FAQ

FAQ

About the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims

  • Q.

    What kind of facility is the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims (hereafter known as Memorial Hall)?

  • A.

    The facility was built in Hiroshima, site of first atomic bombing in human warfare, by the national government to keep a record of the victims of the bombing and pray for lasting world peace, as well as to deepen international understanding of the horrors of the atomic bombing and pass down the memoirs of the survivors to future generations.

    For more details, please see our About the Memorial Hall page.

  • Q.

    What's the difference between the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum (hereafter known as Peace Memorial Museum) and the Memorial Hall?

  • A.

    The Peace Memorial Museum primarily uses materials (materials about the bombing, possessions which belonged to the victims, etc) to convey the realities of the bombing and the necessity of peace, whereas the Peace Memorial Hall primarily uses the thoughts and words of the victims (diaries/memoirs (etc) of the victims/bereaved families) to convey the realities of the bombing and the necessity of peace.

  • Q.

    Are the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and the Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims conected?

  • A.

    While they are both located in Peace Memorial Park, they are separate facilities approximately 180 meters apart.

  • Q.

    Where is the Memorial Hall located?

  • A.

    Please see our General Information.

  • Q.

    Is there a parking lot available for use?

  • A.

    Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and Hiroshima National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims have no parking areas available for public use (with the exception of cars for those with physical disabilities). For those coming by car, please use the public parking facilities available around Peace Memorial Park (fees apply). We recommend using public transportation such as trains and buses when you visit.

  • Q.

    Is there bicycle/motorcycle parking available?

  • A.

    Those coming by bicycle/motorcycle should park in the space available on the south side of the Peace Memorial Museum East Building.

  • Q.

    How much is admission?

  • A.

    Admission is free.

  • Q.

    What are the Memorial Hall opening hours?

  • A.

    Please see our General Information.

  • Q.

    When is the Memorial Hall closed?

  • A.

    Please see the our General Information page.

About our facilities

  • Q.

    Are coin-operated lockers available?

  • A.

    On the Upper Level, we have 12 coin-operated storage lockers available for use (100 yen deposit will be returned to you once you've finished using the locker).

    Small Lockers (8): W346mm x D422mm x H370mm

    Large Lockers (4): W346mm x D482mm x H774mm

    If the lockers are full, or your bags won't fit inside the locker, please inquire at the General Information Desk

  • Q.

    Is there a water fountain?

  • A.

    Two water coolers are available on the Lower Level.

  • Q.

    Are there vending machines with drinks?

  • A.

    No vending machines are available; two water coolers are available on the Lower Level.

  • Q.

    Are food services available?

  • A.

    There are no food services available inside our facility.

  • Q.

    Is there a place to rest if someone suddenly feels ill?

  • A.

    If you feel unwell, please speak to the General Information Desk (Upper Level) or a security guard; they will show you to the Resting Room on the Lower Level.

  • Q.

    Is there a nursing room available?

  • A.

    While we do not have a designated nursing room, we can show you to a room which you can use; please speak to the General Information Desk (Upper Level) or a security guard.

  • Q.

    Do you have a diaper changing station?

  • A.

    Multi-purpose bathrooms equipped with a changing table (for 1 month to 2.5 year olds) are available on the Upper and Lower Levels.

  • Q.

    Do you provide stroller rental services?

  • A.

    We do not provide stroller rental services.

  • Q.

    Do you provide Muslim prayer rooms?

  • A.

    While we do not have a designated prayer room, we can show you to a room which you can use; please speak to the General Information Desk (Upper Level) or a security guard. Note we do not provide prayer rugs or compasses; visitors must bring their own.

  • Q.

    Do you have an AED machine?

  • A.

    AED machines are located near the General Information Desk on the Upper Level.

  • Q.

    Are pets allowed inside?

  • A.

    Pets are not allowed inside.

Questions about barrier-free

  • Q.

    Are assistance dogs for the physically disabled (seeing-eye dogs, etc) allowed inside?

  • A.

    Assistance dogs (seeing-eye dogs, helper dogs, hearing-assistance dogs) are allowed inside.

  • Q.

    Do you have wheelchair-accessible bathrooms available?

  • A.

    Wheelchair-accessible bathrooms are available on the Upper and Lower Levels (Floor Guide).

  • Q.

    Do you have ostomate bathrooms?

  • A.

    Ostomate bathrooms are not available.

  • Q.

    Do you have elevators?

  • A.

    There are two elevators which go from the Ground Floor to the entrance/exit of the Upper Level, and one elevator which goes from the Upper Level to the Lower Level (Floor Guide).

  • Q.

    Are wheelchairs/strollers/mobility carts allowed inside?

  • A.

    Wheelchairs/strollers/mobility carts allowed inside.

  • Q.

    Are wheelchair rental services available?

  • A.

    We have three wheelchairs available to rent, free of charge. Please inquire at the General Information Desk (Upper Level) or ask a security guard.

Information for the hearing impaired

  • Q.

    Are subtitles available for the testimony videos/special exhibitions?

  • A.

    Subtitles are available for all testimony videos/special exhibitions.

About registering/displaying the names/portraits of victims

  • Q.

    Which victims are eligible for registration?

  • A.

    Victims who fulfil the following criteria are eligible for submission:

    (1) Those who were directly exposed to the bombings in Hiroshima or Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945, respectively.

    (2) Those who were exposed to radiation upon entering Hiroshima or Nagasaki within two weeks of the bombing.

    (3) Those who were affected by radiation as a result of involvement in rescue efforts.

