Sunday April 19, 2015
Boulder, Colorado
Cold, Dry, Sunny
Visiting family for a few days before I head to Cupertino for business. But have lots of blogging to do as have been busy traveling around Japan.
Last weekend, I decided to spend in Kyushu as I had a business trip there. I stayed in Fukuoka but decided to take the 2 hour train ride to Nagasaki and to tour the town. Nagasaki did not disappoint. It is now my favorite city in Japan. It's gorgeous! Reminds me of a miniature San Francisco. Nagasaki is arguably where foreigners first discovered Japan. It was during the 15th century that the Portuguese first discovered Japan by sailing into Nagasaki. From the 16-19th century, Nagasaki was bustling with foreign trade mostly from Portugal and Holland. Because of the European influence, Nagasaki is also where Christianity was introduced to Japan. Therefore, it is home to the oldest Christian church in Japan. However, when Tokugawa became the Shogun of Japan, Christianity was banned where many were executed. It was not until the Meiji era where Christianity was allowed again in Japan.
Nagasaki however, is mostly known today as the second sight where the Atomic Bomb was dropped. During the war, Nagasaki was home to Mitsubishi Steel and Arms work which produced bombs, etc and thus was a target. The bomb exploded over a Christian church in Japan and killed approximately 80000 people mostly workers in the industrial plants, persecuted Christians and Koreans, and Burakumin - Japanese folks from the lower caste. I found a visit to the Peace Museum at Nagasaki very moving.
Nagasaki is not usually on ones itinerary when visiting Japan. I, however, recommend it be on everyone's itinerary. It's beautiful and home to a unique and tragic history of Japan.
First stop Glover Garden, home to the oldest western style house in Japan. It was the home of Thomas Glover who played an important role in industrializing Japan. Thomas Glover, a Scot, came to Japan in the 1800s first to trade tea but helped establish a shipping company which later became Mitsubishi Corporation. He also helped established Kirin beer which I did not know. The symbol of Kirin beer is a "kirin" - a mystical dragon- with a mustache that resembles Thomas Glover's infamous mustache.
One must climb a steep hill to get to Glover Garden
And while climbing the hill, the first sight is Oura Church - the oldest church in Japan built in the 1800s by French priests
And right next to the church is Glover Gardens with beautiful views of Nagasaki
Many tourists dressed in traditional western clothes popular during Thomas Glover's time to do sightseeing - weird.
The oldest palm tree in Japan
Next stop was Dejima Island - a man made island, where during the "isolation" period of the Tokugawa era, foreign trade was allowed. Foreigners were constrained to the island and only for trade purposes.
Model of the original Dejima Island on Dejima Island
Next stop was Peace Park. Very moving..
Stone Lanterns from a nearby temple. The stone lanterns were the only thing that survived.
The remnants of the Urakami Cathedral which was the grandest Cathedral in Asia. The bomb exploded above the cathedral and instantly killed the nuns, priests and parishioners in the cathedral
Never again
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