12-year-old from Hiroshima is sharing his family’s story and guiding visitors toward understanding
Shun Sasaki, a 12-year-old sixth grader from Hiroshima municipal Gion Elementary School, is preparing for a moment that will go down in history. On August 6, the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, he will stand before an audience and read the Children’s Commitment to Peace alongside another student.
His connection to this day runs deep. Shun’s great-grandmother, Yuriko, was a hibakusha—a person who survived the atomic bomb in Hiroshima or Nagasaki. Yuriko was just 12 when the bomb exploded. She was trapped under her ruined house but was saved by her father. They fled to safety, but the effects of the bombing followed her for life. She later developed cancer and passed away at 69. Her name is now recorded in the register of A-bomb victims.
Shun learned her story from his grandfather and reflected, “I never thought there’d be a hibakusha in my family. It was a shock to know someone close to me experienced the tragedy.” He added, “Now that I know, I must share it.”
Shun has been volunteering as an English-speaking guide at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park since 2021, talking to visitors from around the world. His English skills began developing when he started listening to learning materials at just seven months old. By age 4, he was speaking his thoughts in English.
When greeting visitors, Shun explains the significance of the Atomic Bomb Dome and why the city keeps it as a reminder of the past. In July, after telling a foreign family about the Dome, a man tried to give him money. Shun refused, saying, “Time is money” and instead gave them paper cranes, asking them to share what they had learned.
Through his guiding, Shun has met people whose perspectives have changed because of his stories. An American tourist once told him he had rethought his views on nuclear weapons after hearing Yuriko’s experience. A Dutch visitor also said he learned something new. Shun reflected, “I learned that when I’m guiding, people’s hearts can be moved.”
He also thinks deeply about today’s world, saying the wars happening now are “really scary. Wars happen because people can’t accept differences in other countries’ cultures and ways of thinking. Even in daily life I guess it’s important to search for the good in other people, not just the bad things.”
Chosen from over 10,000 sixth graders, Shun is determined to make his peace message meaningful. “Many people don’t know the true nature of the tragedy. Rather than what’s right or wrong, I want people to know the facts.”
Shun’s story is inspiring because it shows how even one young person can make a big impact on the world. By sharing his family’s experience and guiding visitors, he is helping people from all over understand the importance of peace. His words remind us that learning from the past and respecting each other’s differences are key steps to preventing future tragedies.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/GTkzC_q7Kwo?si=S3PDOBV4LemBiZMO
- https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20250716/p2a/00m/0na/021000c
- https://app.pictory.ai/
- https://chatgpt.com/
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