11051001 Hiroshima's History: War and Peace

Hiroshima University Syllabus

Japanese

Academic Year 2026Year School/Graduate School Liberal Arts Education Program

Lecture Code 11051001 Subject Classification Peace Science Courses

Subject Name 広島の歴史と戦争・平和

Subject Name
（Katakana）ヒロシマノレキシトセンソウ・ヘイワ

Subject Name in
English Hiroshima's History: War and Peace

Instructor YOKOYAMA TAKASHI

Instructor
(Katakana) ヨコヤマ　タカシ

Campus Higashi-Hiroshima Semester/Term 1st-Year, First Semester, 2Term

Days, Periods, and Classrooms (2T) Mon5-8：IAS K203

Lesson Style Lecture Lesson Style
(More Details) Face-to-face

Credits 2.0 Class Hours/Week 4 Language of Instruction J : Japanese

Course Level 1 : Undergraduate Introductory

Course Area（Area） 23 : Arts and Humanities

Course Area（Discipline） 07 : History

Eligible Students Students who wish to learn about war and peace through the historical approaches of Hiroshima and Hiroshima University.

Keywords Hiroshima, war, peace, history, military city, naval port, atomic bombing, nuclear weapons, memory

Special Subject for Teacher Education 　 Special Subject 　

Class Status within
Liberal Arts Education Peace building lectures
Expected Outcome Students will gain a diachronic understanding of Hiroshima’s history from ancient times to the present and develop the ability to analyze events such as militarization, the atomic bombing, and postwar peace movements from multiple perspectives—regional history, international politics, and social movements.
By analyzing cinematic representations and international images of “Hiroshima,” students will also acquire perspectives for interpreting the formation and transmission of memory, and will be able to situate and examine the region in which they live (Hiroshima University / Saijō) within a historical context.

Class Objectives
/Class Outline This course aims to cultivate the ability to comprehend Hiroshima comprehensively from the perspectives of regional history, military history, international politics, and cultural representation by studying Hiroshima’s history from ancient to modern times.
Building on the historical development of the region in the pre-modern era, its militarization in the modern period, and the history of emigration, the course examines the political background of the atomic bombing, postwar survivors (hibakusha), and anti-nuclear movements, as well as the memory and representation of “Hiroshima” shaped through film and foreign perspectives.

Class Schedule lesson1 Introduction — Overview and regional characteristics of Hiroshima Prefecture
lesson2 Taira no Kiyomori and the World Heritage Site of Itsukushima Shrine
lesson3 Hiroshima and Fukuyama in the medieval and early modern periods
lesson4 The Hiroshima domain and former-domain identity after the Meiji Restoration
lesson5 The 5th Division and the formation of Hiroshima as a military city
lesson6 The Kure Naval District and the development of the naval port city
lesson7 Hiroshima Prefecture as a region of emigrants
lesson8 International politics before and after the atomic bombing
lesson9 Japan’s anti-nuclear and hibakusha movements
lesson10 Hiroshima as seen from abroad
lesson11 Hiroshima in film I
lesson12 Hiroshima in film II
lesson13 The history of Hiroshima University — predecessor schools and institutional development
lesson14 The history of Saijō and the relocation of Hiroshima University
lesson15 Representations of Hiroshima and nuclear weapons; transmission of memory / Conclusion

A written report will be generated.

Text/Reference
Books,etc. A textbook will not be used. Instead, handouts will be distributed during lectures, which will be conducted based on them. Details of the reference materials will be provided in each lecture.

