Buddhism and Cultural Heritage in the Memorialization of the Hiroshima Bombing: The Art and Activism of Hirayama Ikuo

Hirayama Ikuo's autobiographical and visual narratives reveal how Buddhism was instrumental in memorializing the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, shaping postwar Japanese identity, public memory, and historical consciousness. His art transformed personal trauma into a call for peace while also advocating for the preservation of Silk Road cultural heritage, linked to Buddhism's spread. The study uses critical heritage approaches to show that this heritagization process does not exclude the sacralization of Silk Road elements. It contextualizes Hirayama’s work within postwar discourses on Japan as a peaceful 'nation of culture' but also problematizes his views by highlighting their similarities to prewar imperialist narratives.

Stortini, P. (2022). Buddhism and Cultural Heritage in the Memorialization of the Hiroshima Bombing: The Art and Activism of Hirayama Ikuo. Religions, 13(2), 146. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13020146