From a distance, the Bell of Peace can seem unassuming, its smooth gray dome a contrast with the well-manicured lawns of Hiroshima Peace Park. Its details become apparent with contemplation. It is especially famous for its ringing sound, which was selected to be one of the 100 sounds the Japanese public wished to preserve. Ring the bell to commemorate the day on August 6, 1945, when the nature of warfare changed forever. Let this sound be a kind of prayer that such a time will never happen again.
Hear the bell before seeing it, as tourists and locals line up to pull back the clapper. Listen to its reverberations ringing out over the park, lasting long after it has been rung. Notice the lotus blossoms planted in the pond around it they bloom annually around the anniversary of the disaster and represent the lotus flowers that were held to people’s wounds to console their spirits.
Walk up to the bell, where it is housed under a smooth stone structure representing the universe. Its form echoes the curves of the instrument inside. Notice the symbolism etched into the bell itself, designed by the late Masahiko Katori, designated during his lifetime as a Living National Treasure. On the outside, trace the outline of a world map showing no national boundaries. Pull back the long wooden clapper and see how it hits against the atomic energy symbol, a reminder of Hiroshima’s troubled past.
Find the Bell of Peace near the northern edge of Hiroshima Peace Park, not far from other attractions. Get here in about 35 minutes on foot from the Hiroshima JR Station or in 10 minutes by bus or tram. The bus stop is a few minutes’ walk from the park. Take the shuttle from the airport in about 1 hour. No parking is available in the immediate vicinity of the park, though a few metered lots are located nearby. The park itself is open all day, but the bell cannot be rung at night. There is no fee to enter the park or ring the bell.