PC or AV used in
Class,etc. Handouts, Audio Materials, Visual Materials, moodle

(More Details)

Learning techniques to be incorporated Quizzes/ Quiz format, Post-class Report

Suggestions on
Preparation and
Review Lesson 1: Grasp the historical characteristics of the Geibi Region.
Lesson 2: Understand the history of the Itsukushima Shrine and how it came to be designated a World Heritage Site.
Lesson 3: Understanding shifts in urban development and regional power from the medieval to early modern periods.
Lesson 4: Understand the continuity of the domain’s history and local identity.
Lesson 5: Examine how militarization has influenced Hiroshima’s urban development.
Lesson 6: Understanding the historical background of present-day Kure and Etajima.
Lesson 7: Understand the global expansion of emigration from the Hiroshima Prefecture.
Lesson 8: Understand the international political context of the atomic bombing.
Lesson 9: Understand the development of anti-nuclear and hibakusha movements.
Lesson 10: Explore how the world has viewed “Hiroshima.”
Lesson 11: Interpret Hiroshima as it is represented in film.
Lesson 12: Observe how Hiroshima is depicted in films.
Lesson 13: Understand Hiroshima University and its predecessor institutions in regional history.
Lesson 14: Examine the characteristics of Saijō as the host of Hiroshima University’s relocation.
Lesson 15: Understand the issues surrounding the transmission of memory and connect them to the final report.

Requirements No prior study of Japanese or world history at the high school or liberal arts level is required.

Grading Method Final report: 80%
Post-lecture minute papers: 20%

Practical Experience

Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it

Message The course is designed so that students can understand the material without prior knowledge of Japanese or world history. However, reviewing high school textbooks deepens comprehension.
Students are encouraged to read any reference works introduced in class that they find interesting and visit the library to explore them.

Other You are required to submit a report entitled "My Approach to Peace" as a common assignment for Peace Science Courses. When you fail to submit the report, the credits will not be awarded.
【Period of the report submission】
The 2nd term course--> from July 6th to July 13th
The 3rd term course--> from October 26th to November 2nd
Night program course--> Follow teachers’ instructions
See the link below for further details.
https://momiji.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/momiji-top/en/learning/kyouyou/peace_science_courses.html
In case the number of registered students exceed the upper limit, a computerized random selection will be carried out.

Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes.
Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

Academic Year	2026Year	School/Graduate School	Liberal Arts Education Program
Lecture Code	11051001	Subject Classification	Peace Science Courses
Subject Name	広島の歴史と戦争・平和
Subject Name （Katakana）	ヒロシマノレキシトセンソウ・ヘイワ
Subject Name in English	Hiroshima's History: War and Peace
Instructor	YOKOYAMA TAKASHI
Instructor (Katakana)	ヨコヤマ　タカシ
Campus	Higashi-Hiroshima	Semester/Term	1st-Year, First Semester, 2Term
Days, Periods, and Classrooms	(2T) Mon5-8：IAS K203
Lesson Style	Lecture	Lesson Style (More Details)	Face-to-face

