On Memorial Day we were able to visit the City of Nagasaki. I can't think of a better place to spend this special day. We were able to solemnly remember the lives of those who were lost in the pursuit of peace.
We first visited the beautiful Peace Park dedicated to the souls lost in the Nagasaki Atomic Bombing.
Nagasaki Peace Fountain, It is shaped like the wings of the crane and is a remembrance of the bombing victims begging for water.
This is the Hypocenter, the exact spot where the bomb landed.
A scorched remaining wall of Urikami Cathederal, a few hundred feet from the bomb hypocenter. This was once the largest Catholic Cathedral in the Far East.
Overlooking the Hypocenter from the Atomic Bomb Museum.
The Atomic Bomb Museum was as educational as it was chilling. It had exhibits that discussed the facts of Atomic power as well as articles from Nagasaki that were affected by the bombing. The exhibits included discussion of world scientists about the use of atomic bombs and a full scale model of the type of A-bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki. They display clocks stopped exactly at the time of detonation, melted glass bottles and metal coins, wood with shadows forever charred on the surface, clothing worn by victims and bits of charred bone. It demonstrated the power and destruction of the atomic bomb both physically and emotionally on the residents of Nagasaki along with the rest of the world.
Clock stopped at the precise moment and a twisted watertower
Angels whose faces survived the atomic bomb at Urakami Cathederal a mere few hundred yards from the blast
These before and after photos show just how much was destroyed in Nagasaki City.
Next we visited the Remembrance Hall that contains all the names of the victims. It was absolutely gorgeous and so peaceful and quiet. We folded a paper crane to be added to one of the many chains.
Our next stop was Sannō Shrine. Some of the most interesting things to see in Nagasaki are the few things that have survived. This shrine is interesting in the fact that half of the massive stone Tori gate survived the blast and is still standing today. It also has two huge, beautiful Camphor trees that were stripped bare and charred, but miraculously regrew. Even while we were there visiting a worker was lovingly patching holes and re-enforcing the thick trunks.
The beautiful Camphor trees.
We stopped at 7-11 and bought this refreshing watermelon Popsicle. The "seeds" were chocolate.
One thing David and I were discussing during our visit the sweet testimony of Elder L. Tom Perry, an apostle of our church, about his experiences in Nagasaki. Sadly he passed away a few days after our visit. His story is in the video below:
Overall our trip was very interesting and informative. It gave us a new perspective and reverence for the terrible event that was WWII on all sides. It is probably the one place in Japan that I have felt the least comfortable being an American. I'm not sure if it was from the history, or if it is just a bigger city and just not quite as safe and "country" as Sasebo, but it seemed to me like the people were a little less friendly the further out in town we got away from the main touristy things. I plan on going a few more times while we are here, so hopefully that opinion changes.
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