When planning the holiday, I thought by this point a hotel stay would be a good restorative idea, as well as a self-guided walk. Doing things at out own pace, seemed to be a more relaxed way of doing things.
The historical walk would cover the history of foreigners influence in Nagasaki, which as I am quite nerdy, I thought would be interesting.
Our first stop was the Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture. Because we initally went the wrong way, we passed St Philp Nishizaka Catholic Church, built near the site of massacred 26 martyrs. The architect Imai created it, inspired by the work of Gaudi, it certainly looked Guadiesque.
We also passed lots of mini shrines, in stark contrast.
Many of them wearing red bibs like this one, used to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.
We eventually reached the museum and spent much longer in it than the guide suggested. The cost of the museum was under £5 for both of us. When we last came to Japan things seeemed very expensive foor us, but now it is completely opposite, a full basket of shopping has come to less that £10. A very good bottle of wine is around £3!
One of things that you have to get used toin Japan is soemthing known as ‘ojigi’, otherwise Japanese bowing. There is a lot of it, and after three weeks I am sure I will be coming bck doing the same, no doubt garnering strange looks from the shop owners on Dean Road!
Bowing in Jaoan is a form of deference and how deep it is shows the level of respect. So, having any interaction seems to involve this movement, which originated with the samurais. All front facing workers are incrediby polite and curteous here, which feels a bit alien.
We went to the special exhibition, illustrations and art linked to scary ghosts, vengeful spirits that bring disaster, a strange and mysterious world.
My favourite was the monster cat, incidentally it was the top voted monster from the exhibition. Monster cats take on human form, lick oil out of lamps, and eat people born in the Year of the Mouse.
This one is a she devil, or han’nya, twisted by envy, she clutches the head of a baby with her long gnarled hands.
The next level was the history of trading, Nagasaki was an important port and as such had links with many parts of the world, most importantly the Dutch and Portuguese.
Foreigners coming over on their boats in their very silly trousers!
The last part of the visit was the Nagasaki Magistrates Office, which we had to take our shoes off for.
Areproduction of what it had looked like. I really loved this bit as it was so funny. They had screens that could choose different stories that the magistrate had dealt with, including an incident with kite flying. It was all acted out in an exaggerated way that was hilarious, I think it was meant to be!
We watched two reinactments, could have watched more!
We exited through the gift shop and bought Juni and Bea some lovely souvenirs!
Our next stop was the Kofukuji Temple, the oldest Chinese temple in the city.
There werealot on the road and not entirely certain which was which, but they were all impressive!
The heat was really getting to me by this point and so we stopped for a large watermelon ice-lolly next to the river. We walked down the river towards the Meganebashi Bridge, built in the 17th Century.
We spotted lots of wildlife as we went along the river, turtles and koi carp.
As I was posing on the stepping stones, I looked up and there was a film crew on the bridge above me filming. I may become famous!
We then headed to Dejima, a man made island in the Nagasaki port, this was the area that Dutch traders were housed for over two centuries. Isolated so that they would not spread Christianity, but as half of Nagasaki is Christian they failed somewhat!
It was odd sitting in a Dutch restaurant in Japan, having a much needed drink.
It was an interesting place but I was flagging in the heat.
We did spend quite a bit of time there so I wasn’t completely beaten by the weather.
For the first time on the holiday Pete and I went on our seperate ways, I did retail therapy and had a gin mojito! Pete went to the blast centre of the atomic bomb, as well as outside museum.
Random Acts of Travelling 