Japan & Korea – May 25, 2016

Tried the hotel breakfast again; not a good choice.  But coffee was satisfactory.  Checked out of the hotel at 9:45 and left my suitcases with them.  Walked to the airport bus stop to make sure I knew where it was and then reversed direction and walked to Dejima, built as a man-made island in the mid-17^th century to isolate the local residents from foreigners and the threat of Christianity they represented.  While there have been many changes over the years, Dejima is still in its original location and maintains its original fan-like shape.  Because it was used for a variety of purposes over a long span of time, it features both Edo Period restorations and buildings remaining from the Meiji Period.  Restoration and repair work continues to go on.

 I viewed one side of Dejima as I walked from the hotel.  In addition to the map of the area there was a detailed model.

When there was a need to do restoration, as much as possible original construction techniques were used.  However, the sign assured visitors that those techniques were modified in order to take into account current earthquake standards.  And, of course, even in “17^th century” buildings there need to be accommodations to modern needs.

Dejima is one of the many sites in Japan where visitors can rent kimonos and parade around.  This couple was from Taiwan and thoroughly enjoying their dress-up experience.

By 1899 foreigners were not limited to Dejima as they had been in previous centuries, but the area was still a center of foreign business interests.  The International Club was founded by Thomas Glover (of Glover Gardens fame) and fellow businessmen as a place they could meet and do business amongst themselves and with their Japanese counterparts.

There is an emphasis on archaeology and research on the site.  Stones from the original bridge leading to the main gate were preserved and will be used in the construction currently underway.  In the 17^th century the bridge to the main gate, which connected the island with the city, was guarded by Japanese and posted with a sign on the Edo-machi side of the bridge.  No one other than courtesans and certain Buddhist priests were allowed onto the island and, of course, no Dutch were allowed off the island onto the mainland.

The Chief Factor’s Residence dates from the early 19^th century and shows that living was good for the Dutch East India Company’s first in command.

 An interesting fact that was posted on information boards put up by the Dutch government which still has strong links to Nagasaki is that from 1810 to 1815 the only place on earth which flew the national flag of The Netherlands was Dejima.  In 1810 France conquered Holland in the Napoleonic Wars, and England rushed to take over the Dutch Asian territories.  But Blomhoff, a representative of the Dutch India Trading Post, refused to hand over Dejima to Lord Raffles.  So until the Kingdom of Netherlands was established in 1815, the Dutch flag flew only in Japan.

As with most things in Japan there is an emphasis on neatness and cleanliness.  Two young women dressed in the official uniform of the site were going around replacing the dirty mats in the display buildings with clean ones.  I wasn’t sure the task really needed doing, and they seemed overdressed for the occasion, but maintaining standards is important.

As I exited the site, I was drawn to these drains on the ground around the building.  During the Edo period gutters were installed along both sides of the path to drain water.  In the 19^th century V-shaped gutters were installed in the same positions.  The gutters in front of the 10 restored buildings on the site were recreated in the Edo period style using excavation findings concerning materials and placement.  

One place I frequently crossed the street (near the YouMe Department Store and its Food Square) presented a large number of alternatives.  The “don’t walk” lasted a long time, but when “walk” appeared, choices were many.

Walked the block to my hotel from Dejima, picked up my luggage, and went to the bus stop to catch the airport limousine which came on time.  Fortunately I had left myself plenty of time because after we had gotten out of town, had gone through the first tunnel, and were close to the second tunnel, all traffic was stopped.  According to the pictorial sign which even I could read, there had been a crash in the tunnel.  Police and emergency vehicles passed us as we turned around (not an easy task with a large bus) and headed back into Nagasaki City.  Had to drive around the city, with frequent red lights, until we reached the alternative way out of town to the airport.   

