It is both unfortunate and important that Nagasaki is probably most remembered as a target for the atomic bomb that ended WWII. It is as much a part of the city’s fabric as the charming hilly landscape, winding sidewalks, and welcoming, friendly people.
Detonated at 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945, Fat Man, the name given to the second bomb dropped on Japan, leveled nearly half the city and the death toll has been estimated at various times with wide discrepancies from 40,000 to 80,000 people. The Atomic Bomb Museum in Nagasaki features artifacts and documentation from the city’s devastation and displays of modern nuclear technology and its impact. As an American tourist it was chilling, and noticeably accentuated by the Japanese point of view.
The promotion of world peace now prevails in the city and is dominant in the Peace Park where the main attraction is the Peace Memorial Statue, with right arm pointing to the sky to indicate the continued threat of nuclear destruction. Also featured are a collection of statues and sculptures donated by countries and groups from around the world.
When Japan opened its doors to the rest of the world in the late nineteenth century, Nagasaki became an international port and emerged as one of the most progressive cities in the country, attracting many foreign residents, including Thomas Blake Glover, a Scottish merchant who contributed to the modernization of Japan in shipbuilding, coal mining, and other fields. From its position on a hilltop above the city, the Glover Garden, which includes a collection of western houses including Glover’s residence and beautifully landscaped gardens, commands a stunning view of Nagasaki Harbor.
I went in search of some fresh flowers for our suite and happened on a lovely, small shop with two female proprietors who shared no spoken language with me. But with a mutual appreciation for the beauty of their floral goods and some friendly universal gestures, they helped me to choose a bouquet of fresh blooms to purchase and, in the spirit of goodwill, they gave me a very nice glass vase and Japanese kenzan with which to arrange them.
I left Nagasaki with a renewed sense of peace and hope.