Dancing for Peace – The Silent Message of the Hiroshima Ondo

The Bon-Odori in Hiroshima is more than a traditional summer dance

It commemorates the victims of the atomic bombing of August 6, 1945, and at the same time carries a profound message of peace. Particularly impressive is the "Hiroshima Ondo," in which the dancers clap their hands only once.

This symbolic gesture expresses the wish that an atomic bomb will never be dropped again and that a tragedy like that of Hiroshima will never be repeated anywhere in the world.

Like the Hiroshima Ondo, many traditional arts and folk songs from Hiroshima impressively demonstrate how the experience of being a city affected by the atomic bomb and the hope for peace are woven into the culture. Through music and dance, memories of the war and the importance of peace are not only preserved but also tangibly passed on—a collective memory that must never be forgotten.

That's why I wrote this blog—to share this important message with the world as part of introducing Japanese culture.
I wish for a world full of peace – without war, without suffering, and with mutual respect.