Does tourism illuminate the darkness of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Tourism at UNESCO World Heritage Sites like Hiroshima's Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) serves dual purposes: commemorating atomic bomb victims and promoting cultural heritage. A study reveals that while both Hiroshima and Nagasaki leverage tourism for educational remembrance, they differ in their approaches—Hiroshima emphasizes traditional Japanese culture and tragedy, whereas Nagasaki presents itself as a multicultural hub. The research, using interviews with government officials and analysis of tourism materials, identifies two key themes: tourism-education and war-peace, both deeply rooted in historical context. This duality underscores the tension between preserving memory and fostering contemporary identity in post-war Japan.

Yoshida, K., Bui, H. T., & Lee, T. J. (2016). Does tourism illuminate the darkness of Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 5(4), 333–340. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jdmm.2016.06.003