The construction of Japan's image. An approach to the spaces for memory in its peace culture and in bosai culture

Abstract

Japan has incorporated into its cultural heritage museums, monuments, and memorials whose purpose is to preserve memories, teach, and warn about the dangers of natural and human-made disasters. Suffering the effects of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II has created a collective consciousness with a clear focus on peace culture. Furthermore, due to its geographical location, the survival of the Japanese people from time immemorial has depended on their ability to prepare for natural disasters, learn from these painful experiences, and transmit this knowledge from generation to generation. This has generated a unique disaster risk prevention culture known as bosai culture. Through exploratory qualitative research based on unstructured observation, this article analyzes Japan's transmission of disaster memories through its cultural heritage. To do so, it explores the purpose of various monuments, museums, and memorials related to World War II and socio-natural disasters. The article concluded that, while disasters cause physical devastation and psychological trauma, they also create spaces for reflection and renewal.