Nagasaki, Hirado, Sasebo and Huis Ten Bosch: Dec 26-29, 2019

I visited Nagasaki Prefecture in Kyushu in my year-end holidays.

Where I stayed included Nagasaki City, Hirado, Sasebo, and Haus Ten Bosch.

There are many interesting spots in these places. I wrote the stories on the atomic bomb disasters as well as on the history of hidden Christians in different posts. (Visit “Memories of atomic bomb disasters in Nagasaki” and “History of Christians andchurches in Nagasaki Prefecture.”) This post focuses on other topics.

Hirado is an island which locates at the north-western side of the Kyushu Island. It is now connected by a bridge with Kyushu. It has a good port.

Hirado was one of the main ports of the trade between Japan and Europe four centuries ago. It was also a center of Christianity in Japan. Dutch and other European people lived here.

There was a Dutch Trading Post in the 17^th century. It was rebuilt in 2011.

Francisco de Xavier stayed Hirado in the 16^th century to teach Christianity. The religion was banned later in the 17^th century, but some people continued to believe it secretly. New churches were built after the Meiji period as the ban was cancelled.

The Hirado Xavier Memorial Church stands at a top of a hill. The scene of the towns and the sea was beautiful from the church. (See the top photo)

There are Buddhism temples around the church. The combination of the church and the temples are impressive.

Sasebo City hosts the bases of U.S. Navy and Japan’s Self-Defense Force. The port was beautiful.

Huis Ten Bosch is one of the largest theme parks in Japan. It has Dutch-style windmills and flower gardens.(See the 2nd photo from the top)

It attracts visitors with illumination of lights.

It also has a robot restaurant, where various kinds of robot host customers.

Nagasaki City was the only place in Japan where foreign trades were allowed from mid-17^th to mid-19^th century, when Japan took the policy to close the country. Only the trades with the Netherland and China were allowed then.

Dejima was the place where former Dutch trading post located and Dutch people stayed in the Edo era.

The trade restrictions were relieved in the late Tokugawa era (1850s and 60s); various foreign traders arrived in Nagasaki. Thomas Glover, one of the traders, built his house on a hill. The place is now known as the Glover Garden. The views of the port and the city from the garden are beautiful.

Streetcars run around the city. It costs 130 yen for a ride. (See the 3re photo)