In 1652, a Shinto shrine was built north of the Japanese city of Nagasaki, next to the narrow road that crossed the Urakami Valley. Two large camphor trees flanked its entrance. To access the sacred precincts, visitors had to climb a flight of steps and pass through a sturdy stone torii (traditional gate or arch).
On August 9, 1945, just 800 meters from there, the atomic bomb exploded. Almost instantly, 40% of Nagasaki's buildings were leveled or severely damaged. The shock wave rotated the stone torii on its pedestal by about 30 degrees. One of the pillars that supported the lintel collapsed. The other remained standing and has remained so to this day: as a testimony to the nuclear horror. Next to that half torii, the hundred-year-old camphor trees sprouted up months later. They were a symbol of hope for the survivors.
This is one of the many places in Nagasaki that evoke that tragedy. Despite continuing in the shadow of Hiroshima –both in the history books and in terms of its media impact and its power as a tourist destination–, the city offers interested visitors monuments and spaces for historical memory and reflection. Starting with the black stone monolith that marks the hypocenter of the explosion. The bomb exploded about 500 meters above that point.
Three days after the nuclear attack on Hiroshima, the United States Army was looking for a second strike that would bring about the Japanese surrender in World War II. The initial target was the arms industry of Kokura, a municipality of about 130,000 inhabitants on the island of Kyūshū. However, the clouds and smoke caused by the bombardments made it impossible to locate the target. Thus, the Boeing B-29 Bockscar equipped with the atomic device continued its flight towards the southeast coast of the island.
His second objective was Nagasaki. She did not find good visibility there either... But at the last moment before aborting the mission due to lack of fuel, a clearing unexpectedly opened up in the clouds.
The bomb was dropped at 11:02 in the morning and the explosion was 40% more powerful than that of Hiroshima. Not surprisingly, this device was loaded with Plutonium-239 instead of Uranium-235. The names of the artifacts were also consistent: after Little Boy (the boy), came Fat Man (the fat man). Even so, the damage in Nagasaki was minor. On the one hand, the hills protected some areas of the city from the effects of the blast, heat and radiation. On the other, a week before an important evacuation had been carried out, especially of schoolchildren. And even so, it is estimated that at the beginning of 1946 the death toll was close to 70,000.
The area where the explosion took place, marked by that black monolith, is today the Parque de la Paz. Inaugurated ten years after the attack, it was conceived as a space for tranquility and reflection. One of its most iconic elements is the statue of Peace, the work of the sculptor Seibo Kitamura. It represents a human figure ten meters high, painted sky blue, with arms at right angles. While with his right he points to the sky, warning of the threat of nuclear weapons, with his left, parallel to the ground, he calls for eternal peace. In turn, the flexed right leg represents meditation while the left shows the action of getting up to help those in need. Likewise, the face of the statue evokes, with its eyes closed, a silent prayer for the victims.
Next to this monument, there is a triangular structure with colored garlands made from origami cranes, offerings of good wishes. And in front of the statue, the fountain of Peace stretches out, whose jets remind those who died after the explosion in search of water. In her memory, the words of a nine-year-old girl, Sachiko Yamaguchi, can be read on a plaque: “She was thirsty beyond bearing. There was something oily on the surface of the water, but I was so thirsty that I drank.”
Finally, to the right and left is the area of the symbols of Peace, where monuments donated by countries around the world are exhibited. Every August 9, this park hosts an official ceremony where the mayor of Nagasaki delivers a declaration in favor of world peace.
Nearby is the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall, an underground complex that honors bomb victims and promotes international cooperation for nuclear disarmament and peace. On the surface a glass structure rises above a pool, in memory of the thirsty citizens. At night it is illuminated by 70,000 fiber optic lights, which recall the estimated number of deaths. On the two lower levels you can consult extensive documentation on the survivors: personal diaries, audio and video recordings, photographs and graphics.
Another essential facility is the Atomic Bomb Museum, which describes the attack on the city in detail. It recounts what daily life was like in Nagasaki just before August 9, 1945 at 11:02 a.m.; the effects of the explosion and radiation in the short, medium and long term; the reconstruction; and the campaign for the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons. Preserved materials such as melted glass objects, burned clothes, abandoned metal lunch boxes or a helmet with bone fragments stuck inside are exhibited. From this point of view, the visit is reminiscent of that of the Hiroshima counterpart museum.
Also on display is a replica of Urakami Cathedral and several rosaries found inside. The building, the largest church in East Asia to date, was virtually leveled. Only a few pillars and statues remained standing. At the time of the bombing, there were dozens of parishioners inside.
Today you can visit the temple rebuilt on its ashes. The works were completed only 14 years after the attack, in 1959. And in 1980, tiles more similar to those of the original French-style construction from the late s were added. XIX. Urakami Cathedral, with its bomb-blackened Madonna of Nagasaki, is today a symbol of spirituality and resilience in the face of atomic horror.
