Introducing the first edition of the Hiroshima International Conference on Peace and Sustainability hosted by the Network for Education and Research on Peace and Sustainability (NERPS), Hiroshima University, Japan, IEREK is proud to announce that the conference will be held from 1 to 3 March 2022.

Since the late 1980s, and in order to regulate the increasingly detrimental impacts of humans on the environment, transition towards sustainability has been high on the agenda of researchers and policy makers alike. Meanwhile, peace considerations have expanded in recent decades to include the varied types and sources of conflict, from inter-state to intra-state conflicts due to various social, political, economic, and environmental factors.

Academic and policy circles widely recognize sustainability and peace as intrinsically interrelated. The concepts of sustainability and peace are multi-dimensional and constantly evolving, and the pathways of their relationship are complex and dynamic. Some studies have highlighted the myriad factors and mechanisms that influence this relationship, particularly that of between climate and conflict (e.g., IPCC 2014; Koubi 2019). They shed light on the mediating role of political institutions, economic conditions, and social practices, especially in understanding the implications of climate for security (e.g., Hendrix and Haggard 2015; Koubi et al. 2012; von Uexkull et al. 2016). However, there is still a need to better understand the pathways where sustainability and peace interact considering the different factors and contexts that are constantly shaping and reshaping the conditions for sustainable and peaceful societies (e.g., Fisher et al., 2021; Sharifi et al. 2021).

The Hiroshima International Conference on Peace and Sustainability is a platform to facilitate transdisciplinary research and policy conversations on the peace-sustainability nexus. The overall goal of this conference is to facilitate inter- and trans-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration between various stakeholders working on issues related to peace, sustainability, or their nexus. Through facilitating interaction between stakeholders that focus on peace and/or sustainability, it is hoped that the conference will foster further research and practice on the peace-sustainability nexus. Students, researchers, and practitioners are invited from different disciplines and sectors to present their research and initiatives and explore new partnerships and collaborations.

The Hiroshima International Conference on Peace and Sustainability 2022 is planned as a hybrid event, where various presentation contingencies will be planned.  Students, researchers, and practitioners are therefore encouraged to submit abstracts. 

• 1. Peace-Sustainability Nexus

  • • Conflict and cooperation over transboundary resources
  • • Digital technologies for both peace and sustainability
  • • Education for both peace and sustainability
  • • Environmental peacebuilding
  • • Environmental/climate activism
  • • Environmental/climate justice
  • • Environmental/ecological security
  • • Human-nonhuman coexistence
  • • Impact of COVID-19 on both peace and sustainability
  • • Just transitions
  • • Peace-development nexus
  • • Planetary justice
  • • Politics of sustainability
  • • Others

• 2. Peace

  • • Anthropology of peace
  • • Conflict resolution
  • • Diplomatic negotiations
  • • Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration
  • • Geopolitics
  • • Global justice
  • • Good governance
  • • Human rights
  • • Human security
  • • Humanitarian assistance
  • • International and regional organizations
  • • International peace and security
  • • Just institutions
  • • Local peacebuilding or indigenous peacemaking
  • • Migration
  • • Peace education
  • • Peace research methodologies
  • • Peace, conflict, and COVID-19
  • • Peacemaking/peacebuilding
  • • Post-conflict reconstruction
  • • Sociology of peace
  • • Transitional justice and reconciliation
  • • Urban peacebuilding
  • • Women, Peace and Security
  • • Youth in Peacebuilding
  • • Others

• 3. Sustainability

  • • Biodiversity Conservation
  • • Climate change adaptation & mitigation
  • • Disaster risk reduction and management
  • • Economic sustainability
  • • Ecosystem services
  • • Energy resources planning management
  • • Food resources planning and management
  • • Human health and well-being
  • • Land/terrestrial resources planning and management
  • • Non-renewable resources and extractive industries
  • • Oceans / marine resources planning and management
  • • Post-COVID green recovery
  • • Smart solutions and technologies
  • • Social sustainability
  • • Sustainable development goals
  • • Urban Sustainability (including transportation, construction, planning)
  • • Water resources planning and management
  • • Water-Energy-Food nexus
  • • Others

* All those whose abstracts have been accepted will be invited to register.  They will also have the option to submit their full papers to be considered for publication in an edited book by Springer and the special issues for Elsevier journals.

