Sculpture background

This Japanese lantern is the centrepiece of a garden dedicated to peace.

The Japan Society of New Zealand originally donated the lantern to Wellington in 1975. It was placed in a Japanese Garden that had been developed in the Botanic Garden. In 1994 it was relocated and adapted to house the Peace Flame.

The flame comes from fire created by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima at the end of World War II. It was presented by the people of Japan to New Zealand in recognition of our efforts to halt the spread of atomic weapons.

Additional information about the history of the lantern courtesy of Nola Sinclair.