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Explore Japan
ESSENCE OF
Nagasaki GABBY MALVAR captures the different faces of this harbor city southwest of Japan
J
apan has a unique and distinct culture based on a strong sense of identity, and this is evident in its cities: Kyoto epitomizes traditional Japan with the
arts, extensive history and deep antiquity and heritage; Osaka is defined by its merchants and the hustle and undercurrent of entrepreneurial buzz; modernity and power is undeniable in the sprawling mega-village and seat of administration that is Tokyo. But Nagasaki is where Japan was once defined by the outside world as much as it was determined by internal
influences – a place where Japan was introduced to the world, and the world to Japan. Since the Age of Exploration, Nagasaki was the portal by which the outside world manifested itself into the land of the gods. Western civilization was introduced to the local folk when the first Portuguese ship landed in Japan in 1543 and brought medicine, firearms and astronomy, as well as ideas and beliefs. Christianity spread as the Society of Jesus headed by Francis Xavier converted locals to the Christian faith.
Japan
Though foreign influence was eventually bottled up in Nagasaki for two centuries due to a policy of seclusion, social upheaval at the end of the Edo period led to the opening up of Japan during the Meiji Restoration. Interaction with the West resumed along with the revival of Christianity.
Today, one finds Nagasaki essentially Japanese, but fused with western and Asian nuances. For such a beautiful area, Nagasaki has a tragic history. It is a resilient city that has survived various turmoil and catastrophes, including Christian persecution and the atomic bomb. Each time, it has moved forward with a mission to propagate a message of peace and harmony to the world.
CROSSING PATHS Built in 1634 by Chinese monk, Nagasaki’s MEGANEBASHI (or the “Spectacles Bridge”) is famous for its “megane” or glass-like reflection, formed from the two arches over the Nakashima River. It is the oldest bridge in Japan, and one of the country’s three famous bridges, next to Nihonbashi in Tokyo and Kintaikyo in Yamaguchi. en.meganebashi.com
ADDITIONAL TEXT BY MIMI CALLANO AND MARNELLI GAERLAN, JAMIE BALTAZAR.
Nagasaki has played a significant role in the colorful history of Japan’s international dealings. Culture and knowledge from Asia and Europe came to Japan through its ports and contributed greatly to Japan’s march to modernization. The first shipyards, railroads, mint and other western concepts were first introduced in Nagasaki before eventually being rolled out
to the rest of the country. Consequently, Nagasaki’s traditional culture fused and harmonized with foreign influences, and this is evident in its architecture, language, food and festivals – all a mingling of styles and cultures.
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THE GRAND VIEW Though Nagasaki’s view can be relished from many spots, the best place to take in the city in its entirety, and to fully comprehend its beauty and immensity, is from the top of the 333-meter InasaYama (Mt. Inasa), reachable by a glass-covered cable car. It’s not particularly elevated, but it’s high enough to provide a grand view of Nagasaki’s port at the center, with rolling mountains surrounding it on three sides.
CHURCHES OF NAGASAKI OURA TENSHU-DO (Oura Catholic Church) said to be the oldest Gothic-style church in Japan, is dedicated to the 26 saints of Japan who were crucified on Nishizaka Hill in the 16th century. It’s most famous for its 100-year-old stained glass. Interestingly, the bronze statues of the 26 saints of Japan and their counterparts on Nishizaka Hill were built deliberately to face each other. NAKAMICHI CHURCH stands not too far from Nishizaka Hill. The white-spired structure was originally built in 1896 to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the sacrifice of the 26 martyrs. Reconstructed to its current state after it was destroyed in the 1945 atomic blast, the church was re-dedicated to the canonization of Saint Thomas and the 15 martyrs.
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Cruise ships calling at this port are scattered throughout the bay, while bridges, shipyards, beautiful canals and a sprawling city complete the scene where millions of lives mill about in the city of lights below. The hillsides and slopes are populated by homes, and at night, the mountainside twinkles, illuminating the harbor. If San Francisco were situated in the east, this would be it. It is a sight to behold even as the chilly wind blasts your face. The spectacular night-vista is said to be worth 10 million dollars. With such a view, one definitely feels like a millionaire. No wonder Nagasaki was selected one of the best three night views at the World Night View Summit in 2012.
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Japan LONE WINDOW TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD As the Tokugawa Shogunate put the national seclusionist policy into effect after a Christian-initiated rebellion of 40,000 peasants, Dejima was built in 1636 for the sole purpose of enclosing foreigners and their influence within a limited area. For the next 200 years during Japan’s era of isolation, Dejima was the official and only place where the Japanese could communicate with the Dutch traders who established the artificial island as their settlement. The Dutch were bottled up within the restricted walled area and only a handful of Japanese traders, officials, and prostitutes interacted with them. Whatever influence, culture, or word from the outside world that sifted in only came through Dejima. As you walk around the houses, warehouses, and restaurants in the foreign-influenced enclave and breeze through rooms filled with vintage European furniture, you get a glimpse of normal life in Dejima and how it must have felt to be a settler. I could imagine the curses of foul-mouthed seamen and the stench of foreigners in dire need of baths. If Dejima represented the isolationist tendency of the Tokugawa Period, Glover Garden epitomizes the nation’s re-opening to the outside world in the late 19th century.
