April 10 - Nagasaki, Japan

April 11, 2024

Well folks, we are back in Japan, Nagasaki to be exact. And this is what we saw today.

Remember Nagasaki was the second place, where the USA dropped the atomic bomb (fat man). Nagasaki was not the primary target, but rather an industrial area of Kokura. The weather was bad in Kokura, therefore they reroute the mission to Nagasaki

We didn't arrive into port until 11:00, so I was up and about as we came in.
It really was quite picturesque.

I wonder if this bridge is going to be lit up at night, like Busan and Incheon.

We were welcomed at the port and it felt like our ship was literally downtown.

Our first stop on our excursion was the Peace Park. It was completed 10 years after the atomic bombing.

This 9.7m bronze statue represents Peace. His right arm points to the sky, representing the threat of an atomic bomb being dropped, and his left arm is extended horizontally, symbolizing peace. The statue's eyes are closed in mourning for the victims of the bombing. His one leg is bent in a Buda pose, the other is like most notable people (presidents and emperors)

This is a monument to 1000 Origami cranes, which is a blessing of hope.

Each bundle is 1000.

This is the remnants of a prison where all perished from the atomic bomb

There were many sculptures in the park, presented by a great deal of countries.

The first one is from the USA and is named Constellation Earth. The 7 human figures represent the 7 continents. The interdependency symbolizes global peace and solidarity

Fountain of Peace, with the water spraying out like the wings of a dove

Looking back to the Peace Statue.

And inside the park is a monument to Ground Zero - Epicenter of the devastation.

And there is a statue that said it was primarily Women, Children and the Elderly that were killed (???)

We then headed to the Atomic Bomb Museum.

There were displays of clocks that stopped at the exact time the bomb went off

There were displays of how nuclear bombs work and the devastation

And the affects it had on religious centers

There were other displays showing the pain and suffering of the humans and animals. However there was no mention of Japan attacking Pearl Harbor. They only said that Japan declared war on America on December 7, 1941

We then started to drive around before we headed back to the ship, and this is what we saw;

Urakami Cathedral, and the bell tower, which fell off, from the bomb, and still lies where it fell

Dejima, Hollander Slope or Dutch Slope, is a stone-paved street leading up a hillside, where many foreign traders resided after the opening of the city's port to foreign trade in 1859. Because the Dutch were the only Westerners allowed in the country for the preceding two centuries, because they did not try to convert anyone to Christianity. "Dutch" referred to everything Western for a while. We did a drive-by.

Ha ha, we did another drive-by of China Town

Cool structures

Train Station

Residences

This is the small, 2 room, residence of Dr. Takashi Nagai. He was an assistant professor of Nagasaki Medical college and was exposed to the atomic bomb explosion. Despite his injures he selflessly assisted other victims and launch studies concerning atomic bomb related diseases.

Because Nagasaki almost completely rebuilt after the bomb, there is very little of a traditionally Japanese architecture. This is the only structure I could find, throughout the city.