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Thursday, March 12, 2026

Visiting Nagasaki Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum: A Personal Reflection

The Peace Statue in Nagasaki

As I mentioned in my previous entries, my husband and I traveled to Nagasaki in the summer of 2025. One of the places we visited was Nagasaki Peace Park (平和公園, Heiwa Kōen). I had actually been there once before—during an elementary school field trip—so this visit felt both nostalgic and new. It had been many years since my last time there.

Nagasaki Peace Park (平和公園)

I was surprised to see so many visitors, especially international travelers, even though it was an extremely hot summer day. Everyone looked happy, taking photos with the iconic Peace Statue and enjoying the atmosphere. This year marks 80 years since the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, and I felt a quiet sense of reflection standing there among people from all over the world.

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum (原爆資料館)

After walking through the park, we headed to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum (原爆資料館). The admission fee was only 200 yen per adult. The museum was also quite busy, and again, more than half of the visitors seemed to be international travelers. Despite the crowds, the exhibits were powerful and moving, and the experience reminded me of the importance of remembering this history.

A Note on the Original Target of the Atomic Bomb

The first target on August 9 was actually Kokura, in Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Kokura had large factories and a steel plant, so it was considered an important military site.

That morning, Kokura was covered with thick clouds. The crew had to see the target directly before dropping the bomb, and even after circling for a long time, they couldn’t get a clear view. Because of that, they gave up on Kokura and moved to the second target.

The second target was Nagasaki. It was cloudy there too, but at 11:02 a.m., a small break in the clouds appeared. Through that opening, the crew could see the area between the Mitsubishi athletic field and the factory buildings, and the bomb was dropped there.

Learning this made me think about my own life. I was born and raised in Fukuoka, and if the bomb had been dropped on Kokura as originally planned—in Fukuoka—my late grandmother might not have survived. If she hadn’t survived, my father would not have been born, and I wouldn’t exist today. Visiting Nagasaki on this trip made me feel the weight of history and the fragile chain of events that shape our lives. That feeling became even stronger when I remembered a story a friend from Hiroshima once told me. On the day the bomb was dropped in Hiroshima, her grandfather happened to be on a train far from the city. Because of that small stroke of luck, he survived. She told me that if he hadn’t boarded that train that morning, she wouldn’t be here today.

My time in Nagasaki was truly unforgettable. If you want to understand WWII and the history of the atomic bomb more deeply, visiting these places can be very meaningful.

🕊️ Nagasaki Peace Park (平和公園, Heiwa Kōen)

Address Matsuyamamachi 9, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture 852-8118, Japan

Hours Nagasaki Peace Park is an open public park, so it is accessible 24 hours a day. (There is no admission gate or closing time.)

Admission Free.

📚 Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum (原爆資料館)

Address 7-8 Hiranomachi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture 852-8117, Japan

Hours Typical hours are 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM, with last admission usually 30 minutes before closing. (Museum hours can vary slightly by season or special events, so travelers often check before visiting.)

Admission Fee 200 yen per adult — consistent with what you observed during your visit.

You can check out my Nagasaki entries here.

You can check out my Fukuoka entries here.

These are my entries related to Ramen.