6 Days In Kyushu

[Michael]

A Recollection of the 6 days in Kyushu, Japan.

Michael's Photo Blog - Photos, Write ups, Information & Details about Kyushu.

From the 11th to the 16th of December, 2007.

[Michael]

Upon landing in Fukuoka Airport in the morning, we were hustled directly into a coach.
It took us 2 hours to arrive at the first location on our itinerary, Huis Ten Bosch.



Huis Ten Bosch is a Dutch city in Kyushu. Back in the 17th century, the Dutch, along with many western countries, arrived in Japan to do trade. When missionary activities began to increase, the Japanese government, fearing their culture was under threat, chased away the foreigners. However, only the Dutch and the Chinese were allowed to remain.

[Michael]

Even to date, the Dutch's residence has a huge impact on Japanese society.
Many words such as beer, coffee and glass have made their way into the Japanese Language.
Even the people around the vincinity of the settlement are Christians, an impact by earlier missionaries.



However, at the moment, there seem to be lesser westerners in the area.
Huis Ten Bosch is now but a shell of it's former glory.
Most of the buildings are closed, with only several converted into shops and restaurants for tourists.

[Michael]

The sun sets early in Japan, it was only around 7pm but the skies were dark already.
Not surprising, considering it was winter in the upper hemisphere.



With free time alloted in the evening, several members of the tour group wandered around.
And we thus visited the nearby Chinatown in Nagasaki, a very short street consisting of few shops and numerous restaurants.

[Canew]

Upon landing in Fukuoka Airport in the morning, we were hustled directly into a coach and sent packing to the first location on our itinerary, Huis Ten Bosch.

-img-

Huis Ten Bosch is a Dutch city in Kyushu. Back in the 17th century, the Dutch, along with many western countries, arrived in Japan to do trade.
It was only with the increase in missionary activities that these foreigners were chased away.
However, only the Dutch and the Chinese were allowed to remain, and were relocated here.

Power shot!

[Nick]

The sun sets early in Japan, it was only around 7pm but the skies were dark already.
Not surprising, considering it was winter in the upper hemisphere.

-img-

With free time alloted in the evening, several members of the tour group wandered around.
And we thus visited the nearby Chinatown in Nagasaki, a very short street consisting of few shops and numerous restaurants.

I can tell which one is Uncle and which one is Aunty.

[evershine]

Power of 5D, the rainbow shot is perfect.

[Michael]

Day 2 in Nagasaki brought us up a hill that near our hotel. On the top of the hill, there is a tourist attraction, Glover Gardens.

Glover Gardens is a collection of old western houses that have survived since the second half of the 19th century. The term Glover Garden was in memory of Thomas Blake Glover, who came to Nagasaki in 1859 and contributed to the coal mining and ship building industry. He built the house on the hill in 1863. With the statue of Miura Tamaki standing in the park, the area is also known as "Madame Butterfly", in relation to the heroine in the play she was famed for acting.



Madame Butterfly is actually a play about a Japanese geisha who gave up everything to marry a foreign sailor.
He married her, and shortly after, departed for America for three years. Still she kept her faith that he will return.
The sad story ended when she took her life upon knowing he has married an American wife.
The last scene showed him rushing into the house where she committed suicide in front of her child, of his.

[Michael]

Super Logical & Power Saving

One of the things I love about Japan is the logic of its people, the convenience they provide.
For example, it is easy to walk down steps, but it's hard to walk up due to gravity.
Thus, they put one escalator to travel up, and save electricity by walking down.



Cool stuff. It's almost everywhere.

[Nick]

Remove all the people. You think you are in Europe.

[Michael]

The next stop just before lunch was Peace Garden which commemorates the atomic explosion on 9 August 1945. The Statue of Peace stands in the middle with two shrines at the side. Children fold colourful cranes in large quantities then string them together before hanging at the side. On one of the bunches, a yellow card writes, A Prayer of Peace.

[Michael]

Even till today, visitors of such sites bring flowers.
Strewn beneath the statue, they constantly remind us of the product of war...

Suffering...

[Michael]

Located nearby is the Atomic Bomb Museum, which is divided into three sections and two storeys.

The first section is the prayer room, where more folded colour cranes reside.
Along the hall of translucent glass and acrylic, lie a towering box containing the names of all the people who died from the bomb.



The next section guide you through the sequence of events that happened that day.
The last section shows the untouched remnants of the building which is encased within the museum.
From there, one can see and touch several objects and items made deformed by the blast.
Also, the ruins of the church, with models of how it looked before the bomb were also displayed.

The second storey considered of video rooms that show nuclear tests recorded around the world.
All these items, along with the testimonials of the people affected by the blast, litter the museum.

[Michael]

Around the museum, the parks contain statues and displays as well as commemorative blocks made by Japanese artists. Focusing more on the suffering of their people as well as the importance of peace, the overcast skies and drizzling weather seem to make more of an impact when visiting during winter. It is to note that Japan, though the aggressors of World War II and causing much suffering in China & Singapore, can also feel the suffering when in defeat. It hit homes the point that in war, everyone loses.

[Nick]

Located nearby is the Atomic Bomb Museum, which is divided into three sections and two storeys.

The first section is the prayer room, where more folded colour cranes reside.
Along the hall of translucent glass and acrylic, lie a towering box containing the names of all the people who died from the bomb.

-img-

The next section guide you through the sequence of events that happened that day.
The last section shows the untouched remnants of the building which is encased within the museum.
From there, one can see and touch several objects and items made deformed by the blast.
Also, the ruins of the church, with models of how it looked before the bomb were also displayed.

The second storey considered of video rooms that show nuclear tests recorded around the world.
All these items, along with the testimonials of the people affected by the blast, litter the museum.

Your 80mm TS is very useful.