At 11:02 a.m. on Autust 9, 1945, an atomic bomb exploded 500 meters above this spot. The black stone monolith to the right of this plaque marks the hypocenter. The fierce blast wind, heat rays reaching several thousand degrees and deadly radiation generated by the explosion reduced the city center to ruins. About one-third of Nagasaki City was destroyed and 150,000 people killed or injured, and it was said at the time that this area would be devoid of vegetation for 75 years. Now, the hypocenter remains as an inter-national peace park and a symbol of the aspiation for world harmony.
Urakami Cathedral Wall Remnant
Urakami Cathedral was located on a small hill about 500m northeast of the atomic bomb hypocenter. Consruction of the church was started in 1895 and completed in 1914 through donations and voluntary labor service by Catholic believers. In 1925, the bell towers at the church entrance also reached completion.
The explosion of the atomic bomb at 11:02 a.m., August 9 1945 destroyed Urakami Cathedral, the grandest church in east Asia at the time. Only the broken church wall remained. A portion of the southern wall was brought here to make new way for the constructions of a new church building in 1958. The stone statues on the column depict christ and one of his apostles. Cince the wall was weakened over time by exposure to the elements, the interior and surface of the wall were reinforced for safety.
Nagasaki City installs this plaque as a prayer for the repose of the souls of the atomic bomb victims and to ensure that this tragedy is never repeated.
The ground level at the time of the atomic bombing
The ground in the hypocenter area was strewn with huge amounts of debris from destroyed buildings, scorched earth, melted glass and other material. The original ground level is preserved and displayed here as important evidence of the atomic bomb disaster.
Stone Lanterns at Shotokuji Temple
Shotokuji was established in 1626. Only this stone lanterns survived from Atomic Bomb Explosion.