Nagasaki: The Historical Hub of Japan

The city of Nagasaki on the west side of the island of Kyushyu is the cultural hub of Japan. When most people hear Nagasaki they think of Pearl Harbor and the atomic bombings of this city; however what most people don't know is that when Japan went through an isolation period of 200 years, Nagasaki was the only port in which anyone could enter or leave the nation.

From about 1641-1853 the Tokugawa shogunate enforced an isolation law that was made to keep outside people's and industrialization out of japan and from threatening Japan's livelihood at the time. 

Because of this long period of isolation in most parts of Japan, Nagasaki was inhabited with lots of worldly growth. Settlers, explorers, missionaries, and scholars came from all over the world to learn of Japan's culture, and to spread knowledge of their own. Most notably the Portuguese and Dutch had a large influence on Japan at this time because of their medicinal/industrial knowledge but also the Portuguese's brought Christianity to Japan as well during this time. 

The atomic bomb that the USA targeted Nagasaki with was purposeful in destroying such a historical city of Japan. The devastation of the 1945 "fat man" atomic bomb can still been seen thought the city today. The atomic bomb museum dedicated to preserving the memory and the people who lost their lives to the bomb and its after affects is located exactly where the bomb originally hit. 

Nagasaki is an amazing city with an extremely cultured past and present. This city was home to the emperor at one time, was the only port in japan open for 200 hundred years to the rest of the world, and was victim to second and last atomic bomb to ever be bombed for real. For these reasons I believe Nagasaki to be the most historically important city in Japan. 

成人の日 Coming of Age Day

成人の日

Coming of Age Day

Seijin no hi, coming of age day in Japan is celebrated on the second monday of January. This day celebrates all the young people who turned 20 that year. In Japan, turning 20 is when one becomse an adult. At the age of 20, Japanese can vote, drink, and smoke. 

The coming of age day in Japan is a national holiday and is celebrated all over Japan. Young people are encouraged to become self-reliant adults with the coming of this holiday.  Usually for this celebration, there is a large gathering of all the young people and their families and the mayor will give a traditional speech. However, in recent years these traditions have been breaking in the sense that the young people are very disruptive during the speeches and sometimes go outside to blow off fireworks instead.  

The young women get very dolled up for this event. Kimono's(furisode), up-do hair styles, and lots of make up. While the young men usually wear suits; though, the more 'yankee' (a.k.a. punks) will wear their kimonos as well.  

Before the age of consent was decided on back in 1876, boys became adults at the age of 15 and their forelocks would be cut. The woman would become adults at 13 or so and their teeth were then dyed black. However now the age of legal adulthood is 20 and they party instead of downgrade their looks.

Some beautiful young ladies in their furisode's! which are the kimono's but different in that their designs are more intricate and the sleeves long and the furry thing. 

The men in suits which is most common, and sometimes in their kimono's :)

Birthdays in Nihon!

I spent my 21st birthday in Japan, and while turning 21 in America is a huge deal because I could finally drink, the drinking age in Japan is 20 and I didn't know what to expect at all when my day came :) it turned out my 6 year old host sister from a previous host family during my year long stay was had my same birthday. My entire host family each got me a gift, even my quite host dad got me some kitty socks.

Like any family with small children celebrating is important. We had cake, opened presents, and I shared beer with my host dad.

The next day I took a train to kitakyushyu, a city in the most northern part of the island of Kyushu. My best Japanese friend Rika invited me to spend the weekend with her family at her house. As traditional Japanese go, I was treated wonderfully and they entertained me the whole weekend. First her parents took the family (me, Rika, and her lil bro) out to a buffet where we pigged out, then they took me sight seeing till midnight all around kitakyushyu, it was beautiful!

When we got back home Rikas family had boughten plenty of beers and a cake for me :) this family was full of big drinkers and loved watching me drink because no matter how much I drank I never turned red, unlike the typical Asian gene that causes them to turn red with sometimes even a little alcohol.

Birthdays in Japan can be pretty crazy, but overall I'd say my experience was warm and loving as I got to spend my special with two amazing families that took care of me :)

The Day of the Sea

海の日 umi no hi, sea day is a national holiday in Japan celebrated every third monday of July. Umi no Hi is celebrating the return of the Meiji Emperors return from Hokkaido, also this day was named to give appreciation to the ocean for everything it provides people and because Japan is an island nation the sea is very representative of them. Locals take this day to go to the ocean usually, since its celebrated in July the beaches are bomb and the weather in humid as hell! In some places in Japan umi no hi is celebrated by rowing boats decorated with lanterns and paper kite fish into the ocean. 
There are many aspects to Japan's culture that make the Japanese respectful of the environment. Holidays like Ocean Day reflect the morals and mentally of Japan as a nation; having a day that apperciates the ocean for providing food, surrounding their country, and for fun.