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 :)

節分Setsubun! Throwing Beans and Burning stuff

 節分Setsubun

Setsubun's is celebrated on February 3, or 4 which is the beginning of the spring, according to the Japanese lunar calender. Meaning, 'seasonal division' setsubun is a special holiday in Japan that is widely celebrated. 

Before I explain the demons and the beans and the burning of shit I must say that I participated in setsubun in Nagasaki, Japan. Holidays in other parts of Japan differ sometimes and some of the things I did in Nagasaki may not happen in Honshu or Hokkaido. 

Setsubun is the time of year that you buy some beans, give your kids demon masks, and pelt them with beans. Back in the day, people would throw beans at demons to drive them away and with the evil spirits gone, good fortune would come your way. 

However, these evil spirits can be driven away with loud noises like the taiko drums, and from the smoke of burning wood. 

"Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!"

Demon's out! Happiness in!

As you yell this and throw around the beans, afterwards you are supposed to eat as many beans as your age. However, I didn't see anyone do this :/ but that could be another case of Japan half-assing their culture. 

 A bunch of monks set up this and prayed for the demons to vacate the premises.

While they're asking the demons to leave people take it upon themselves to burn items in their house that may bring bad spirits in or if they missed trash day. 

Last but not least, it got wild. 

Top 5 places to see in Nagasaki!

The city of Nagasaki, the city of slopes, has many historical sights, top cityscape views in the world, staple foods, and unique cultural events :) because Nagasaki is so amazing I made it a goal to see everything (and eat everything) on my travels when I stayed there for my year-long study abroad. The things I have chosen are the things that were most fun, beautiful, and seen as a must by the locals.

1. The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum

The atomic bomb museum is a must see for locals and foreigners alike. The devastation caused by the atomic bomb is out of this world and horrifying. The Nagasaki city website says that the museum serves as a powerful reminder of the true nature of nuclear weapons and of the pressing need for world peace. Seeing what it was like for the people in the vicinity of the explosion after the bomb is well documented in this museum, the struggles some people went through to survive, and a representation of the destruction caused to this area in Japan. Close to the museum is Nagasaki's peace park. Also a symbolism of peace after the bomb.

2. Mt. Inasa sights!
Mountain Inasa is a hill to the west of Nagasaki in which all of Nagasaki and its boat harbor can be seen from. There is a rope way travelers take from the shrine at the bottom of the hill to the top. Your view from the top is breathtaking. The night cityscape view is what made mt. Inasa famous, making it one of the top views in the world to see at night!

3. Pray for luck at Suwa Shrine

Suwa Shrine is the biggest Shinto shrine in Nagasaki. Not only is this place enormous but it's very traditional, old, and all major festivals and Shinto related events always have a celebration at the shrine. However, to get to this shrine please be in shape! The stairs are never ending and the only only water at the top in cleansing water :D

4. Seaside park, Dejima
Seaside park outside of the Dejima wharf is an amazing park that always has its fountains on, grass green, and families playing around it. The park is located right on the seaside and there is no better place to stop and relax. Big festivals like hanabi, and kunchi are celebrated here

5. Glover Gardens
Is a park in Nagasaki that was built for Thomas Blake Glover because of his work in shipbuilding , coal mining and other fields. The gardens are built on a hillside in an area with old restored Meiji period European homes. One of the most unforgettable aspects of these gardens is the giant koi pound at the top of the hill, a pound with hundreds of funny koi dying to play, is a dream here that needs to be experienced :)

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.

Yasuragi Iojima Onsen!

So for those of you who don't know what an onsen is, it is a Japanese word for hot springs, and since Japan is actively volcanic(heck yes) they have thousands of onsens all over Japan. They are hot springs for relaxing in and the term onsen is also used for public bathing facility that goes with onsens. When you use onsens to soak in, you always clean yourself very well before entering.

The onsen me and my friends experienced this weekend was on Iojima island right off of Nagasaki, Japan. We take a 20 minute ferry ride to the island and the whole trip only costs 980円 ($12) so its a fantastic price! ferry and onsen and seeing tons of naked asians? I'm in.

 This is the view in the woman's onsen at night, it was amazing! while you soak, you can also look out onto the main island and see Nagasaki and the sunset if you go at the right times.

These are the hotspring bathes inside the onsen, they had four to choose from, all made beautifully, 3 nice warm temperature and one boiling hot one. There was also one cold bath and face bath, you can see the face bath in the middle of the room, its not a bath exactly just a place to dip your hands in and splash your face with. The cold baths are interesting, a giant cauldron of freezing water that is extremely refreshing to splash on yourself. 

 These cauldrons were so cool. Just giant pots filled with hot onsen water and you just sit in them waiting to be cooked!  two people could even fit into them, awesome ideas by Japan right here.

These are the outside onsen facilities, like I mentioned the view is awesome from this island. The outside has two medium sized bathes to soak in, a foot bath, 3 large cauldrons to sit in, and the rock slate. The side picture of the rock slate which you can barely see is cool too. you just lay on this giant piece of rock, eyes up at the sky as hot water runs down your back, so relaxing...

America, if we already don't, NEED to invest in some of these bad boys, so relaxing, and not expensive.

Pictures from...

Yasuraji Iojima Resort