Cenotaph for Korean Victims, Hiroshima

The Cenotaph for Korean Victims in Hiroshima is a tribute to a group whose suffering was long overlooked. Tens of thousands of Koreans were living in Hiroshima at the time of the atomic bombing, many of them having been brought to Japan as forced laborers or having migrated there under Japanese colonial rule. A large number were killed immediately or later suffered from injuries and radiation-related illnesses, although the precise number of Korean victims remains uncertain.

The monument also reflects the difficult experiences of Korean survivors after the war. Following Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule, many survivors of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings returned to the Korean Peninsula, where they often faced poverty, discrimination, and limited access to medical care.

Decorated with Korean cultural and national symbols, the cenotaph honors both those who died and those who survived the atomic bombing. It also acknowledges the broader historical context of Japanese colonial rule and the hardships endured by Koreans during that period.

The main inscription reads: “The Monument in Memory of the Korean Victims of the A-Bomb. In memory of the souls of His Highness Prince Yi Wu and over 20,000 other souls.” Another inscription states, “Souls of the dead ride to heaven on the backs of turtles.” This imagery reflects a traditional East Asian belief that turtles symbolize longevity and serve as spiritual messengers between the earthly and heavenly realms.