Fat Man

Thursday, April 10, 2025

Peace Park

Hypocenter Park (Ground Zero)

Atomic Bomb Museum

“Fat Man” was the name of the plutonium bomb dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945.

I was born on August 9, a few years later. As a child, I would often see “Nagasaki Day” written on my birthday on calendars, as though it were a day of celebration. (I haven’t seen it on a calendar in a great many years.) I never appreciated the human cost of the bomb until I visited Nagasaki today.

☮☮☮☮☮☮ ☮☮☮☮☮☮ ☮☮☮☮☮☮ ☮☮☮☮☮☮

We stayed at a beautiful new Hilton, built only 4 yers ago. It is across the street from the train station. There is a pedestrian  skybridge from the station to the lobby. You can also enter on the ground level and take stairs or an escalator up to the lobby. The wood stairs up to the lobby are stunningly beautiful. The lobby is very minimalist, but quite tastefully done. In a nod to Nagasaki’s Dutch past, there are interesting blue and white ceramic accents dispersed throughout the hotel.

Our room was cozy and calming, with the same light wood and earth tones used throughout the hotel. It was a kindness to be provided with such a beautiful, comfortable, place to come back to after processing the horrific event that unfolded here on August 9, 1945.

The floor in the bath area is a ceramic tile that resembles wood in look and texture. The sink section of the bath is part of an open concept plan which makes the bedroom space feel larger. Two wood panels can be pulled out to create a private space around the sink and wet room, if desired. It’s very clever.

Today’s fabric is “Rainbow Peace Signs” by m+cdesigns for Spoonflower.