Nagasaki

Nagasaki - darkometer rating : 10 - Japan 's (and the world's) second (and so far last) city to be struck by an atomic bomb , namely on 9 August 1945, only three days after Hiroshima . Nagasaki may thus be second to Hiroshima, in terms of chronology and in public awareness (and conscience) of history. But it's no less tragic – in fact, in some ways Nagasaki was more tragic … As a dark tourist you definitely shouldn't think of Nagasaki as secondary. Today's A-bomb related sights in Nagasaki are less numerous compared to Hiroshima but they're nevertheless a must. In both places the relevant museum is the top of the pick, and Nagasaki's complements Hiroshima's very well, even tops it in several respects. Together with Hiroshima , Nagasaki belongs to the world's darkest sites of them all (see lists , esp. Top-20 overall , Top-10 darkest ) > More background info > What there is to see > Location > Access and costs > Time required > Combinations with other dark destinations > Combinations with non-dark destinations > Photos More background info: People associate atomic disaster first and foremost with Hiroshima , which was indeed the very first instance of such a tragedy. So it is sometimes overlooked that Nagasaki was in some sense even more tragic – and most definitely more controversial. Even if you're prepared to accept the USA 's justifications usually given for dropping the bomb on Hiroshima , namely to shock Japan into quick surrender and thus avoiding an even bloodier invasion of the Japanese mainland (and at the same time sending a strategic signal to Stalin to keep the expansion of the post- WWII Soviet Union 's sphere of influence at bay) ... the dropping of yet another such devastating bomb only three days after the first one is much harder to justify.