🗺️ Nagasaki Peace Park平和公園

Peace Park is located on a small hill in Matsuyama-cho, Nagasaki City. At 11:02 AM on August 9, 1945, an atomic bomb fell here. Completed in 1951, Peace Park was built to pray for the souls of the victims and for lasting world peace. Covering an area of 18.5 hectares, the park features the Peace Statue, the Fountain of Peace, and the Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Monument. The "Peace Statue," created by Seibo Kitamura, stands 9.7 meters tall. The right hand pointing to the sky represents the threat of the atomic bomb, while the left hand, extended horizontally, symbolizes peace. Every year, a peace memorial ceremony is held in front of the Peace Statue. In front of the statue is the "Fountain of Peace," which has a diameter of 18 meters. The beautiful water columns that spray from the fountain symbolize the wings of doves and cranes, dedicated to the victims who suffered and died from the heat and lack of water in the scorching winds. The atomic bomb exploded 500 meters above the Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Monument. At the location indicated by the monument, there is a black shadow stone, alongside which are remnants of the old Urakami Cathedral. The area was reduced to ashes under the terrifying blast of the atomic bomb, and today it has become a lush green resting place that conveys the preciousness of peace.

It showcases the peace monuments gifted by various countries around the world. The stone in front of the "Fountain of Peace" is engraved with the handwritten notes of a girl who was 9 years old at the time. The old site of the Nagasaki Prison, Urakami Prison Branch, has been preserved, with some walls remaining on the ground. The "Nagasaki Bell" was built to pray for the souls of those who worked in the munitions factory. The relocated ruins of the old Urakami Cathedral reveal stone pillars that have shifted due to the force of the explosion.