Atlanta’s Wind Phones: Dialing In To Our Emotions
For anyone grieving the loss of a loved one, the holiday season can feel especially tender. The gatherings and family traditions that once brought comfort can also underscore their absence. Wind Phones offer a gentle, therapeutic means of staying connected and finding some solace along the way.
A Wind Phone is a rotary or push-button phone that is placed in a natural, peaceful setting, such as a garden, park, school grounds, or cemetery. The phone is not linked or connected to anything. Passersby are encouraged to pick up the receiver and share what is in their heart: a memory, thoughts of love, or even something left unsaid. There is no right or wrong way to use a Wind Phone; it is merely a safe space to share your feelings with the people you miss. It is a tool for healing.
The first Wind Phone was created in Japan in 2010 by Itaru Sasaki as he grieved the loss of his cousin to cancer. He purchased an old phone booth and installed it in his garden, using the phone to communicate and connect with his cousin. Itaru said his words were carried into the wind, inspiring the name Wind Phone. After the 2011 tsunami devastated the Otsuchi region and claimed thousands of lives, Itaru salvaged his phone booth and relocated it to a quiet hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Mourners began using the Wind Phone to work through their pain, and soon, the phone became a symbol for love, hope, and resilience.
Itaru’s Wind Phone has inspired similar spaces around the world, with more than 400 located in the U.S. and about 170 internationally. Atlanta is home to three Wind Phones, each with its own unique design and origin.
Atlanta Wind Phone, Hurt Park
91 Peachtree St SW, Atlanta, Georgia 30303
The Wind Phone in Downtown Atlanta is attached to a tree in Hurt Park, near the ATL sign and slide. A nearby plaque shares the story of Itaru Sasaki and encourages "callers" to speak their grief with intention. Portland Grief House, a grief support group, installed the Wind Phone as part of their Space Within public art activation. The Atlanta phone will remain in Hurt Park through December 2025, then move to a nearby cemetery.
Wind Phone, Stone Mountain Village
5492 E. Mountain St., Stone Mountain, Georgia 30083
Kelly Campbell created her Wind Phone following the death of her father during the COVID-19 pandemic. As she recently explained to FOX5 News, Kelly felt there were things left unsaid with her father and was searching for a way to process those emotions. Kelly spent six months creating her Wind Phone, which she dedicated to her father, Kenneth L. Campbell. Initially, she installed the phone in her backyard, but later moved it to the front of her property. Kelly hopes her Wind Phone can be a source of healing for her neighbors and community -- a way to make intangible feelings something you can grasp in your hand.
Wind Phone, Lawrenceville
590 Old Snellville Hwy, Lawrenceville, Georgia 30046
Oakland Meadow School serves students ages three to 22 who are medically fragile and have complex, special needs. The school's Wind Phone sits alongside its memory garden, an area dedicated to students who have passed away. The garden is located in a serene spot on campus, providing a place for quiet reflection, remembrance, and connection with those dearly missed.
Wind Phones offer a meaningful way to express grief aloud and with intention. To find a Wind Phone near you, visit the My Wind Phone website, which provides information on the history of the Wind Phone movement and maps both private and public Wind Phones around the world.