* We also welcome those who are interested in the conference but would not like to present their work. They can participate by attending the sessions and getting engaged in discussions with the speakers and other participants. The registration deadline for this category of participants will be 22 Feb 2022.

* Preliminary review of full papers will determine the authors who will receive the three Best Paper Awards (student, early career researcher and senior researcher categories).

* After the conference, the submitted full papers will go through the rigorous peer-review process to be considered for publication in an edited book to be published by Springer and journal special issues.

Organizing Committee Members

1. Prof. Ali Cheshmehzangi, Head of Department of Architecture and Built Environment (ABE), Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC), and Specially Appointed Professor, NERPS, Hiroshima University
2. Dr. Joshua Fisher, Director of Advanced Consotium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (AC4), The Earth Institute, Columbia University, and Specially Appointed Professor, NERPS, Hiroshima University
3. Prof. Cullen Hendrix, Professor, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver, and Specially Appointed Professor, NERPS, Hiroshima University
4. Prof. Akira Hibiki, Professor, Graduate School of Economics and Management, and Head of Policy Design Lab., Tohoku University
5. Dr. Florian Krampe, Director and Senior Researcher, Climate Change and Risk Programme, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, and Specially Appointed Professor, NERPS, Hiroshima University
6. Prof. Shunsuke Managi, Distinguished Professor of Technology and Policy and the Director of the Urban Institute, Kyushu University

Scientific Committee Members

Scientific Committee members will decide the best papers from shortlisted candidates. Their name will appear on all promotional materials.

Akira Hibiki

Professor and Head of Policy Design Lab. at Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku University.

Akira Hibiki is Professor and Head of Policy Design Lab. at Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku University. He is also Head of a Research Group in Social Systems Division at National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES) and Consulting Fellow at Research Institute of Economy, Trade, and Industry (RIETI). 

In the past, he served as President of Society for Environmental Economics and Policy Studies (SEEPS) in FY2018~2019. He also held positions as Professor in Faculty of Economics at Sophia University, Head of Environmental Economics Division at National Institute for Environmental Studies, and Associate Professor in Graduate School of Decision Science and Technology at Tokyo Institute of Technology.

He conducted empirical studies on the relationship between trade and environment, the impact of the company’s environmental action (such as the adoption of the certified environmental management system, environmental performance, action for CSR) on the stock market, and estimation of water and energy demands under block rate pricing. He has published articles in international academic journals such as the Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Land Economics, World Development, Econometric Reviews, etc.

His current research focuses on the economic impacts due to climate change (temperature rise and extreme weather) in Japan and some developing countries (Vietnam, Panama, Kenya, etc.) and the health impact of outdoor pollution and indoor pollution of PM2.5 in Bangladesh.

He received his Ph.D. from Sophia University.

Fumiko Kasuga

Future Earth

Global Hub Director, Japan: Executive Team.

Fumiko Kasuga is a Senior Fellow at the National Institute for Environmental Studies and a Visiting Professor at The University of Tokyo. She is also former Vice-President of the Science Council of Japan and a member of ICSU’s Committee on Scientific Planning and Review. Fumiko has worked as a government researcher in the field of public health, in particular on microbiological food safety in the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare of Japan. Internationally she has worked with the World Health Organization, Food, and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Commission on Microbiological Specifications for Foods. She has been engaged in Future Earth since she was in charge of the international activities of the Science Council of Japan.

Vally Koubi

Professor and Senior Scientist at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH).

Vally Koubi is a Professor (Titular) and Senior Scientist at the Center for Comparative and International Studies (CIS) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), and a professor at the Institute of Economics at the University of Bern, Switzerland. She is presently the director of the CIS at ETH Zurich.

Vally Koubi was born in Greece and is a citizen of Greece and the USA. She studied Public Law and Political Science at the Law School of the University of Athens, Greece (B.A. in 1983). She received an M.S. in Public Policy (1985), an M.A. (1988), and a Ph.D. in Political Science (1991), all from the University of Rochester, USA. She taught at the Department of Government and The Washington Semester Program at the American University in Washington D.C. (1989-​1990), and at the Department of Political Science of the University of Buffalo (1990-​1991). From 1991 to 1998 she was an assistant professor at the Department of Political Science of the University of Georgia, USA. She has been a visiting professor at the Department of Political Science at the Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium (1994-​1995), and at the Institute for European Studies at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium (1997-​1998). She also spent 1996-​1997 as a TMR Fellow at the Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE) at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. She joined the ETH and the University of Bern in 1999.

