My elder sister Toshiko who was a first grader of Yasuda Girls' Junior High School, two years older than me (Masaaki Minata, owner of Garden of Peace), went to Hiroshima in the early morning of August 6th, 1945 as a mobilized student to die a violent death at the tender age of only twelve. The grief never lessens to this day after the lapse of 72 years.
I vow to myself, "The atomic bomb war causing such tragedies must never be repeated." My elder sister was deprived of her too young life by the devilish weapon named A-bomb 
I put music to "Give Back the Human", a poem of Mr. Sankichi Touge, by which I was greatly moved, so as not to allow this heartbreak grief to wane over in my mind for ever and a day.
However, no matter what we bewail or lament the death of our beloved, the dear departed will never turn back. Instead, I firmly believe nothing can better comfort the spirits of people who passed away in the horrors of war, remaining only as cornerstones for peace, than to overcome sadness and step forward to the lasting peace in order to build a bright future filled with dreams and hopes; hence the framework of the "Garden of Peace" Lyric monuments were arranged, and "The Bell of Peace" was melodized as a starting point of the park.
Other than the lyric monument of "Song of a Paper Crane" and "The Bell of Peace" written and melodized by me, you will find the lyric monuments of the late Sankichi Touge's "Give Back the Human," Ms Sachiko Tawata's "The City I Meet You," and Mr. Masayoshi Okano's "Garden of Peace," all of which gave me privileges of writing music.
It's no exaggeration to say that the Garden of Peace owes what it is today utterly to the three honorable persons mentioned above who wrote these splendid lyrics, for whom I'd like to express my deepest respect and gratitude.
Nowadays, we are prone to take it for granted that we are enjoying today's abundant life's bounty brought about by the phenomenal postwar affluence, however, we must never forget a great many behind the scene victims of the war followed by agonizing efforts of people mobilized for the postwar reconstruction, in addition to the luck of long sustained postwar peace.
Nevertheless, 72 years have passed since the end of World War II and the numbers of individuals and objects survived the atomic devastation have gradually decreased, thereby making it very difficult to convey younger generations the firsthand experience of the horror of the atomic bombing. Furthermore, I find it a deplorable situation that can give a shade of anxiety over the future of our country, that our concepts of the preciousness of peace are waning over with the lapse of time.
In spite of the fact that we were exposed to the unprecedented calamities of atomic bombing, it never occurred to us to revenge on America that dropped atomic bombs. Japan profoundly regrets the war and transformed itself from the militaristic nation to the pacifist nation that aspire lasting peace more keenly than in any other country.
We must not use retaliation as an excuse for the defense of our country. Retaliation does not bring true peace. We must be aware that it only creates new enmity and revenge, eventually leading to the source for another conflict resulting in the foolish attempt of mutual devastation of homelands.
If we wish to sustain the world of humans to continue for many years to come, each one of us must have a strong will not to start war at any time in our lives because it is a useless and folly act only to annihilate many people's lives and property.
A constant challenge to the realization of lasting peace, with self-awareness of the preciousness of peace and avoidance of silly war based on the cruel lesson learned through the devastation of the war, should be the most important mission imposed on us, especially in Japan nowadays amid the weathering of the tragic experiences of atomic bombing coupled with the growing momentum for the amendment of pacifist constitution, after 72 years since the end of war.
I firmly believe that the fulfillment of this mission will be the best consolation for the souls destroyed in the ravages of war only to become cornerstones of peace.
However, very regrettably, we human beings had been persistently repeating the history of wars, and at last produced history's worst nuclear weapons to drop over Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and today far more powerful nuclear weapons have been developed and manufactured progressively more, leading directly to the fateful crisis of mankind.
Now that it's come to this, we have so far desperately deployed our peace movement always shouting Elimination of Nuclear Weapons no Matter What! centered on United Nations. Unfortunately, however, we admit the results are far from adequate.
However, it's mankind that produced nuclear weapons and it's also mankind that uses them. War or peace It's definitely us mankind that holds key to either target. In other words, what are to blame as the root of all evils are not nuclear weapons themselves but the selfish motives concealed in human minds that attempt to use them for plausible reasons.
Consequently, we must recognize that lasting peace will never be achieved by the elimination of weapons alone. Let's pause to realize that the root of peace exist within our own minds.
To learn the value of human life and preciousness of peace through the miseries of war, on the part of the young people not experiencing the war but shouldering the future of mankind! Why shouldn't the learning of peace, not as education to acquire knowledge but education of heart based on human love, be the most important and acute missions for laying foundations for lasting peace?
Lasting peace! Why shouldn't the true peace thus far humankind has sought after be based on the cognition that it is achievable only through the wisdom sprung forth from the bottom of the hearts of people worldwide firmly rooted in the love for mankind? And then, we should know that this is one and only way for mankind to coexist in peace and prosperity.
Love is the very thing to save mankind from destruction. Indeed, "Love Saves the Earth" is well said.
Garden of Peace is exactly for the celebration of humanity It is the Flower Garden of Love for the human-centered century. In fact, it exists within our minds.
Isn't lasting peace realizable only when people all over the world are mutually tied by love to share the future filled with dreams and hopes? For this reason, there constructed the Garden of Peace to celebrate humanity Epitomizing the human-centered century.
Seasonally blooming plants and music…… you will be deeply attached to them! Your pure beautiful mind will certainly become the motive power guiding the world to genuine peace.
Let's think about the persons lost their lives in the calamity of war through the lyric monuments and the songs surrounded by beautiful flowers, and pause to realize the importance of life and peace, and pray for the souls of those perished in the war, and pray together for the coming of the day when the Bell of Peace peals every nook and cranny of the world at the earliest possible date without further delay.
Today we are enjoying affluent lifestyle taking it for granted thanks to the miraculous economic growth after the war.
However, we should remember and must never forget a great many behind the scene war victims followed by agonizing efforts of the people involved with postwar reconstruction to overcome the tremendous ravages of war.
We hereto renew our pledge before the spirits of those perished in the war and endeavor to build a peaceful future filled with dreams and hopes. In witness hereof, we earnestly wish the Garden of Peace be endured for eternity and pray for world peace.
May the spirits of war dead rest in peace. Please watch over us forever from heaven.
