The Bells of Nagasaki
The Bells of Nagasaki is a 1949 book by Takashi Nagai. It vividly describes his experiences as a survivor of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. It was translated into English by William Johnston. The title refers to the bells of Urakami Cathedral, of which Nagai writes:
These are the bells that did not ring for weeks or months after the disaster. May there never be a time when they do not ring! May they ring out this message of peace until the morning of the day on which the world ends.
Initially, the book was refused publication by the American forces occupying Japan, until an appendix was added describing Japanese atrocities in the Philippines. This appendix was later removed.
Records and CDs
- July 1, 1949, performed by Ichiro Fujiyama, Mariko Ike, written by Hachiro Sato, composed by Yuji Koseki
- September 1949, performed by Yoshie Fujiwara, written and composed by Kazuo Uemoto
- 1996, performed by Yumi Aikawa, composed by Yuji Koseki