The plaque by the Peace Statue titled “Words from the Sculptor” reads:
After experiencing that nightmarish war,
that blood-curdling carnage,
that unendurable horror,
Who could walk away without praying for peace?
This statue was created as a signpost in the
struggle for global harmony.
Standing ten meters tall,
it conveys the profundity of knowledge and
the beauty of health and virility.
The right hand points to the atomic bomb,
the left hand points to peace,
and the face prays deeply for the victims of war.
Transcending the barriers of race
and evoking the qualities of Buddha and God,
it is a symbol of the greatest determination
ever known in the history of Nagasaki
and the highest hope of all mankind.
By Seibo Kitamura, written in the spring of 1955.
Nagasaki Peace Park (長崎平和公園) is a memorial site in Nagasaki, Japan, dedicated to the victims of the atomic bombing on August 9, 1945. Built in 1955, the park symbolizes remembrance, resilience, and hope for lasting peace. Its centerpiece, the Peace Statue by Seibō Kitamura, features a raised right hand pointing to the threat of nuclear weapons and a left hand extended in peace. The park also includes the Fountain of Peace, memorials donated from around the world, and the nearby Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Monument marking the explosion site. Every year on August 9, the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Ceremony is held here, drawing visitors worldwide to honor the victims and renew the pledge for nuclear disarmament and global harmony.
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The Peace Park in Nagasaki is open all day.