Koubi’s research focuses on the social consequences of climate change and the determinants of domestic environmental policies and outcomes as well as international environmental cooperation across countries and time. Her research on the social consequences of climate change aims at understanding the effects of extreme weather or extreme climate events on migration and conflict mainly in the developing world. This research combines perspectives from different social science disciplines and employs a wide range of research methods, including macro-quantitative analyses and micro-level surveys, survey experiments, and field experiments in several countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, Kenya, Nicaragua, Peru, Uganda, and Vietnam. She has published articles in journals including Annual Review of Political Science, Climatic Change, Ecological Economics, European Political Science Review, Global Environmental Politics, International Organization, Journal of Peace Research, Nature Climate Change, Population & Environment, Review of International Organizations, and World Development.

Paul Shrivastava

Chief Sustainability Officer, Penn State University, United States.

Paul Shrivastava is Chief Sustainability Officer of Penn State University. He is also Director of Sustainability Institute and Professor of Management at the Smeal College of Business.  Prior to this, he served as the first Executive Director of Future Earth global research platform. He is a member of The Club of Rome and leads the UNESCO Chair on Arts and Science for Implementing the SDGs at ICN, Nancy, France.

Paul is an academic entrepreneur.  He was part of the team that founded Hindustan Computer Ltd., one of India’s largest computer companies.  He founded the non-profit Industrial Crisis Institute, Inc. New York.  He founded the journal Organization and Environment, (published by Sage Publications).  He was founding President and CEO of eSocrates, Inc., a knowledge management software company, and the founding Chair of the Organizations and the Natural Environment Division of the Academy of Management.

Paul’s research uses science and arts to develop transdisciplinary solutions to sustainability challenges. His current focus is on the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. He is working with colleagues at Penn State, at Future Earth, and at the United Nations to develop programs for implementing SDGs, and monitoring and measuring their progress. He believes that infusing sustainability across research, teaching, community, and student engagement at Penn State University’s 23 campuses can help us implement sustainability across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Paul received his Ph. D. from the University of Pittsburgh. He has published 17 books and over 100 articles in refereed and scholarly journals. He has served on the editorial boards of numerous leading management education journals. His work was recognized with a Fulbright Senior Scholar Award and IIM Calcutta Distinguished Alumni Award.

Hassan Virji

Emeritus Executive Director, START International.

Hassan Virji is the Emeritus Executive Director of START International, Inc., a non-governmental organization operating as the Global Change System for Analysis, Research and Training, that he established in 1992. His expertise is in building systems-level capacities in global change to foster resilient and sustainable societies. He is a graduate of the Universities of Daressalaam, Nairobi and Madison-Wisconsin. He worked at the University of Nairobi and the University of Wisconsin, and was a Senior Fellow at the Wissenschaft Kolleg in Berlin. During 1983-1988 he was Associate Director of the Climate Dynamics Program of the US National Science Foundation; during 1989-1990, Deputy Executive Director of the International Geosphere- Biosphere Programme, and Executive Secretary of the US Inter-agency Subcommittee on Global Change Research (1991-1992) where he was involved in setting up the US Global Change Research Program. Dr. Virji is a National Associate Member of the National Research Council of the National Academies of the USA. He is a member of the Governing Board of CRDF Global of USA, and previously was on the Boards of International Centers of excellence located at CSIR/South Africa, Academia Sinica/Taipei, Education, Learning, and Research for Humanitarian Assistance/UK, and the Manila Observatory of the Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines. During 2014 he was a Visiting Professor at Kyoto University, an Adjunct Professor in Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center and Geography at the University of Maryland, College Park during 2016-2018, a Visiting Professor at Kyoto during 2014, and at Keio, and Hiroshima Universities in Japan during 2019, and currently is a member of the External Evaluation Committee of the International Leadership Development Program of Hiroshima University. He is a member of the editorial boards of “Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability”, “Advances in Climate Change Research”, “Climate, Disasters, and Development” and “Progress in Disaster Science”.