    (4) Those who were in utero of women who fall under (1), (2), or (3).

    Note: date of death is irrelevant; Atomic Bomb Survivor Certificate not necessary.

  • Q.

    Who can apply?

  • A.

    In principle, only the bereaved families of deceased victims are allowed to apply.

    To those applying who are not bereaved family members (friends, acquaintances, etc), please consult with the Memorial Hall before applying.

  • Q.

    Where can I find the application form?

  • A.

    One application form is needed for each victim.

    Applications can be found in the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Peace Memorial Halls. It is also possible to mail the application forms to you, if necessary.

  • Q.

    Will you return the portrait to me after submission?

  • A.

    If you would like your photograph returned, please let us know; the Memorial Hall will make a copy and return the original to you.

  • Q.

    Are there any specifications for the portraits (size, period in which it was taken, etc)?

  • A.

    There are no specifications for photos in regards to size, color (black and white or color acceptable), or when they were taken.

  • Q.

    Can group photos also be registered?

  • A.

    If submitting a group photo, please be sure to include a note about which person is the victim (no need to crop the others out of the group photo; the Memorial Hall will scan your photo and trim it to feature the victim).

  • Q.

    I don't have a portrait; is it possible to just register the name of the victim?

  • A.

    It is possible to register their name only.

  • Q.

    Is it possible to register those who didn't pass away in 1945?

  • A.

    Date of death is irrelevant.

  • Q.

    Is proof that they were a victim or their Atomic Bomb Survivor Certificate necessary?

  • A.

    No; Atomic Bomb Survivor Certificate is also not necessary.

  • Q.

    I searched for a family member registered in the Hiroshima City List of Names of the Victims of the Atomic Bombing using your search panel, but nothing came up. Why is that?

  • A.

    Those registered in the Hiroshima City List of Names of the Victims of the Atomic Bombing are not necessarily registered at the Memorial Hall. You must apply for registration using the appropriate form.

  • Q.

    Will the names of those registered be inscribed on a memorial stone?

  • A.

    Names will not be inscribed on a memorial stone. All registered names will be displayed at the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Memorial Halls (except for names which have been asked to remain private).

  • Q.

    How are the registered names/photographs displayed?

  • A.

    The names and photos of the victims are displayed throughout the day on Large Screen Panels, or you can search for them using interactive search panels in the Hiroshima and Nagasaki Memorial Halls.

About the collection/display of atomic bomb memoirs

  • Q.

    What kind of atomic bomb memoirs are you looking for?

  • A.

    We are looking for submissions of the following:

    1) Journal entries, memoirs, letters, etc, written by those who experienced the bombing in Hiroshima or Nagasaki.

    2) Memoirs of the victims of the bombing written by family or friends.

    3) Books or booklets which contain the information listed above.

    For more information, please see our Atomic Bomb Memoirs page.

  • Q.

    What do you do with the donated memoirs?

  • A.

    Donated memoirs will be displayed at the Memorial Hall. They will also be put into a database which visitors can access via our search terminals.

About Special Exhibitions

  • Q.

    Do you sell copies of the special exhibition DVDs?

  • A.

    We do not sell copies of our special exhibition DVDs; we do, however, offer rental DVD services for peace education purposes. They are also available for viewing in the Current Special Exhibitions section, under the Special Exhibitions are Held Throughout the Year section of our website. For more information, please see our Special Exhibitions page.

  • Q.

    Are past video presentations also available?

  • A.

    Past video presentations are available in our Library as well as the Past Special Exhibitions page of the Special Exhibitions are Held Throughout the Year section of our website

Translation to foreign languages

  • Q.

    Do you have leaflets in English or Chinese? What other languages are avaliable?

  • A.

    Leaflets are available in English, Chinese (simplified/traditional), Arabic, Dutch, Filipino, French, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

  • Q.

    Do you have atomic bomb memoirs in English or Chinese? What other languages are avaliable?

  • A.

    Memoirs are available to read in 24 languages:
    Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, English, Filipino, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Urdu, and Vietnamese.

About the Hall of Remembrance

  • Q.

    Who took the panoramic photo in the Hall of Remembrance?

  • A.

    The photo was taken by a US survey group in late October 1945.

  • Q.

    What do the tiles with the Japanese names of towns in the Hall of Remembrance represent?

  • A.

    Underneath the panorama are the names of 226 towns which existed at the time of the bombing. There are 42 levels to the name plates, with 6 levels representing 500 meters of distance; the closer the names are to the lowest level, the closer they were to the hypocenter.

  • Q.

    Is there soil from the time of the bombing in the tiles on the walls of the Slope to the Hall of Remembrance and the walls of the Hall of Remembrance?

  • A.

    The tiles walls of the Slope to the Hall of Remembrance and the walls of the Hall of Remembrance contain soil which was excavated from the soil layer at the time of the bombing during the construction of the Memorial Hall. They have been mixed in with the materials of the walls and appear as little black dots.

About the Library

  • Q.

    Are there book lending services?

  • A.

    We do not provide book lending services.

  • Q.

    Do you provide book copy services?

  • A.

    Copy services for materials in the Memorial Hall Library are available based on the Copyright Act (10 yen per copy/black and white only).

    Note: copy services may not be available for some materials.

Wi-Fi

Radiation

  • Q.

    Should I be worried about the effects of radiation from the tiles that survived the bombing used in the 8:15 Monument or the Stratum Cross-Section?

  • A.

    The current radiation level in Hiroshima and Nagasaki is the same trace amount as anywhere else on the planet (background radiation); there is no effect on the human body whatsoever.

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