Bell of peace

Date of construction: September 20, 1964. The bell was erected by the Hiroshima Atomic Bomb Victims' Association for the Crystallization of Their Wish as a symbol of their spiritual and cultural movement to realize a world without nuclear weapons and war. The bell (a work by the late Masahiko Katori, a Living National Treasure) features a borderless world map embossed on its surface, symbolizing the idea that the world is one. The striker's seat is an atomic symbol, symbolizing the abolition of atomic and hydrogen bombs, and on the other side is a mirror that reflects the innermost heart of the person striking it. The pond is planted with the famous Ohga lotus, which was planted by Professor Ichiro Ohga, who unearthed a 2,000-year-old seed from an archaeological site in Chiba City and germinated it. This was to comfort the souls of the victims of the bombing, who covered their wounds with lotus leaves to ease the pain of their burns. In 1996, it was selected as one of the Environment Agency's 100 Best Japanese Sounds to Preserve. (The entire soundscape includes the bells on display at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and used at the Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6th, as well as the chimes of the "Peace Clock Tower.")