International Friendship Bell
 International Friendship Bell in September 2026 | |
 Interactive map of International Friendship Bell | |
| Location | A.K. Bissell Park, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 36°00′43″N 84°15′45″W / 36.01203°N 84.26246°W |
| Designer | Suzanna Harris |
| Builder | Sotetsu Iwazawa (foundry, Kyoto, Japan) |
| Type | Bell |
| Material | Bronze |
| Width | 5 feet (1.5 m) |
| Height | 7 feet (2.1 m) |
| Weight | 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg) |
| Beginning date | 1991 |
| Completion date | 1993 |
| Dedicated to | Peace and reconciliation between the United States and Japan |
The International Friendship Bell, also known as Oak Ridge International Friendship Bell, is a monument in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States. According to the authors, it is "a symbol of unity that carries the message of peace and friendship into the future."[1]
At nearly 7 feet (2.1 m) feet tall and 5 feet (1.5 m) wide, this 8,000-pound (3629 kilograms) bronze bell hangs at A. K. Bissell Park. Oak Ridge is where the enriched uranium for the world’s first atomic weapons was manufactured.[1]
Designed in Oak Ridge and cast in Kyoto, Japan, the relief panels on the bell show imagery inspired by Tennessee, Japan, and the tragedies of war between the two nations.[1]
History
[edit]On August 6, 1945, the US Army Air Forces dropped the uranium-fueled Little Boy atomic bomb over Hiroshima in the first of only two atomic bombings of a population in history, killing 80,000 people in just the first few minutes.[2] The Manhattan Project facilities at Oak Ridge, TN produced the enriched uranium used in the Little Boy atomic bomb.[1]
In 1963, Japanese citzens Shigeko and Ram Uppuluri arrived in Oak Ridge along with their two-year old son, Ram Jr., Shigeko.[3] When Shigeko and Ram visited Japan in 1987, they drew inspiration from a bonsho bell hanging in Buddhist Gangoyo-ji Temple to launch the Project Peace Bell.[4]
The project collected $750,000 in donations to design, fabricate, deliver and install the bell, by citizens and foundations in Japan and United States.[4]
Designed in Oak Ridge, in 1991 by local artist Suzanna Harris, and cast in Kyoto, Japan, in 1993 by Japanese bell-maker Sotetsu Iwazawa, the relief panels display peaceful images inspired by Tennessee, Japan, as well as tragedies of war between the two nations: the attack on Pearl Harbor, VJ, and the atomic bombings of Horishima and Nagasaki .[4]
It was dedicated in 1996 and visitors are encourage to ring the bell.[4] Since then, local organizations hold a ceremony to commemorate the atomic bombing every August 6.[5][6]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 "Ring the Oak Ridge International Friendship Bell". U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved 2026-09-26.
- ↑ "Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb". The Harry S. Truman Library. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Smith, D. Ray (2023-09-15). "Shigeko Uppuluri – a true Oak Ridge devotee". Oak Ridger. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- 1 2 3 4 Information board at the International Friendship Bell in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, United States. September 2026.
- ↑ "Oak Ridge to mark 81 years since Hiroshima bombing". Oak Ridger. 2026-08-03. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Crabtree, Emily (2026-08-05). "Oak Ridge prepares to mark 81 years since Hiroshima Bombing". WBIR. Retrieved 2026-09-27.