Instructions

- Each research paper should have one main author who should pay the full fee (Author fees) regardless of attendance.

- Each co-author (1-5 max) has his/her own separate fees to pay as shown in the table below.

- A research paper fee allows only one author, whether main or co-author, to attend the conference and receive only one copy of the conference Abstract book in both hard and soft copies. Extras can be requested for a fee shown below.

Conference Fees (USD):  
The conference registration fee covers attendance, all conference materials, lunches (for physical attendance), coffee breaks (for physical attendance), certificate of participation, conference kit (which varies according to the type of attendance), and social program (for physical attendance).

* Developing Countries, by which we mean the countries on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of ODA recipients; the list can be found here.

Conference Fees (EGP):  
The conference registration fee covers attendance, all conference materials, lunches (for physical attendance), coffee breaks (for physical attendance), certificate of participation, conference kit (which varies according to the type of attendance), and social program (for physical attendance).

* Developing Countries, by which we mean the countries on the Development Assistance Committee (DAC) list of ODA recipients; the list can be found here.

A. Types of Participation

1. Research presentations (presentation only)

Presentation only proposals must have a title, an extended abstract of up to 500 words, and at least three keywords.

2. Research/review papers (presentation with full papers)

Presentation with full paper proposals must use the template (see below to download the template) for manuscript submission and choose one of the following:

- Agree to be published in conference proceedings

- Agree to be considered for online publication by Springer or by IEREK PRESS Journals and for a Special Issue of an international journal such as World Development and World Development Perspectives (subject to peer review)

The Scientific Committee will select the best papers for the following categories.  Awardees will be invited to submit their papers for potential publication in a special issue of an international journal. Each of them will also receive a certificate and a set of free NERPS merchandise.

- Best Paper Award (student category)

- Best Paper Award (early career researcher category)

- Best Paper Award (senior researcher category)

3. Sessions

A session proposal must have a title, an abstract of up to 300 words, at least 3 keywords, 1 chair, 1 discussant, and at least 4 presenters. The chair and discussant should share responsibilities if they are also included in the session as individual presenters. In addition to one session abstract, each presenter must submit his/her own abstract of up to 300 words, which must have a title, its author’s name, and at least 3 keywords. Each session participant must register separately to be able to attend the conference.

To sign up, click here

4. Roundtables/Panels

Roundtables/Panels are moderated discussions among researchers, students, policymakers, and practitioners. A roundtable/panel proposal must have a title, an abstract of up to 300 words, at least 3 keywords, 1 moderator, and at least 4 speakers/panelists. In addition to one roundtable/panel abstract, each speaker/panelist may wish to submit his/her own abstract of up to 300 words, which must have a title, its author’s name, and at least 3 keywords; it’s optional. At any rate, each roundtable/panel participant must register separately to be able to attend the conference.

To sign up, click here

5. Workshops

Workshops are sessions for skills-building, networking, project scoping, early-career opportunities, writing, and publishing. A workshop proposal must have a title, an abstract of up to 300 words, at least 3 keywords, at least 1 chair, and at least 2 speakers. Each workshop participant must register separately to be able to attend the conference.

To sign up, click here

6. Posters

Poster proposals must have a title, an abstract of up to 300 words, and at least three keywords.

The Scientific Committee will select the best poster for Best Poster Award.  The awardee will receive a certificate and a set of free NERPS merchandise.

7. Non-presenting participant

B. Authors’ Instructions

Authors must refer to, and abide by, the following instructions in submitting their abstracts/ papers:

Step 1: Abstract Submission Process

• The author should prepare and submit an Abstract (up to 300 words unless otherwise instructed) through the website and before the abstract submission deadline.
• The abstract should clearly state what the presentation/full paper/session/roundtable/workshop/poster is about.
• The author should select the most relevant topic from the corresponding conference topics.
• The author can use/download an abstract writing template to submit the abstract file accordingly.

To download the Abstract Writing Template, Click Here

Step 2: Abstract Review

• Upon submission, an abstract will undergo a preliminary evaluation process by members of the scientific committee.
• A relevant topic of the conference should be proposed with clear writing, aims, and objectives of the study clearly presented and sound literature and methodology of the work
• The author will receive a notification by email, within 2 weeks, of:
• Approval, after which they will be requested to prepare for a presentation or a session/roundtable/workshop/poster, or prepare and submit their full papers.
• Rejection, if the topic proposed does not fit the theme of the conference.

