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On August 9, 1945 at 11:02 AM the city of Nagasaki, Japan was struck by an atomic bomb at the end of World War II. Approximately 75,000 people were killed and another 75,000 were injured from the blast. It was a horrible scene that had been played out in Hiroshima only three days earlier on 6 August. The shock and devastation to the city were enormous and long lasting.

In 1955, the Japanese Government established the Nagasaki Peace Park in the area where the bomb exploded, so that people would remember what a horrible thing happened in the city to bring the war to a close. The center piece of the park is a Peace Statue, which is 10 meters tall, and sits in a large fountain in the center of the park. The right hand of the statue is pointing up to the danger of nuclear weapons, while the left hand is pointing out towards the left to symbolize eternal peace.

I recently visited the park and had the opportunity to view the statue and the surroundings in the park itself. It is a very beautiful area surrounded both by nature and the city of Nagasaki itself. It was a solemn place with a strong sense of peacefulness that surrounds the whole area. I was moved by my visit, and felt a sense of both loss and hope while in the park.

While Hiroshima was the first victim of the atomic bomb, Nagasaki was the last. The Japanese people mark the anniversary every year on 9 August with the city mayor giving a peace message to the world. Nagasaki Peace Park is definitely a place you should visit, if you have the opportunity to visit the center. I was glad that I visited and would go back again anytime!