THINGS TO DO NAGASAKI (CITY TOUR)

Nagasaki is a Japanese city on the northwest coast of the island of Kyushu. It’s set on a large natural harbor, with buildings on the terraces of surrounding hills. It is synonymous with a key moment during World War II, after suffering an Allied nuclear attack in August 1945. The event is memorialized at the city’s Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park.

THINGS TO DO AND DISCOVER NAGASAKI ONE DAY CITY TOUR
Discover Nagasaki’s diverse charms and attractions in addition to the popular sightseeing spots. Nagasaki City has charming and convenient trams, but learn to ride the buses and expand the areas you can enjoy.
Travel around the city using a One-Day Bus Pass (can only use it for buses operated by Nagasaki City).

・Transportation: Walking, Bus

1- PEACE PARK
(A place of prayers for world peace and the souls of the atomic bomb victims)

Nagasaki Peace Park is built on a low hill to the north of the hypocenter of the atomic bomb blast. It was created to represent the wish for world peace and a vow that such a tragic war would never be repeated. The park features the 9.7-meter-high Peace Statue symbolizing the Nagasaki citizens’ wish for peace. Sculptor Seibou Kitamura, a Nagasaki native, created this statue as a symbol of the divine love and mercy of Buddha. The raised right hand points to the heavens to signify the threat of atomic weapons while the left arm is raised horizontally to represent the wish for peace. The figure’s eyes are lightly closed in prayer for the souls of the atomic bomb victims. Every year on August 9, the anniversary of the atomic bombing, a peace memorial ceremony is conducted in front of this statue and a peace declaration is made to the people of the world. The park also features the Fountain of Peace, which was built in remembrance of a little girl who wandered in search of water. Visitors can also view a row of monuments contributed by various nations that form the zone of symbols of world peace.

2- NAGASAKI ATOMIC BOMB MUSEUM

On August 9, 1945, at 11:02 a.m. – three days after the first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima – the second atomic bomb was dropped over the Urakami district of Nagasaki. This bomb killed or injured 150,000 people.

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum covers the history of this event in the accessible form of a story. It begins with the disastrous scene of the attack and includes the events leading up to the dropping of the atomic bomb, the reconstruction of Nagasaki up to the present day, the history of nuclear weapons development, and the hope for a peaceful world free of nuclear weapons.

Comparing the scenes of Nagasaki immediately after the bombing with the appearance of the city today, one cannot help but be impressed by the remarkable spirit of survival and the immutable strength of the people of Nagasaki.

3- NAGASAKI HYPOCENTER PARK
(Ground Zero of the Atomic Bombing in Nagasaki)

On August 9th, 1945, an atomic bomb detonated 500 meters above Matsuyama in Nagasaki City at 11:02am. The area within a 2.5 kilometer radius of the hypocenter was utterly devastated, and the rest of the city was left in ruins. After the bombing, which destroyed all plant life around the hypocenter, people said that no plants would grow there for the next 75 years. However, one month after the atomic bombing, about 30 kinds of plants started to grow again. Today, there are about 500 cherry blossom trees in the Hypocenter Park, as well as flowers and lush greenery that can be seen throughout the year. It truly captures the power of revival.

4- SANNO SHRINE AND THE ONE-KEGGED TIRRI GATE

The Sanno Shrine, situated 900 m from the center of the blast, was instantly obliterated by the explosion and the 4000°C heat wave vaporized nearby trees. The only thing that remained is the torii arch standing on a single pillar, reminding us of the tragedy that took place.

5- SOFUKUJI TEMPLE

In 1629, the Chinese residents of Nagasaki who hailed from Fujian Province constructed this Chinese Temple. It houses 21 cultural assets, including two national treasures – Daiohoden (Buddha Hall) & Daippo-mon (First Peak Gate). It is a temple with a unique pedigree; apart from the temples of Kyoto and Nara, it is unique for housing so many cultural assets in one temple in Western Japan. The “Daio” of the national treasure Daiohoden signifies the Sakyamuni Buddha. Since the sedentary statue of the Sakyamuni Buddha is enshrined as a principal image of Buddha, it is called Daiohoden. When the Buddhist statue was renovated around 1935, an internal organ of silver and cloth was discovered within it. Also, although the gate of the temple – a two-storied tower gate – is ordinarily known as “Temple Gate,” Sofukuji Temple has three gated entrances known as “the three gates.” The raised lettering “Seijuyama” appearing on the framed picture of the three gates was from the brush of the Zen Master Ingen, a high priest of China who had entered Kofukuji temple.

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