WORLD PEACE BELL HISTORY
August 5-7, 1947
Second Anniversary of the Atomic Bomb, Hiroshima (Japan). Third anniversary according to Japanese custom. “The first Peace Festival was held in an open area in Jisenji-no-hana. (This area is now included in Peace Memorial Park). The festival took place around a wooden peace tower which was built for the occasion. After a silent prayer by the people present, the Peace Bell was rung. Then Mayor Hamai took the platform and read aloud to the world the first Peace Declaration.” What “peace bell” was used on this occasion, and what happened to it afterwards? Image shows portion of model in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. Jisenji-no-hana is the area immediately below T-shaped Aioi Bridge Photo by EWL in 2008.
1949
Bell of Peace, Tamon-in Temple, near Hijiyama Park (just east of Kyobashi-gawa River), Hiroshima (Japan). Original bell was taken by military during World War II. Empty bell tower was among very few wooden structures to survive A-bomb on August 6, 1945. Replacement “Bell of Peace” installed in 1949 is first Japanese peace bell? Image is from “A-bombed Structures Speak — The First Special Exhibition of Fy 2008,” Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum. It shows the 1949 bell hanging under a beam cracked by the A-bomb blast. Visited by EWL in 2008.
1950
“The Bell of Banzai for Absolute Peace,” Taihei Temple, Uwajima, Ehime, Shikoku Island (Japan). Replaced temple bell seized by military during World War II. Cast (including coins from 26 countries) by Chiyoji Nakagawa [1905-1972], mayor of Uwajima [1959-1967 &1971-1972]. Original peace bell and model for Japanese Peace Bell at the United Nations.
1951
Chiyoji Nakagawa attended the 6th UN General Assembly held in Paris (France) as a representative of the Japanese UN society. Coins were donated by the people of about 60 countries who belonged to the UN, as well as 9 gold coins that were created from Christ and the virgin Mary’s statues donaded by Pope Pius XII. Soil from the bombed areas [of Hiroshima & Nagasaki] was given to the site of the bell [in New York].” Persons in photo: Unidentified (left), Zenichiro Watanabe (center) & Chiyoji Nakagawa (right).
October 24, 1952
Japanese Peace Bell is cast (including coins & metal from about 60 UN member countries) by Chiyoji Nakagawa [1905-1972] at “the Tada Factory” (Japan) as gift to the United Nations from the UN Association of Japan. The bill sails from Yokohama on January 21, 1954.
January 21, 1954
Japanese Peace Bell sails from Yokohama (Japan). Image courtesy of WPBA.
June 8, 1954
Japanese Peace Bell is dedicated in West Court Garden, Secretariat Building, United Nations (UN), New York City, New York (USA). Cast (including coins & metal from about 60 UN member countries) by Chiyoji Nakagawa [1905-1972] on October 24, 1952, at “the Tada Factory” (Japan). Gift of the UN Assn. of Japan. Rung on the Vernal Equinox and on 21 September to coincide with the opening of the UN General Assembly and the International Day of Peace. Click here for Wikipedia article. Entry #756 in the “Peace Movement Directory” by James Richard Bennett (2001). Click here for Japanese website about the bell.
December 18, 1956
Japan is admitted into the United Nations.
September 20, 1964
Hiroshima Peace Bell, Peace Memorial Park, Hiroshima (Japan). Large bell, permanently outdoors. Surface of the bell is a map of the world. Its “sweet spot” is an atomic symbol. Designed by Masahiko Katori [1899-1988]. Cast by Oigo Bell Works, Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture (Japan). #08 of 56 “cenotaphs & monuments” on the Virtual E-Tour. Middle image shows Ram Uppuluri of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, at the bell on July 15, 1993. Middle courtesy of Herman Postma (Oak Ridge).
