Urakami浦上

A stronghold for believers of a banned Christian faith. The center of Nagasaki that experienced an atomic bomb blast.

The Urakami district is located roughly in the center of Nagasaki, to the north of the city center. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, in the Edo Period, Christianity was banned and Urakami became the stronghold for oppressed believers who steadfastly adhered to their religion in secret. Also, during the Second World War, an atomic bomb was dropped on this part of the city two days after the first atomic bomb used in war had utterly devastated Hiroshima.

Urakami Tenshu-do Cathedral was completed in the beginning of the 20th century by believers who had withstood religious oppression and ultimately won their freedom. However, it was destroyed by the atomic bomb, and later rebuilt in 1960. The damaged stone statues and other relics around the cathedral continue to speak of the tragic effects of the bomb.

You can learn a lot about the atomic bomb at the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, located in Hirano-machi. Within Peace Park, which was constructed to present a declaration that "we will never repeat a war," and offer a wish for world peace, are the Peace Statue and Peace Fountain, as well as other monuments symbolizing peace presented to the city by countries from around the world. In addition, the neighboring Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park has an atomic bomb hypocenter monument, and many people go there to pray for peace.