Honkawa Elementary School Peace Museum, Hiroshima

The Honkawa Elementary School Peace Museum in Hiroshima, Japan, is a significant historical site commemorating the devastating impact of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. The school, located closest to ground zero, lost around 400 students and over 10 teachers, while the building suffered extensive damage. Today, the Peace Museum, managed by the school's PTA and former members, is housed in the basement of the original building. Students actively participate in its maintenance. Each year on August 5, a memorial service honors the victims.

The school is featured in the manga "Barefoot Gen" to preserve its story. Founded in 1873, the school underwent evacuation during WWII but reopened in 1946 with limited resources. Generous donations from All Souls Church helped the school recover. Renamed Hiroshima City Honkawa Elementary School, it became a designated "School of the Peace Memorial City" in 1950. In 1988, a new building was constructed, and part of the old building became the Peace Museum. A memorial for the atomic bomb victims was established in 1998. The museum has attracted thousands of visitors, and a collection of stories related to the bombing was compiled.