1967
Hiroshima Peace Bell, Peace Memorial Museum (East Building), Hiroshima (Japan). Small bell, displayed indoors (left image), and rung outdoors (right image) during the annual Peace Memorial Ceremony on August 6 (Hiroshima Day). Designed by Masahiko Katori [1899-1988]. Has calligraphy by Shigeru Yoshida [1878-1967], former prime minister of Japan. Cast by Oigo Bell Works, Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture (Japan). Left image courtesy of Satoko Nishizawa (Hiroshima Boys Choir).
1970
Japanese Peace Bell from United Nations in New York City is displayed for six months in the UN pavilion at Expo ’70, Expo Memorial Park, Osaka (Japan). The bell is rung every day at Noon. First image shows Tower of the Sun, symbol of Expo ’70.
1982
World Peace Bell Association (WPBA) is established in Tokyo (Japan). Mr. Tomijiro Yoshida is named chairman. Right image from WPBA website.
September 21, 1982
First International Day of Peace. Observed at UN Headquarters by ringing the Japanese Peace Bell. Henceforth, the bell is rung on the Vernal Equinox and on 21 September to coincide with the opening of the UN General Assembly and the International Day of Peace.
June 10, 1986
Commemorative ceremony in Fuji no Ma Banquet Hall, Imperial Hotel, Tokyo (Japan). Attended by ambassadors from US, USSR and other countries, business representatives, etc. Image courtesy of WPBA.
July 15, 1986
Casting ceremony, Kawaguchi Green Center, Kawacuchi, Saitama Prefecture (Japan). Atended by foreign ambassadors and other VIP’s. Image courtesy of WPBA.
June 18, 1988
World Peace Bell #1, Peace Park, Soya Misaki / Cape Soya, Wakkanai, Hokkaido (Japan). Extreme north end of Japan. Adjacent to about ten other monuments, including memorial for Korea Airlines flight 007. Click here to see Roy Sinclair from New Zealand at the bell in February 2001.
December 10, 1988
World Peace Bell #2, Peace Loving Citizens Park, Ishigaki Island, Okinawa (Japan). Extreme south end of Japan.
August 26, 1989
World Peace Bell #3, Cinnah Caddesi, Cankaya, Ankara (Turkey). Scanned left image courtesy of WPBA
September 1, 1989 – Friedensglocke / World Peace Bell #4, Friedrichstain, Volkspark, Berlin (Germany).
September 2, 1989
Stolen in 2002 – World Peace Bell #5, Warsaw Municipal Park, Warsaw (Poland). According to Gabriella Nyman Novak of Warsaw (8 Jan 2014), this bell was stolen in 2002 & never recovered. She intends to make a “reconstruction of the original bell” and to “discuss the themes of war, peace, war-time traumas and possible solutions” at a happening which is “supposed to take place in June 2015.” /// Left image copied from unidentified website. Right image courtesy of Gabriella Nyman Novak. Click here for YouTube video in Polish.
April 1, 1990
World Peace Bell, Tsurumiryokuchi Expo ’90 Commenorative Park, Osaka (Japan). Installed & dedicated during International Garden and Greenery Exposition (also known as Hana-haku, ”Flower Expo” and Expo ’90). Visited by the Emperor & Empress on April 23, 1990. Tsurumiryokuchi Park is the site of Expo ’70 where the Japanese Peace Bell from UN Headquarters was displayed in 1970 (qv).
October 4, 1990
Campana de la Paz / World Peace Bell, Parque Lira, Tacubaya, Mexico City (Mexico). Click here for air view. Left photo by EWL.
September 15, 1992
World Peace Bell , Cowra Civic Square, Cowra, New South Wales (Australia). There was a POW camp for Japanese and Italian military personnel in Cowra during World War II. On August 5, 1944 at least 545 Japanese POWs attempted a mass breakout from the camp, in perhaps the largest prison escape in world history. Japanese go there to visit the graves of family members.
April 27, 1993
World Peace Bell, Sukhbaatar Square, Ulan Bator (Mongolia).
