Nagasaki Peace Park
Monument Commemorative park with memorials to bombing victims
A short walk from the museum, Nagasaki Peace Park contains memorials and the Peace Statue commemorating 1945 bombing victims; people visit for remembrance ceremonies and reflection by the riverfront.
Nagasaki Peace Park is a purpose-built public park in Nagasaki dedicated to the memory of those killed by the August 9, 1945 atomic bomb. It functions as both a memorial space and a site for annual peace ceremonies.
Open lawns, formal paths and a collection of international memorials and plaques create a contemplative environment centered on the park’s large bronze Peace Statue. Visitors can also find a Peace Flame, smaller monuments donated by cities and organizations, and pathways that lead toward the marked hypocenter and the nearby Atomic Bomb Museum.
The park was established after the war as part of civic efforts to remember the victims and promote peace; international contributions to the monuments reflect postwar reconciliation and remembrance. It has been a focal point for annual memorial services held on the bombing anniversary and for visits by delegations and survivors.
Set in central Nagasaki’s Urakami district, the park lies adjacent to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and close to the city’s hypocenter marker, making it part of the core memorial area in the city.
- Peace Statue: The large bronze Peace Statue is the park's central feature and was erected in the 1950s.
- Proximity: Located next to the Atomic Bomb Museum and the hypocenter marker, the park is commonly visited together with those sites for a single memorial walk.
What to See #
- Peace Statue: A 10‑metre tall bronze figure by sculptor Seibo Kitamura that represents both a calling to peace and a warning about nuclear weapons; the statue is the park's central visual focus.
- Memorials and monuments: The park contains memorial plaques, a Peace Flame and several smaller monuments placed by national and international groups to commemorate victims.
How to Get to Nagasaki Peace Park #
From Nagasaki Station: take tram Line 1 or 5 to “Nagasaki Eki-mae,” transfer to tram Line 6 toward “Urakami” and alight at “Nagasaki Peace Park” (roughly 15-20 minutes total). The park is a short walk from the Atomic Bomb Museum and the Urakami Cathedral ruins. Taxis from the station take about 10 minutes.
Tips for Visiting Nagasaki Peace Park #
- Visit at dawn or late afternoon to avoid the midday tour groups and to see the Peace Statue lit from the side-shadows make the pose eerier and more human.
- Combine the park with the nearby Atomic Bomb Museum (a 5-10 minute walk); start with the museum to understand context, then walk the park to see how the city staged memory.
- Stand on the little bridge and look toward the hypocenter marker: local school groups often leave paper cranes and handwritten notes-read them quietly; they say more than plaques.
- Don't rush the canal that cuts through the park. Look for the water marks and the worn flagstones-the human traffic patterns tell a postwar story of ritual and daily life.
Best Time to Visit Nagasaki Peace Park #
Go when the light is gentle-spring or autumn. Summers can be humid and crowded with tourists; winter is cold but sparsely visited.
Weather & Climate near Nagasaki Peace Park #
Nagasaki Peace Park's climate is classified as Humid Subtropical - Humid Subtropical climate with hot summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 3°C to 31°C. Abundant rainfall (1991 mm/year), wettest in June.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 10°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (70 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
Comfort
Weather
February
February is cold with highs of 11°C and lows of 3°C. Regular rainfall (87 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
Comfort
Weather
March
March is cool with highs of 14°C and lows of 6°C. Significant rainfall (126 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
Comfort
Weather
April
April is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 11°C. Significant rainfall (171 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
Comfort
Weather
May
May is mild with highs of 24°C and lows of 15°C. Significant rainfall (186 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
Comfort
Weather
June
June is mild with highs of 26°C and lows of 19°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (355 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
Comfort
Weather
July
July is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 23°C). Heavy rain (330 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
Comfort
Weather
August
August is the hottest month, feeling like 32°C with oppressive humidity. Heavy rain (210 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
Comfort
Weather
September
September is warm with highs of 28°C and lows of 21°C. Heavy rain (213 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
Comfort
Weather
October
October is mild with highs of 23°C and lows of 15°C. Regular rainfall (97 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
Comfort
Weather
November
November is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 10°C. Regular rainfall (84 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
Comfort
Weather
December
December is cold with highs of 12°C and lows of 5°C. Moderate rainfall (62 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
