Masaaki Murakami

My name is Masaaki Murakami, and I was born and raised in Hiroshima.

I began guiding visitors in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park in 2014. At that time, I started as a volunteer guide with a simple goal—to improve my English by speaking with people from around the world.

However, the experience soon became much more meaningful.

Through guiding, I had the opportunity to listen to the stories of atomic bomb survivors and experienced local guides. Their words made me realize how little I truly understood about the history of my own city. From that moment, I began studying Hiroshima’s history more deeply and continued guiding with a stronger sense of purpose.

Over the years, I have guided more than 30,000 visitors from Japan and around the world as a volunteer guide. Meeting people from different cultures and backgrounds has been one of the most valuable experiences of my life.

In 2025, I experienced a period of depression and had to step away from guiding for some time. During that difficult period, I reflected deeply on my life and what truly matters to me.

Through that reflection, I came to a clear realization:
guiding in Hiroshima is what I want to dedicate my life to.

As someone who grew up in Hiroshima, sharing this history with visitors from around the world is deeply personal to me.

Today, I continue this work not only as a volunteer, but also as a professional guide through 86GUIDE Hiroshima.

My tours are not lectures. They are conversation-based experiences. Visitors are always welcome to ask questions, share their thoughts, and explore different perspectives as we walk through the park together.

Learning about Hiroshima is not about judging the past. It is about understanding history and thinking together about the future of peace.

I hope that the time we spend together in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park will become a meaningful moment for reflection, dialogue, and connection.

I look forward to meeting you in Hiroshima.