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THE GLOVER FACTOR Scottish merchant THOMAS GLOVER was perhaps the most influential foreigner in the modernization and industrialization of Japan. He arrived in Nagasaki after Commodore Perry’s Black Ships forcibly opened up the country. With the help of Glover, Japan was introduced to the first railway system and the first printing press, among other western “technology.” His impact went beyond industrial as his gunrunning efforts helped end the Shogunate and restored the Emperor to power to usher in the Meiji Restoration.
THE TRAGEDY OF THE ATOM (URAKAMI ZONE) 11:02 is frozen on clock faces but the memory of events that commenced at that instant is forever etched in the recollection of its Japanese victims, and of the world as well.
The Glover residence, the oldest wooden western-style house in Japan contains secret rooms where secret anti-shogunate meetings were held.
On that precise moment on August 9, 1945, an atomic weapon of war, released from an American B29 plane, detonated over Urakami, killing and injuring 150,000 people and obliterating structures—office buildings, schools, and cathedrals. The Mitsubishi Heavy Industry shipyard was the intended target, not Urakami. Clouds had obscured visibility and when the skies cleared, the pilots released the plutonium bomb that packed twice the power of the uranium bomb dropped over Hiroshima. Unfortunately, this bomb landed on a civilian area instead of its intended military and industrial target.
Strolling about the gardens with an arresting view of the Nagasaki port and faint strains of Puccini’s melodies running in your head, you are taken back in time to an era of romance, transformation, and cultural immersion, gazing intently at every face in search for your own Madame Butterfly amidst fresh sea breeze.
The bomb detonated 500 meters above the ground. On the spot below, a stone obelisk now marks ground zero, the hypocenter of the blast. The place is solemn and a feeling of loneliness engulfs visitors. People close their eyes, utter prayers, observe silence, or simply reflect on the catastrophe.
Situated on a mountainside, Glover Garden contains grand traditional and Meiji-era mansions erected by British merchants, in a neighborhood where westerners lived in the 19th century. The wooden structures are a stylish fusion of Japanese and European architecture.
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ONE WITH THE FLOW NAGASAKI PEIRON BOAT RACING is a sporting event with ancient beginnings, held every July since the 17th century. Teams of 30 rowers from all over Japan compete on 14-meter long boats to the beats of taiko drums and gongs in Nagasaki port. Locals believed that this pacifies the sea gods. The TALL SHIPS FESTIVAL also takes place along Nagasaki port, where ships from different countries are on display and open for public viewing. The festival begins with a parade, followed by a sailing drill performance from each participant. www.at-nagasaki.jp
MEMORIES OF A TRAGEDY
NEIGHBORLY CONNECTION Heavy trade between China and Japan resulted in the building of a CHINATOWN IN NAGASAKI prefecture. Established in the early 1700s, it is the oldest Chinatown in Japan, with two famous two noodle shops: Champon and Sara Udon.
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The NAGASAKI ATOMIC BOMB MUSEUM is a repository of relics, photos, personal items and reminders of the atomic explosion. The vestiges – singed garments or disfigured artefacts – personalize the tragedy and display the horrors of war in your face and without concession. The museum starts from several floors beneath the ground, and then winds upwards towards the exit on ground level. By the time the tour is completed, the significance of peace and a world free of nuclear peril is impressed upon the visitors.
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THE DREAM OF PEACE A short walk away is Heiwa-Koen or Peace Park, a memorial founded with the intent of propagating world peace. The centerpiece of the park is the gigantic Peace Statue, a man with eyes half-closed in prayer, seeking solace for the victims. The right hand pointing to the sky indicates where the nuclear threat came from. The extended left hand with the palm facing downward signifies eternal peace. The statue is a powerful and overwhelming symbol of amity. On the opposite end of the Peace Statue is the Peace Fountain with its overflowing waters, built to remember the bomb victims who suffered first from dehydration and thirst, before eventually perishing without relief. A poignant poem composed by a child who knew of the experience first hand is etched on the memorial marker.
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The ground was scorched in the nuclear aftermath, and it was said that grass and trees would not grow for a lengthy period. But the boulevards are now lined with trees and greenery dominates the place. Recovery has commenced. The bomb blast did not spare Urakami Roman Catholic Church, the largest church in Japan, constructed over a period of 30 years starting in 1895 after the edict banning Christianity had been repealed. Although it has been reconstructed to its current form, grim reminders of the tragedy remain: headless statues, seared angels and the broken wooden statue of the Virgin Mary. A fragmented half of an Angelus bell still resonates a lovely sound. n
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