Since the early 2000s, three Japanese and Japanese American organizations in New York—the Hiroshima Kenjin-kai, the Battenkai / Nagasaki Kenjin-kai, and the Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York—have collaborated annually to organize public events commemorating the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These events, held in early August each year, aim to honor the memory of those lost, share the testimony of survivors, and promote peace, reconciliation, and nuclear disarmament through interfaith and intercultural dialogue.

The Hiroshima Kenjin-kai of New York, composed of immigrants and descendants from Hiroshima Prefecture, plays a central role in coordinating these memorials. Under the leadership of Mitchie Takeuchi, daughter of a Hiroshima hibakusha and producer of The Vow from Hiroshima, the organization has worked to elevate the voices of atomic bomb survivors (hibakusha) and engage younger generations. Survivors such as Tomiko Morimoto West have shared their testimonies during these gatherings, while films and educational programs have provided additional context to audiences unfamiliar with the human cost of the bombings.

Alongside them, the Battenkai / Nagasaki Kenjin-kai, representing New Yorkers with ties to Nagasaki, ensures that the experience and memory of Nagasaki are not overlooked. Though smaller in scale, the Battenkai’s members actively contribute to peace events, often offering readings, musical tributes, or participating in ritual observances on August 9, the anniversary of the Nagasaki bombing.

Both kenjin-kai groups work in close partnership with the Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York, led by Rev. Dr. T. Kenjitsu Nakagaki, a Jodo Shinshu Buddhist priest and longtime peace activist. Rev. Nakagaki began organizing interfaith Hiroshima/Nagasaki services in the 1990s, and since founding the Heiwa Foundation in 2018, he has helped transform these commemorations into deeply moving, inclusive events. Ceremonies have been held at venues such as Riverside Church, the Japan Society, and local Buddhist temples, often incorporating Buddhist chanting, Christian and Jewish prayers, Islamic readings, peace music, origami crane offerings, and floating lantern ceremonies.

These events are not only memorials but also acts of education and community-building. Programs typically include testimony from hibakusha or their descendants, presentations on nuclear disarmament efforts, documentary film screenings, and intergenerational workshops.

Together, the Hiroshima Kenjin-kai, Battenkai / Nagasaki Kenjin-kai, and Heiwa Foundation have sustained a meaningful platform for peace advocacy rooted in lived experience. Their continued collaboration affirms the transformative power of remembrance, not as a passive act of mourning, but as a call to action. By fostering cross-cultural understanding and interfaith solidarity, these efforts help ensure that the legacies of Hiroshima and Nagasaki contribute to a more peaceful and just future.

References

• The Vow from Hiroshima: https://thevowfromhiroshima.com

• Hiroshima Kenjin-kai of NY (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/groups/HiroshimaNewyork

• Battenkai / Nagasaki Kenjin-kai (official site): https://www.battenkai.com/

• Heiwa Peace and Reconciliation Foundation of New York: https://heiwafoundation.org

• 31st Annual Interfaith Peace Gathering 2024 (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2ITH8Hny8I