Step 3: Paper Submission (Optional) & Preliminary Review

• The Full paper submission is 8 – 12+ pages in length.
• The full paper should state the major issue(s) addressed, the potential significance of the work, the theoretical and methodological approach(es) pursued, major findings, conclusions, implications, and relevant scholarly references.
• A full paper will be included in the conference abstracts book as well as get published online by Springer or by IEREK PRESS Journals, and will be considered for a Special Issue of an international journal.
• The author should submit the full paper written on the writing template, through our online system before the paper submission deadline.
• The full paper should be written in English as it's the official language of the conference.

Step 4: Similarity Check/ Plagiarism Detection

All Chapters will be screened for similarity using iThenticate; a Turnitin Plagiarism detection software, used for academic publishers. Springer Similarity guidelines are as follows:

• Max. % from all sources: 10-15%
• Max. % from one source: 3-5%
• Higher than 30% (all sources): Reject completely
• Lower than 30% (all sources): Ask for revision to decrease the similarities  

To download Paper Writing Template,   Click Here

Step 5: Payment Completion & Confirmation

Once Preliminary approval for presentation at the conference and/or consideration for publication is granted, authors will be expected to complete payment in reference to the Conference Fees.

• As soon as payment is confirmed and done successfully, corresponding official documents can be issued from our end such as:

• A signed/stamped preliminary acceptance letter
• Receipt of Payment
• Visa Invitation Letter

Step 6: Rigorous Peer Review Process (Full-length papers only)

Only after payment is confirmed,

• and the full paper submission deadline is reached, a submitted full-length paper is assigned to an Editor from the Editorial Board, in alignment with IEREK’s revision SOP (double-blind process).
• Each paper/ chapter is evaluated by a minimum of two reviewers, after which a final decision by the responsible Editor is made. There is no maximum to the number of times a paper can be reviewed, depending on the quality of the submission.
• Once a decision is made by the Editors, IEREK Editors will communicate one of the following three final decisions:

1. Accepted without comments
2. Revise and Resubmit – Minor or Major revision
3. Final Rejection

• If modifications are in order, authors will be sent the relevant instructions and a deadline will be set. Missed deadlines may result in complete exclusion from the final publication/ final rejection.
• A back-and-forth process: modifications will be sent back to the responsible Editor/ Series Editor and another round of evaluation conducted.

Publishing in ASTI by Springer (Scopus indexed)                  

After the conference, the submitted manuscripts of authors interested in publishing in the ASTI book series will undergo a rigorous peer review process resulting in a final decision made by the editors. Only accepted research will be published as a chapter in the Book Series entitled “Advances in Science, Technology and Innovation” (ASTI) by Springer. The ASTI Book Series is by managed highly professional members of an International Editorial Board to ensure high-quality material for online publication.

The ASTI Book Series is fully indexed in Scopus. Some titles have been successfully indexed or submitted for indexation in Web of Science (ISI).

About the ASTI series

Advances in Science, Technology & Innovation (ASTI) is a series of peer-reviewed books based on important emerging research that redefines the current disciplinary boundaries in science, technology and innovation (STI) in order to develop integrated concepts for sustainable development. It not only discusses the progress made towards securing more resources, allocating smarter solutions, and rebalancing the relationship between nature and people, but also provides in-depth insights from comprehensive research that addresses the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) as set out by the UN for 2030.

The series draws on the best research papers from various IEREK and other international conferences to promote the creation and development of viable solutions for a sustainable future and a positive societal transformation with the help of integrated and innovative science-based approaches. Including interdisciplinary contributions, it presents innovative approaches and highlights how they can best support both economic and sustainable development, through better use of data, more effective institutions, and global, local and individual action, for the welfare of all societies.

The series particularly features conceptual and empirical contributions from various interrelated fields of science, technology and innovation, with an emphasis on digital transformation, that focus on providing practical solutions to ensure food, water and energy security to achieve the SDGs. It also presents new case studies offering concrete examples of how to resolve sustainable urbanization and environmental issues in different regions of the world.

The series is intended for professionals in research and teaching, consultancies and industry, and government and international organizations. Published in collaboration with IEREK, the Springer ASTI series will acquaint readers with essential new studies in STI for sustainable development.

