Koyo — Oberlin Shansi

By Sophie Qano ‘24, Hiroshima 2024-2026

Koyo (紅葉) is a word used to describe the change of foliage into vibrant fall colors. The same kanji is also used for Momiji (紅葉), or Japanese Maple Trees, with their vibrant red leaves being symbolic of Hiroshima and Miyajima.

I arrived in September, greeted by a bustling city filled with warm people (and warm weather). Everywhere I went, people were kind, chatty, and clearly connected to Hiroshima. I knew this was a good sign.

I work at UNITAR for three days of the week, Green Legacy Hiroshima for one day, and ANT-Hiroshima for one day. I enjoy the variety throughout my week, handling different projects, while still being able to see how everything is connected. As I sit writing this report in a Starbucks, I have a prime view of the Shirakami Shrine and beside it, Atago-ike—an often overlooked hibakujumoku (Atomic Bomb survivor tree) site—which used to be a pond surrounded by thriving trees before the bombing in 1945.

2025 marks the 80th year since the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. In December 2024, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Japanese hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor) organization Nihon Hindankyo. It is an honor to be able to meet these individuals, and to be given the opportunity to work with them toward a future without nuclear weapons.

Though I only work one day per week at ANT-Hiroshima, I hit the ground running with many projects and events, meeting so many people along the way. In collaboration with many hibakusha, ANT hosted an event in October to celebrate the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize. I was excited to be a part of it, and was even interviewed for national television in Japanese! Though ANT is always busy, there is always time for fun, from daily radio taiso (Japanese radio broadcast exercise routines) breaks to birthday celebrations.

My first seed picking event with Green Legacy Hiroshima (GLH) was very memorable. Friends of the initiative gathered on a cold Sunday in December, we invited locals and tourists alike to help. A family from the U.S. joined in, and as we were chatting and extracting seeds from the fruit of the Kuroganemochi (Kurogane holly tree), we discovered our shared connections to Oberlin! It is in times like these that I realize how small the world really is.

At UNITAR, I had the opportunity to help run a social entrepreneurship programme for youth, starting my first week on the fellowship. This year, we will continue to expand our connections by implementing additional trainings. I value the opportunity to work with a UN body, learning how the system functions as a whole to have an impact on local and international communities alike.

View of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and Peace Park from the UNITAR office

Outside of work, I have spent my time adjusting to living in Japan, exploring Hiroshima, and finding a routine. A typical weekend looks as such: trying not to burn baked goods in my tiny oven, exploring different museums and cafes, and biking (thank you for the cool bike, Ben) along the rivers. As I continue to live here, I hope to keep connecting with new people, exploring one of my cultural heritages, and further discover my calling.

As I reflect on my time in Hiroshima, I can see how my life has gradually changed along with the seasons. I can’t think of a better way to describe my experience in Japan so far in one word: Koyo.

Fall colors in Tsukuba while visiting my grandparents