Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Anniversary

What Is the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Anniversary?

Every August 9th is the "Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Anniversary" (長崎原爆忌, Nagasaki Genbaku Ki). At 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945, the United States B-29 Bockscar dropped "Fat Man" — a plutonium implosion-type atomic bomb — on Nagasaki, Japan. The bomb killed an estimated 40,000 people instantly and 80,000 by the end of 1945, making August 9th one of the darkest dates in human history. Three days after Hiroshima and six days before Japan's surrender, the Nagasaki bombing brought the nuclear age's destructive potential into even sharper focus.

The Bombing of Nagasaki

Nagasaki was not the primary target for the August 9th mission — Kokura (now part of Kitakyushu) was first on the target list. When Kokura was obscured by clouds and smoke from a nearby firebombing, Bockscar proceeded to its secondary target: Nagasaki. The bomb detonated over the Urakami Valley, about 3 kilometers north of the original aiming point, largely confining the blast to the valley. The Urakami Cathedral — center of Japan's largest Catholic community — was at the hypocenter and was completely destroyed. The valley's geography, ironically, limited the casualties compared to what a more central detonation might have caused.

Nagasaki's Unique History

Nagasaki has a unique place in Japanese history as the one port that remained open to limited foreign trade during the Edo period's sakoku (closed country) era, through the Dutch trading post on Dejima island. This history gave Nagasaki an exceptionally international character — its population included Chinese and Dutch traders, a large Korean community, and Japan's oldest and largest Catholic Christian community, descended from converts of the 16th-century Jesuit mission. The atomic bomb fell on a city of extraordinary cultural and religious diversity.

The Peace Memorial Ceremony

Every August 9th at 11:02 a.m., Nagasaki holds its Peace Memorial Ceremony at the Peace Park, centered on the "Peace Statue" (平和祈念像) — a 10-meter bronze figure with one hand pointing skyward (the threat of nuclear weapons) and one extended horizontally (peace). A minute of silence is observed, and the mayor of Nagasaki delivers the annual Nagasaki Peace Declaration, calling for nuclear disarmament. The Peace Bell is rung by representatives of Nagasaki's sister cities from around the world.

Fun Facts

• The double survivor: Tsutomu Yamaguchi survived the Hiroshima bombing on August 6th and then, having returned to his home city of Nagasaki to recover, survived the Nagasaki bombing on August 9th — making him officially recognized by the Japanese government as the only person known to have survived both atomic bombings.
• Hypocenter park: The exact hypocenter of the Nagasaki bomb is marked by a black stone pillar in Hypocenter Park, surrounded by a garden — one of the most solemn memorial sites in Japan.