About Springer:

Springer is a leading global scientific, technical and medical portfolio, providing researchers in academia, scientific institutions and corporate R&D departments with quality content through innovative information, products and services. Springer has one of the strongest STM and HSS eBook collections and archives, as well as a comprehensive range of hybrid and open access journals. Springer is part of Springer Nature, a global publisher that serves and supports the research community. Springer Nature aims to advance discovery by publishing robust and insightful science, supporting the development of new areas of research and making ideas and knowledge accessible around the world. As part of Springer Nature, Springer sits alongside other trusted brands like Nature Research, BioMed Central, and Palgrave Macmillan.

Click on the below image to learn more about the editors

Publishing Opportunity for Special Issues:

International Journal on World Development Perspectives

International Journal on World Development 

International Journal on World Development Sustainability

Note: The list of journals will be updated in the coming months.

Higashi-Hiroshima Arts & Culture Hall Kurara, Japan

(Venue for the opening of the conference on 1 March 2022 only)

In case of an in-person or a hybrid conference:

A refund is not possible if

- A letter of acceptance has been issued (Authors only)

- The proceedings of the event have been published (Authors only)

- The conference will be held online or, in case of a hybrid conference, participants select to attend it online. 

 The list of the confirmed partners will be updated in the coming months.

Advanced Consortium on Cooperation, Conflict, and Complexity (AC4), The Earth Institute, Columbia University 

Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver 

Institute for Economics & Peace 

United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) 

Research Institute for Humanity and Nature

Urban Institute, Kyushu University

Policy Design Lab, Graduate School of Economics and Management, Tohoku University

Earth System Governance

Center for Peace Studies, North South University, Bangladesh

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute

University of Nottingham Ningbo China

Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC)

These are the suggested hotels that you can choose for accommodation during the period of the conference. You can reserve your place by contacting the hotel or through their website or any booking website.

Please note:

• Check the hotel website to know if they have special offers, and also to check the availability.
• These are just suggestions that we found most suitable for accommodation; they are not mandatory.
• The registration fee does not cover accommodation expenses.

1. Hiroshima Prefecture

Hiroshima Prefecture is located in the southwestern part of Japan.  It enjoys beautiful views of the Seto Inland Sea to the south and the rolling Chugoku mountains to the north, and is blessed with rich and varied nature, four distinct seasons, a long history and traditional culture.

There are also many scenic spots, including two World Cultural Heritage Sites – the Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Atomic Bomb Dome) and Itsukushima Shinto Shrine.

Itsukushima Shrine is one of the most significant shrines in Japan and the only shrine in the world built on top of the water.  The view of Itsukushima Shrine has long been considered one of the three finest views in Japan.

The Atomic Bomb Dome is the most symbolic building in Hiroshima City, standing only meters away from the hypocenter of the atomic bomb blast.  It has become a beacon for the world’s prayers for peace and an end to nuclear weapons.

Those who physically attend the Hiroshima International Conference on Peace and Sustainability 2022 will have a chance to go on an excursion to the two World Cultural Heritage Sites soon after the conference.

Please visit the Hiroshima Prefecture's official travel site to discover the latest information on World Heritage Sites, attractions, hotels, events, tours, dining and things to do in Hiroshima:

https://visithiroshima.net/

2. Higashi-Hiroshima City

Saijo in Higashi-Hiroshima stands shoulder to shoulder with the famous sake brewing regions – Nada district in Kobe and Fushimi area in Kyoto. In the vicinity of Saijo Railroad Station, seven traditional Japanese sake breweries are in operation.

Walking around the old sake district and visiting the breweries makes for an enjoyable time out.  You can enjoy the beautiful townscape brought about by the contrast between the towering red-brick chimneys and the white-plaster walls. Some breweries offer tastings of sake and sake brewing water and sell sake.

Please take a look at Higashi-Hiroshima City sightseeing guide, which may give you useful tips on how to make the most of your stay in Higashi-Hiroshima City:

https://www.city.higashihiroshima.lg.jp/material/files/group/42/guide4peng.pdf

3. Hiroshima University

Please visit Hiroshima University website to know how to get to the conference venue – its Higashi-Hiroshima Campus: https://www.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/en/access/higashihiroshima .