The Ryōan-ji (pronounced “rai-oh-anne-jee”) temple garden in Kyoto, Japan was the intended target of the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki, Japan during World War II. The American Secretary of State Harry Stimpson, who visited the Ryōan-ji temple garden during his travels throughout the world, lobbied against the bombing of this garden and other gardens around it located in Kyoto as he had appreciated the gardens beauty and significance to Japanese culture. Because Stimpson was steadfast in his opposition to the bombing of the Ryōan-ji Temple garden, the site was spared with Nagasaki substituted as Nagasaki was considered an equally suitable target