F. Nightingale Statues

The F. Nightingale Statue was erected in 1936 (Showa 11) by the religious figure Michiyu Nakayama. In his later years, while recuperating at a Japanese Red Cross hospital, he was deeply moved by the devoted care provided by nurses and, wishing to preserve that emotion for future generations, established the statue at its current location in Kawanishi City, Hyogo Prefecture—land he owned at the time. It is modeled on the statue at the Nightingale Training School at St Thomas’ Hospital in London and is said to be one of only two in the world. Access to the F. Nightingale Statue is about a 10-minute walk from Hankyu Railway Hibari-ga-oka Hanayashiki Station or Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station. Florence Nightingale is famed for her dedicated nursing during the Crimean War, for founding a nurses’ training school, and for spearheading reforms in medical hygiene based on statistics—achievements that are often noted as having greatly influenced the later establishment of the International Red Cross. Located between Hibari-ga-oka Hanayashiki Station and Kawanishi-Noseguchi Station, the site is a popular spot for a stroll in the surrounding area. It is also well known for attracting many nursing students in May, Nightingale’s birth month.