[Pal System Association] 80 Years Since the Atomic Bombing and the End of the War: The Last Atomic Bomb Piano Performance in the Prefecture, Including a Screening of the Film “Mom’s Atomic Bomb Piano” October 13th (Monday, National Holiday) [Ibaraki, Tochigi]
Pal System Association Press Release: October 2, 2025 80 years since the atomic bombing and the end of the war: The prefecture’s last performance of the atomic bomb piano. Also screening the film “Mom’s Atomic Bomb Piano.” October 13th (Monday, national holiday) [Ibaraki, Tochigi] Children sing along to the music Pal System Ibaraki Consumers’ Cooperative Tochigi (headquarters: Umeka, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture; Chairperson: Yasuyo Aoki) will hold a concert of the Atomic Bomb Piano and a screening of the film “Mom’s Atomic Bomb Piano” at the Craft Civic Hall Tsuchiura (Higashi Manabe-cho, Tsuchiura City) from 12:30 to 15:40 on Monday, October 13th (national holiday). The nationwide Atomic Bomb Piano tour, which is scheduled to conclude 80 years after the atomic bombing and the end of the war, will have its final performance in Ibaraki, accompanied by the singing voices of children. A piano tuner, a second generation atomic bomb survivor, is the model for a film. The piano that will play at the concert was damaged in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. It was affected by the blast, heat rays, and radiation within 3km of the hypocenter. It was restored by piano tuner Mitsunori Yakawa, and 80 years later, it continues to travel around the country, delivering music. The Atomic Bomb Piano will be played by Masataka Komano. The singing voices of the choir from Tsuchiura City Tsuchiura Second Elementary School will also be heard, having qualified to compete in the national finals at the 80th Ibaraki Prefectural Choral Competition held in August this year.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/6976/927/6976-927-a98aa4a4aecffb5eae85dca728a946ff-2904×1848.jpg
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/6976/927/6976-927-427fee9778cf2849f11e59aaeb6a2550-3900×2490.jpg The film “Mother’s Atomic Bomb Piano” is based on Yakawa’s work and tells the story of a daughter born to a second-generation atomic bomb survivor who traces her roots through an atomic bomb piano. It conveys the thoughts of atomic bomb survivors who continue to struggle even after many years have passed, and of their families across
generations.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/6976/927/6976-927-cd9cadc4360523def513a22e2cc509fd-1919×2700.jpg This year’s final touring concert In 1998, Mr. Yakawa was entrusted by an atomic bomb survivor with the task of restoring and tuning a piano that had been damaged by the atomic bomb. This prompted him to begin touring the country in 2001 with concerts using the piano. He has personally loaded the piano into a 4-ton truck, sowing the seeds of peace across the country, hoping that the sound of the piano will help children and others to understand the importance of peace. Yagawa, born in Hiroshima after the war as a second-generation atomic bomb survivor, has given over 3,000 concerts across the country. He plans to end his activities on the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombing and the end of the war. Through the sounds of the atomic bomb piano, which will be played for the last time in Ibaraki, participants will reflect on the meaning of peace. Event Summary: “Atomic Bomb Piano Concert and Screening of ‘Mom’s Atomic Bomb Piano'” [Date and Time] Monday, October 13, 2025 (National Holiday), 12:30 PM – 3:40 PM [Venue] Craft Civic Hall Tsuchiura Main Hall (2-6 Higashimanabe-cho, Tsuchiura City, Ibaraki Prefecture) [Schedule] 12:30 Opening Remarks 12:35 Atomic Bomb Piano Concert (Choir) Tsuchiura City Tsuchiura Second Elementary School Choir 1:15 PM Screening of the film “Mother’s Atomic Bomb Piano” 3:20 PM Performance of the Atomic Bomb Piano by Komano, Talk by Yakawa 3:40 PM Closing Remarks [Participation Fee] Free for high school students and younger, 500 yen for adults (half the price will be donated to peace activities) [Sponsor] Ibaraki Prefectural Consumers’ Co-operative Union [Sponsors] Tsuchiura City, Tsuchiura City Board of Education, Japan Confederation of A- and H-Bomb Sufferers Organizations, Ibaraki Prefectural Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives Net Ibaraki Cooperative Association, Ibaraki Prefecture Committee for UNICEF [With cooperation] Yakawa Piano Studio Co., Ltd., Ibaraki Prefectural Film Center Co., Ltd., Craft Civic Hall Tsuchiura Click here for the PDF flyer Considering our role in the International Year of Cooperatives, 80 years after the end of the war As a consumer cooperative, Pal System Ibaraki Tochigi has long been engaged in peace-related activities that support fulfilling lives. As part of its peace activities, the Atomic Bomb Piano Concert will be held for the second time since 2023. In 2025, the International Year of Cooperatives, we will continue to learn about the devastation caused by war and consider what each individual can do to contribute to peace together with our users and people of all generations. ▼Children play the atomic bomb piano: Reflecting on peace after the anniversary of the end of the war Pal System Ibaraki Tochigi will continue to consider the importance of peace together with our users and pass it on to the next generation.
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/6976/927/6976-927-d55f4c522890c2ebd7263e690f92b250-3900×2727.png Pal System Ibaraki Tochigi Consumers’ Cooperative Location: 2-1-39 Umeka, Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Chairman: Yasuyo Aoki Capital investment: 7.09 billion yen, Number of members: 141,000, Total business turnover: 18.34 billion yen (as of the end of March 2025) Website: https://www.palsystem-ibaraki.coop/ Pal System Consumers’ Co-operative Union Location: 2-2-6 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo , Chairman: Shibusawa Atsuyuki 13 members / members using the unified business system: total business turnover of 260.42 billion yen / total number of members: 1.762 million (as of the end of March 2025) Member co-ops: Pal System Tokyo, Pal System Kanagawa, Pal System Chiba, Pal System Saitama, Pal System Ibaraki Tochigi, Pal System Yamanashi Nagano, Pal System Gunma, Pal System Fukushima, Pal System Shizuoka, Pal System Niigata Tokimeki, Pal System Kyosai Ren, Saitama Prefecture Workers’ Co-op, Ai Coop Miyagi Website: https://www.pal-system.co.jp/
https://prcdn.freetls.fastly.net/release_image/6976/927/6976-927-e7af04bcc510f703507a70f63a5a9bd7-1104×351.jpg 2025 is the International Year of Cooperatives