December 10, 1994 – World Peace Bell, Quezon Memorial Park, Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City (Phillippines). Inaugurated at dawn on Human Rights Day by President Ramos.
1995 – United Nations Peace Bell is dedicated at Vienna International Centre (VIC), UN Office at Vienna (UNOV), Vienna (Austria). Not know if physically modeled on the 1954 Japanese Peace Bell at UN Headquarters in New York City (qv), but the New York bell had to have been known to everyone involved in casting and erecting the smillar bell in Vienna. NB: The VIC includes headquarters of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) & the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), respectively in Vienna since 1957 and 1967.
November 4, 1996
World Peace Bell, City Hall, Ottawa, Ontario (Canada). The WPB once hung outdoors (middle image), then was placed indoors on floor overlooking central lobby of city hall (right image). Scanned middle image courtesy of WPBA. Right image made by EWL Aug. 12, 2012.
April 27, 1997
World Peace Bell, International Holistic University, Brasilia (Brazil). Offered after a visit to Japan by Pierre Weil [1924-2008], founder of International University for Peace (UNIPAZ) & City of Peace Foundation. Scan courtesy of WPBA.
February 3, 1998
Campana de la Paz Mundial / World Peace Bell, Jardin Japonés / Japanese Garden Center, Buenos Aires (Argentina). Commemorates centennial of peace between Brazil & Japan.
February 17, 1999
Campana de la Paz Mundial / World Peace Bell, Parque la Carolina, Quito (Ecuador).
August 11, 2000
UN Peace Bell Garden, United Nations, New York City, New York (USA). Designed & built by Shinichiro Abe, ZEN Associates, Inc., Woburn, Massachusetts (USA). Symbolically represents the seven continents of the globe, as depicted on the UN flag. Surrounds the Japanese Peace Bell.
January 26, 2001
World Peace Bell, Maguire Gardens, Los Angeles Public Library, Los Angeles, California (USA).
February 2003
Campana de la Paz / World Peace Bell, Alcobendas, Madrid (Spain). Left image courtesy of WPBA.
April 21, 2003
World Peace Bell, Babur Culture and Recreation Park, Tashkent (Uzbekistan). Photo courtesy of Anatoly Ionesov.
June 8, 2004
50th anniversary of the Japanese Peace Bell at UN Headquarters in New York, New York (USA) is commemorted with a series of UN postage stamps.
September 11, 2005
World Peace Bell, Motohama Ryokuchi Park, Amagasaki, Hyougo Prefecture (Japan), near Osaka. Images courtesy of WPBA.
October 3, 2006
World Peace Bell, Botanic Garden, Hagley Park, Christchurch (New Zealand). “Came about through the initiative of Christchurch resident Roy Sinclair who in 2004 made an epic 3,500 km bike ride the length of Japan.” Click here to see Roy Sinclair at the WPB in Wakkanai in February 2001 [sic]. Right image courtesy of New Zealand Chapter, WPBA.
August 4, 2007
World Peace Bell, Hieizan Enryaku-ji Temple, Mount Hiei, Otsu City, Shiga Prefecture (Japan), near Kyoto. Dedicated at 20th annual Interreligious Gathering of Prayer for World Peace sponsored by “Nihon Shukyo Daihyosha Kaigi” (Japanese Conference of Religions). Nearby rival, Onjoji (Miidera) Temple, has the temple bell alleged to have been stolen (and returned) by mythic warior monk Benkei [1155-1189].
October 3, 2008
Three World Peace Bells outside building in which they were cast at Oigo Bell Works, Takaoka, Toyama Prefecture (Japan). Right image is the three WPB’s as photographed for THIS website on October 3, 2008. Left image is the Hiroshima Peace Bell as cast by Oigo in 1964 & featured on the Oigo website. Note atomic symbol on the bell.
2018
Canberra is now open as the 23rd Peace Bell in the world.
Lod, Israel is number 24.