately 1.98 million, setting a new record. Particularly during the summer and Obon periods, long lines have formed for entry, making it difficult for visitors to thoroughly engage with the exhibits due to overcrowding.

At first glance, the introduction of a reservation system appears to be a rational measure to manage tourist flow. However, the essence of this initiative lies not in ‘streamlining tourist flow’ but in ‘designing for the quality of experience’. The Atomic Bomb Museum is not a tourist facility; it is a space dedicated to conveying the reality of the bombing. The experience of flowing past exhibits in a crowded environment differs greatly from the experience of quietly confronting each artifact and photograph.

By controlling the number of visitors allowed in at one time through the reservation system, each visitor is afforded the time to engage in dialogue with the exhibits. This is a design change that enhances the precision of the ‘means to convey memory’. As of now, Hiroshima City has not released official figures regarding the costs associated with the introduction and operation of the reservation system. However, reservation systems have already become common in major museums and galleries both domestically and internationally, and there is a wealth of technical knowledge available. The issue is not technical but rather the shared understanding of “What is the purpose of the reservation system?”.

An increase in visitor numbers is, in itself, a sign that the memory of Hiroshima is spreading. However, if the result of this increase is a dilution of the memory conveyed to each individual, it indicates that the design of the system has not kept pace. The reservation system should be viewed as an attempt to update that design.

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A Single Structure Illustrated by Three Initiatives

The council, the ceremony, and the reservation system — when these three are lined up, a common structure becomes apparent. All of them represent a design to transition the means of transmission that has relied on ‘those who hold memory’ to a ‘vessel for conveying memory’.

The council serves as a space to transform the individual voices of survivors into a permanent structure of exhibitions. The ceremony functions as a diplomatic circuit to convey Hiroshima’s memory to the international community. The reservation system ensures the quality of memory received by each visitor. Though the angles differ entirely, the direction they are heading is the same.

Moreover, it is not only politicians and experts who stand on the public stage that design and operate these three initiatives. The staff organizing the council proceedings, the personnel adjusting the seating arrangements for the ceremony according to diplomatic protocols of each country, and the engineers fine-tuning the specifications of the reservation system — the vessel of memory takes shape through the arrangements made by these behind-the-scenes efforts.

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Future Points of Interest — The ‘Precision’ and ‘Warmth’ of Design

Hiroshima’s initiatives leading up to the 100th anniversary of the bombing are still in the design phase. The following points should be closely monitored moving forward:

How far the discussions in the council translate into concrete policies. It is crucial that the voices of survivors do not end with simply being ‘heard’ but are reflected in the specifications of exhibitions and archives. Addressing the discrepancies between rules and reality is essential.

How to sustain the international function of the ceremony. The figure of 127 countries is a milestone, but memory cannot be conveyed by the number of participating countries alone. Design must consider what actions each country will take after the ceremony.

Whether the reservation system actually leads to an improvement in the ‘quality of experience’. Careful examination of post-implementation data — visitor dwell times, viewing times for each exhibit, changes in visitor surveys — will determine whether the system can be continuously refined.

And one more, the most important question remains. Are these systems truly delivering what the survivors ‘wanted to convey’? No matter how much the precision of the design improves, if the warmth of humanity is not preserved within it, the vessel will remain empty.

Designing a means to convey memory is not a matter of efficiency. It is the work of creating a circuit — albeit a bit clumsy — to deliver someone’s pain to someone they have yet to meet.