Nagasaki, Japan

25 October

Nagasaki is on the western coast of Japan’s Kyushu Island. It is a city with a rich, cultural heritage, and stunning natural beauty. Unfortunately, it is better known for its tragic history as the second target of the atomic bomb during World War II. Beyond the tragic past, Nagasaki boasts a rich cultural heritage that reflects its status as a historic port city. The city has diverse, cultural influences from its early connections with both Portuguese and Dutch traders, as well as its vibrant Chinese and Korean communities. Nagasaki has since emerged as a beacon of peace and reconciliation.
The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park are poignant reminders of the city’s past and its commitment to promoting peace and nuclear disarmament.
The first tour for the day was to visit the Peace Museum, which holds hundreds of artefacts that show the power and destruction of the bomb’s impact plus displays on modern nuclear technology. Walking through the museum was another somber experience. Among the many exhibits was the story of the young girl, Sadako Sasaki , previously outlined in our notes about Hiroshima. Since then, cranes have become a symbol of hope for the Japanese. it is a Japanese legend that if you fold a thousand cranes, the crane spirit will grant you a wish.
In the museum hall there is a remarkable string of paper cranes made by artist, Mr. Manna Ori, a Dutch paper folding artist, made from one single piece of paper that was 15 cm. wide and 150 metres long! He presented it to the museum on August 10, 2010, 65 years after the bombing.
There was also a memorial to Dr. Takashi Nagai, an assistant professor at the Nagasaki Medical College who was exposed to the atomic bomb explosion while in the college hospital. In spite of his own serious injury, he immediately began selfless efforts to assist the victims and then launch studies concerning atomic bomb disease. His efforts later shifted from medical concerns to the restoration of the city and its’ culture as well as promoting the idea of world peace. Doctor Nagai had been suffering from leukemia from before the bombing but even when his condition deteriorated, he continued his research and writing from his sick bed. He died six years after the bombing, but his achievements are a testament to his great aspiration for peace.
There was also a heartbreaking picture taken by photographer Joe O’Donnell of a Japanese youngster in 1945 during world War II carrying the body of his dead brother, waiting in line at the crematorium. The photographer said that the child was biting his lips so hard to prevent crying, that blood was dripping down the corner of his mouth. When the guard asked “give me the load you are crying on your back” the child yelled back, “it is not a load, it’s my brother. In Japan, even today, the image is used as a symbol of strength.
The bombing of Nagasaki by the United States occurred on August 9, 1945 at 11:02am, just three days after the bombing of Hiroshima. The population of Nagasaki at the time was 240,000 and the explosion of the bomb instantly killed 73,884 people and wounded another 74,909. The code name for the bomb “Fat Man”, containing 21 kilotons of TNT, was a plutonium implosion-type nuclear weapon and caused far more destruction than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Though Nagasaki’s terrain of hills and valleys contained some of the damage, the devastation within a 6.7 square kilometer area was profound. Radiation exposure caused long-term health issues, including cancer and birth defects in the survivors. The total number of deaths (including radiation-related deaths) reached 80,000 by the end of 1945.
Of interest, Nagasaki was not the original target; Kokura 94 flying miles to the north was the original target, but due to poor visibility over Kokura, the mission was redirected to Nagasaki.
The bombing, along with Hiroshima’s destruction, is often credited with contributing to Japan’s surrender on August 15, 1945, effectively ending World War II. These events also marked the first and, to- date, only use of nuclear weapons in armed conflict.
The bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remain some of the most significant events in modern history, sparking ethical debates and raising awareness about the catastrophic power of nuclear weapons.
After walking through the museum, we walked a short distance to the peace memorial park, which stands near ground zero and features a black marble obelisk, marking the epicenter. Near the pillar stands the remains of Uramaki Cathedral, at the time the largest church in Asia. The Cathedral, which was located 500m to the northeast, was almost completely destroyed by the bomb. Only a few wall segments remained. There are sculptures from countries all over the world that have been donated in memory of the lives lost, and devastation created by the bombing and as a symbol of hope for peace in the future. Embarrassingly, Canada has not yet donated a statue or sculpture of any kind. I sent an email to Melanie Joli, minister of Foreign Affairs about this but as yet have not had a response.
The Peace Statue was designed by Seibo Kitamura and erected in 1955 on the 10th anniversary of the bombing. The expression of the statue is quite a powerful one. The sitting figure is of a strong, muscular man who points his right hand towards the sky and holds his left hand flat over the ground. He sits in a half meditative position, with one leg folded up and the other firmly planted on the ground, as if he is about to get up. The symbolism in the statue is; the hand pointing to the sky reminds us of the threat of nuclear weapons, the left hand which seemingly protects the people below, symbolizing eternal peace.
Once again, there were huge numbers of students at both the museum and the park. In the museum, they all had notebooks and were making notes of various exhibits as they travelled the route. Outside in the park, many of them had been provided bento (Box lunches), and two of the girls allowed me to take a picture of them and show me what their lunch was like.
As we waited for our tour bus to pick us up, there was a vendor selling ice cream cones and we each had one. The neat thing about them was that the young fellow who was making up the cones, did it in such a way that the ice cream looked like a rose and it only took him about 15 seconds to make each of them.
Before returning to the ship we visited Dejima, an artificial island to which Dutch workers were restricted during Japan's era of isolation. Japan's period of isolation, known as Sakoku, lasted from 1639 to 1853. During this time, Japan's borders were closed to most of the world, and foreigners were only allowed in with the approval of the authorities. The policy was enforced by the threat of execution. The area is now being restored and includes historical buildings, a museum and a miniature model of the former island.
One of the rooms we visited was a representation of a clerk's writing desk in the chief factor's office. It was a 17.5 mat room used for administrative duties. The clock in the room was presented by the chief factor of the village to Tokugawa Shogunate.
It is customary in Japan to refer to the size of a room as being a number of matts. The standard size of a matte, known as a Tatami is 3'x6' which was traditionally made out of rice straw and originally laid on the floor for dignitaries to protect them from the earth floor.
As the ship left the pier from Nagasaki, at approximately 5:15pm, we had another lovely send off by a student band, singing, and playing trombones, trumpets, and drums. All decks and balconies on the port side of the ship were filled to enjoy this presentation and we all clapped and cheered in appreciation.
After the send off, we went for cocktails to a very lively but noisy lounge at 6:45pm for what was promoted as "Martinis and Jazz". I suffered through the noise with the aide of a martini, Lee had wine. We then went to the Pacific Rim restaurant for another memorable meal. The entertainment tonight was by an incredible female pianist, Tomono Kawamura.Read more