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Minamata Memorial was completed in 1996, the 40th anniversary of the official discovery of Minamata disease:
1) As a prayer and requiem for those sacrificed to Minamata disease;
2) As a pledge, based on the experience of Minamata disease, to never allow the repetition of such disasters;
3) so as to pass on the lessons of Minamata disease to future generations.
Minamata MemorialMinamata Memorial
Address: 55-7 Myoujin, Minamata,
(Infront of Minamata Disease Municipal Museum)
Area: 3,000 approx.
Prayer Fountain: 3m wide, 5m high
Illumination:
from sunset till 9:00 (Apr.1 ~ Sep.30)
from sunset till 7:00 (Oct.1 ~ Mar.31)
This is the place where visitors can pause for a while to gather their thoughts, contemplate the past and the future, and pray for a fresh start for tomorrow.
Memorial ChestMemorial Chest
Chest containing plates engraved with the names of those sacrificed to Minamata disease, the surface of the copper chest is embellished with the city's tree-the cherry.
prayer FountainPrayer Fountain (GlassFountain)
Looking through the clear water and glass surface of the prayer fountain, won't you turn your thoughts towards the past, the present, and the future?
TerracesTerraces
Terraces of differing levels from the entirety of Minamata Memorial.
The color and texture of the terraces recalls a sandy beach.
Memorial SpheresMemorial Spheres
The stainless steel spheres scattered over the terraces, symbolize a number of things.
These represent both the souls of those sacrificed, and the fishermen's lights of the Shiranui Sea.
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