Nagasaki, Japan
With my tour canceled, I decided to venture into Nagasaki by taxi. It was only $12USD so, not too bad. From the moment I entered the grounds… my first view… was immediately impressive! The Peace Statue sits in the middle of a reflecting pool. Each of his four extremities has meaning. The finger pointing upward signifies the potential for another nuclear threat. The other hand points to the exact place the Atomic Bomb hit and a remembrance to commit to peace. The folded knee represents meditation, while the extended leg indicates a readiness to assist humanity.
Continuing on my walk, I passed the “Bell of Nagasaki”. The four bodies represent women and children killed in the bomb attack. Throughout the park, donated sculptures add meaning to the sheer destruction and the hope for continued peace. Each month , the bell rings at 11:02 as a remembrance of the exact hit.
Two donations sit on the grounds of the Peace Park that were donated by the United States. On the left, “Constellation Earth” was donated by St Paul, Minnesota in 1992. The seven intertwined figures are meant to symbolize the seven continents connected in global solidarity, peace and mutual support. St Paul was Nagasaki’s first sister city in 1955. On the right, Dogwood trees were donated in an effort to celebrate 100 years of Japan’s history by providing 3,000 trees. Caroline Kennedy as an ambassador with the Obama administration, made the presentation.
While walking around, I noticed water bottles sitting on many sculptures or pedestals. At first sight, I thought it was due to the policy of take your own trash out (so no garbage cans). Come to find out, the water bottles have meaning. After the bomb dropped, a young girl died trying to find water. As a reminder of the thirst experienced in the aftermath of bomb, water bottles are left behind.
An example of a shrine on the grounds of the Peace Park.
This sign in a museum window says it all… never again.
After taking gazillions of pictures, from every angle… I had to take one more because I noticed the birds.
On either side of the giant sculpture are two a-framed buildings full of origami cranes. All around the property, strings of 1000 cranes can be found. They are intended as a reminder to keep peace. Apparently, after the bomb dropped, a young girl made thousands of origami cranes until she died. She is remembered by these offerings.
So colorful… the workmanship that goes into these intricate strands is pure artistry. Every time I saw an area with the strands, I had to take a photo. They were everywhere!
Sitting in the park, peacefully reading a mindless novel was in contrast to the destruction that happened in this exact spot. Watching groups of school children, actively taking notes throughout the park. This made for quite an interesting afternoon… one I will long remember.