Although we were about 45 minutes late, I still had plenty of time to make the flight to Osaka.  Once at Kansai Airport I had a wait of a couple of hours until the flight to Seoul was ready for boarding.  On this low-cost airline which charges for everything, the first five rows are more expensive; the first five rows were empty!  I sat in the 6^th so could be the first off the plane in Seoul.  Lines at Passport Control were fairly long but I still made it through the whole process in time to catch the airport limousine to Apgujong, the area of the city in which my friend InAe lives.  Her sister, also my good friend, InSook had come out to the airport to meet me because she was fearful I might miss the last limousine and find the alternative means of transport too difficult.  We had a pleasant 45-minute ride into the city where she left me at Building 63, Hyundai Apts., my frequent home in Seoul.  It did feel a bit like coming home – although at midnight I was more ready for bed than appreciating the location.

This blog will continue in Korea.

Japan & Korea – May 24, 2016

The weather prediction was for rain today so the gloomy sky, but no rain, was a bonus.  Did carry my rain hat and jacket, however.  Not being able to face cold, runny, eggs at the hotel breakfast, I headed for Starbucks for a latte and a scone.  Did take out and ate along the harbor.  Had a good view of the observatory I’d been in last night.  I was very glad I’d done the night tour when the skies were clear; don’t think there would be good views tonight.

 

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Walked along the harbor and through Seaside Park to find the Glover Gardens.  This part of Nagasaki was the area in which most Westerners lived in the late 18^th and 19^th centuries so the gardens contain a number of homes and other buildings from that era.  On the way to Glover Gardens I passed Oura Catholic Church, built in 1864 by a French priest; it is Japan’s oldest remaining gothic-style wooden church.

After climbing up some more, I reached the Glover Gardens entrance – and more stairs!  Fortunately the Japanese do believe in mechanical aids so there were also escalators and moving sidewalks for some of the worst hills within the Gardens.  There was a major effort to make the Gardens area handicapped accessible.

     

Given the dates of the buildings and no information talking about major reconstruction, it appears that this part of the city must have escaped major damage by the atomic bomb. Nagasaki is the setting for the opera Madame Butterfly and there is a lot of pride in that fact as evidenced by these statues of Giacomo Puccini, composer, and Tamaki Miura, opera singer who was famous for her role as Madame Butterfly.

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The Ringer House and Glover House are examples of the 19^th century western homes.  The Glover House is the oldest western-style wood building in Japan, built in 1863.  Inside there are some artifacts from the Glover family.  The gardens were lovely, and there was a large conservatory, outside which I’m standing in the picture below. All rooms in the Glover House opened directly to the outside – great for views and airiness, probably not so good for security!

The gardens which surround the buildings are varied and lovely.  The cycad tree is 300 years old, having been presented to Thomas Glover by Lord Shimazu as an already-large plant when the house was built.  This particular rose had a really lovely smell.

Leaving the Glover Gardens I found myself at the Nagasaki Traditional Performing Arts Museum.  There was a large-screen video showing the Nagasaki Festival and its dances while the props used in the Festival were on display.

Walking back toward the hotel I saw a sign for Dutch Slope so headed in that direction.  At the point I saw another sign, pointing up a fairly steep road, it began raining.  I decided I wasn’t interested in climbing in the rain just to see a slope and more western-style homes.  So returned to my hotel-bound journey.  Met a young woman who looked Japanese who commented in English how difficult it was to find one’s way with signs only in Japanese.  Of Japanese heritage, living in Brazil, she was in the country for a medical conference.  Having some free time she made a one-day trip to Nagasaki and wanted to see the Dejima, which she understood was the start of western medicine in Japan.  Knowing the Dejima was a block from my hotel, we walked together until she reached her destination and began taking some pictures.  She speaks Portuguese, English, Spanish, and French, but, despite the encouragement of her Japanese-born parents, hasn't yet mastered Japanese.

Reached the hotel and decided to spend the evening in.  The rain had stopped, but the weather wasn’t great.  After two days of hard sightseeing I was ready for relaxing a bit.  Also, had to pack since my flight to Osaka and on to Seoul leaves tomorrow.