Credits	2.0	Class Hours/Week	4	Language of Instruction	J : Japanese
Course Level	1 : Undergraduate Introductory
Course Area（Area）	23 : Arts and Humanities
Course Area（Discipline）	07 : History
Eligible Students	Students who wish to learn about war and peace through the historical approaches of Hiroshima and Hiroshima University.
Keywords	Hiroshima, war, peace, history, military city, naval port, atomic bombing, nuclear weapons, memory
Special Subject for Teacher Education		Special Subject
Class Status within Liberal Arts Education	Peace building lectures
Expected Outcome	Students will gain a diachronic understanding of Hiroshima’s history from ancient times to the present and develop the ability to analyze events such as militarization, the atomic bombing, and postwar peace movements from multiple perspectives—regional history, international politics, and social movements. By analyzing cinematic representations and international images of “Hiroshima,” students will also acquire perspectives for interpreting the formation and transmission of memory, and will be able to situate and examine the region in which they live (Hiroshima University / Saijō) within a historical context.
Class Objectives /Class Outline	This course aims to cultivate the ability to comprehend Hiroshima comprehensively from the perspectives of regional history, military history, international politics, and cultural representation by studying Hiroshima’s history from ancient to modern times. Building on the historical development of the region in the pre-modern era, its militarization in the modern period, and the history of emigration, the course examines the political background of the atomic bombing, postwar survivors (hibakusha), and anti-nuclear movements, as well as the memory and representation of “Hiroshima” shaped through film and foreign perspectives.
Class Schedule	lesson1 Introduction — Overview and regional characteristics of Hiroshima Prefecture lesson2 Taira no Kiyomori and the World Heritage Site of Itsukushima Shrine lesson3 Hiroshima and Fukuyama in the medieval and early modern periods lesson4 The Hiroshima domain and former-domain identity after the Meiji Restoration lesson5 The 5th Division and the formation of Hiroshima as a military city lesson6 The Kure Naval District and the development of the naval port city lesson7 Hiroshima Prefecture as a region of emigrants lesson8 International politics before and after the atomic bombing lesson9 Japan’s anti-nuclear and hibakusha movements lesson10 Hiroshima as seen from abroad lesson11 Hiroshima in film I lesson12 Hiroshima in film II lesson13 The history of Hiroshima University — predecessor schools and institutional development lesson14 The history of Saijō and the relocation of Hiroshima University lesson15 Representations of Hiroshima and nuclear weapons; transmission of memory / Conclusion A written report will be generated.
Text/Reference Books,etc.	A textbook will not be used. Instead, handouts will be distributed during lectures, which will be conducted based on them. Details of the reference materials will be provided in each lecture.
PC or AV used in Class,etc.	Handouts, Audio Materials, Visual Materials, moodle
(More Details)
Learning techniques to be incorporated	Quizzes/ Quiz format, Post-class Report
Suggestions on Preparation and Review	Lesson 1: Grasp the historical characteristics of the Geibi Region. Lesson 2: Understand the history of the Itsukushima Shrine and how it came to be designated a World Heritage Site. Lesson 3: Understanding shifts in urban development and regional power from the medieval to early modern periods. Lesson 4: Understand the continuity of the domain’s history and local identity. Lesson 5: Examine how militarization has influenced Hiroshima’s urban development. Lesson 6: Understanding the historical background of present-day Kure and Etajima. Lesson 7: Understand the global expansion of emigration from the Hiroshima Prefecture. Lesson 8: Understand the international political context of the atomic bombing. Lesson 9: Understand the development of anti-nuclear and hibakusha movements. Lesson 10: Explore how the world has viewed “Hiroshima.” Lesson 11: Interpret Hiroshima as it is represented in film. Lesson 12: Observe how Hiroshima is depicted in films. Lesson 13: Understand Hiroshima University and its predecessor institutions in regional history. Lesson 14: Examine the characteristics of Saijō as the host of Hiroshima University’s relocation. Lesson 15: Understand the issues surrounding the transmission of memory and connect them to the final report.
Requirements	No prior study of Japanese or world history at the high school or liberal arts level is required.
Grading Method	Final report: 80% Post-lecture minute papers: 20%
Practical Experience
Summary of Practical Experience and Class Contents based on it
Message	The course is designed so that students can understand the material without prior knowledge of Japanese or world history. However, reviewing high school textbooks deepens comprehension. Students are encouraged to read any reference works introduced in class that they find interesting and visit the library to explore them.
Other	You are required to submit a report entitled "My Approach to Peace" as a common assignment for Peace Science Courses. When you fail to submit the report, the credits will not be awarded. 【Period of the report submission】 The 2nd term course--> from July 6th to July 13th The 3rd term course--> from October 26th to November 2nd Night program course--> Follow teachers’ instructions See the link below for further details. https://momiji.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/momiji-top/en/learning/kyouyou/peace_science_courses.html In case the number of registered students exceed the upper limit, a computerized random selection will be carried out.
Please fill in the class improvement questionnaire which is carried out on all classes. Instructors will reflect on your feedback and utilize the information for improving their teaching.

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