Nagasaki Peace Park & Atomic Bomb Museum
At 11:02 on August 9, 1945, a plutonium bomb detonated 500 meters above the Urakami Valley, instantly killing an estimated 40,000 people and destroying everything within a 1km radius. The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum documents the event with artifacts, survivor testimonies, and contextual history of the Pacific War. The adjacent Peace Park contains the Peace Statue — a 9.7-meter bronze figure with right hand pointing to the sky (the threat of nuclear weapons) and left hand extended horizontally (eternal peace).
What distinguishes Nagasaki's atomic legacy from Hiroshima is the specific targeting: the bomb was originally intended for Kokura (now Kitakyushu) but was diverted to Nagasaki due to cloud cover. The hypocenter was the Urakami Cathedral — the largest Catholic church in Asia — making Nagasaki's Christian community the unintended victim of the second atomic attack.
Essential Information
Opening Hours
Museum: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (extended to 6:30 PM May–August) | Peace Park: open 24 hours
Closed: Open year-round | Museum closed December 29–31
Entrance Fee
Museum: ¥200 adults | Peace Park: free
Best Season
Year-round | August 9 for the annual peace ceremony (moment of silence at 11:02 AM, attend from 8:30 AM)
Visit Duration
90 minutes (museum + hypocenter monument walk + Peace Park)
Getting There
Access Information
Insider Guide
Book Your Stay Nearby
Find accommodation close to Nagasaki Peace Park & Atomic Bomb Museum on these trusted booking platforms:
Nearby Spots
The closest hidden gems to Nagasaki Peace Park & Atomic Bomb Museum, by straight-line distance.
Mount Inasa Night View — One of Japan's Three Best
Mount Inasa (333m) overlooks Nagasaki from the west, providing a 360-degree panorama that includes the harbor, city cent…
Nagasaki Ropeway Night View to Mt. Inasa
The Nagasaki Ropeway, rebuilt in 2020 with new larger cabins, is the definitive way to experience the Mt. Inasa night vi…
Sofukuji Temple — Zen Buddhism Meets Chinese Architecture
Sofukuji is a Chinese-style Zen temple established in 1629 by Chinese residents of Nagasaki, built in the Ming Dynasty a…
Nagasaki Castella Cake — Portuguese Sweet Perfected in Japan
Castella (カステラ) is a sponge cake introduced to Nagasaki by Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. The Japanese versio…
Megane-bashi (Spectacles Bridge) — Japan's Oldest Stone Arch
Megane-bashi ('Spectacles Bridge') is a double-arched stone bridge built in 1634 by the Chinese monk Mokusunyoujo — the…
Nagasaki Chinatown — Oldest in Japan
Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown is Japan's oldest Chinatown, established in the 1690s when the Tokugawa shogunate designated…
More in Nagasaki
Glover Garden — Western Mansions on the Hillside
Glover Garden preserves nine Western-style mansions from Nagasaki's treaty port era (1859–1899), clustered on a terraced…
Hirado Castle — Sea Castle of the Christian Daimyo
Hirado Castle occupies a forested peninsula surrounded on three sides by the Hirado Strait, commanding views of both the…
Shimabara Castle & Christian Rebellion Site
Shimabara Castle (1625) stands on the site of the Shimabara Rebellion (1637–1638) — the largest armed uprising in Edo-pe…
