Fukusai-ji, Ōbaku Zen temple in Nagasaki, Japan
Fukusai-ji is a Buddhist temple in Nagasaki housing a large statue of the goddess Kannon that sits atop a turtle structure. The building was reconstructed after wartime destruction and now stands as a memorial site.
The temple was founded in 1628 by Chinese immigrants and was one of the few places where Buddhists could practice their faith during Japan's period of isolation. The original structure was destroyed by the atomic bombing in 1945 and later rebuilt.
The temple's Chinese roots show in its name: Fukusai-ji was one of Nagasaki's 'three lucky temples' founded by Chinese residents, and its mountain name Bunshizan refers to a peak in Quanzhou. A bell rings daily at 11:02, the moment of the atomic bombing, and the temple keeps a miniature model of the pre-war complex.
Fukusai-ji is about a ten-minute walk from JR Nagasaki Station. A bell is rung at 11:02 each morning, the time the atomic bomb fell on 9 August 1945, so time a visit around that moment. The Kannon statue and pendulum stand on the site of the destroyed main hall.
The pendulum inside hangs 25.1 metres, one of the largest in Japan, and swings over the remains of 16,500 people killed in the war and the atomic bombing. A bell is rung at 11:02 each morning, the minute the bomb fell on 9 August 1945.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 93,667 contributors worldwide.
