Nagasaki Bells Ring Together After 80 Years in Commemoration of Atomic Bombing

Nagasaki’s Twin Bells Ring Together for First Time in 80 Years to Honor Atomic Bomb Victims

For the first time in 80 years, twin bells at Nagasaki’s Immaculate Conception Cathedral rang in unison on Saturday, marking the exact moment the city was devastated by a U.S. atomic bomb.

At 11:02 a.m. — the precise time on August 9, 1945, when the bomb fell — the cathedral, also known as Urakami Cathedral, echoed with the chimes of both bells during a solemn ceremony. The moment marked not just remembrance, but a powerful symbol of healing and unity eight decades after the destruction.

The original cathedral was obliterated by the blast, which detonated just a few hundred meters away. Only one of its two bells survived the explosion. For decades, only the southern bell rang, leaving its northern counterpart silent — a haunting reminder of the city’s trauma. In 1959, the cathedral was rebuilt in redbrick with its iconic twin towers. Yet, the second bell remained missing — until now.

Thanks to a fundraising effort led by American churchgoers, a new bell was finally cast and installed, restoring the cathedral’s full voice. The project was inspired by James Nolan, a sociology professor at Williams College in Massachusetts, whose grandfather worked on the Manhattan Project. While conducting research in Nagasaki, a local Christian told Nolan he wished to hear both cathedral bells ring together in his lifetime. Moved by the request, Nolan launched a year-long lecture series across the U.S., mostly in churches, to raise the $125,000 needed for the bell’s creation.

“The reactions were magnificent. There were people literally in tears,” Nolan said, recalling the moment the bell was unveiled earlier this spring.

The ceremony took place shortly after heavy morning rains gave way to clear skies. A moment of silence was observed, and Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki called on the global community to end armed conflicts.

“Eighty years have passed — who could have imagined the world would look like this?” Suzuki said. “Humanity faces existential threats, including the real possibility of nuclear war.”

About 74,000 people were killed in Nagasaki as a result of the atomic bombing, adding to the 140,000 who perished in Hiroshima just three days earlier. Japan surrendered six days later, on August 15, bringing World War II to a close.

The debate among historians continues over whether the atomic bombings ultimately shortened the war and saved lives. But for survivors — known as hibakusha — such arguments offer little comfort. Many have endured lifelong trauma, both physical and emotional, and faced social stigma.

Hiroshi Nishioka, a 93-year-old survivor who was just three kilometers from the epicenter, shared his experience during the ceremony.

“Even those who looked fine at first began bleeding from their gums, losing their hair — one by one, they died,” he said. “Even after the war ended, the atomic bomb left behind an invisible terror.”

Local resident Atsuko Higuchi, 50, said she felt encouraged by the symbolic moment.

“It makes me happy that people are remembering the victims,” she said. “We can’t treat these events as distant history — they really happened.”

Urakami Cathedral’s chief priest, Kenichi Yamamura, said the bell restoration represents more than just rebuilding.

“It’s not about forgetting the wounds of the past,” he said, “but about recognizing them, healing, and working together toward peace.”

He emphasized that the ringing of the bells sends a message beyond Nagasaki — one that resonates amid today’s global instability.

“We must not respond to violence with more violence,” Yamamura said. “Instead, through prayer and the way we live, we must show the world how senseless it is to take another’s life.”

This year’s commemoration drew representatives from nearly 100 countries. Notably, Russia — disinvited since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine — was not among them. Israel, which was excluded last year due to its war in Gaza, attended the event.

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