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Published: June 23rd 2011
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First steps into Kyushu see me in the largest city namely Fukuoka and trying to navigate my way out of the world's (seemingly) largest train station. Find my way out I did and was even able to find my hotel successfully even though there were three buildings of the same name on the same street!!!
The temperature was notably higher here than I had experienced previously which made it an effort to do anything but I mustered up some energy and took myself off to hunt out the nearby shrines and temples as well a strange game going on in the park that looked like a cross between golf and croquet. It got so hot by the middle of the afternoon that they had started handing out free ice lollies near to the station and I decided to head into the shopping arcade for a bit of well needed shade.
On the evening I took a walk to Canal City to see the much famed Yatai (Movable food stalls) which had already got busy with many of the seats taken by 8pm. It made for a lively atmosphere on a balmy evening indeed added to greatly by the wonderful aromas from
the Ramen stalls.
The next day it was back onto the train and off to Nagasaki. I really didn't know what to expect from this city given it's history and was pleasantly surprised when I arrived to find quite a bustling and lively city.
I was staying for a few days so I decided to split the sites up so I had something to keep me occupied for the time I was there.
Firstly I explored the area around the station which was largely dominated by temples and shrines, an interesting one was Fukusai-ji which was originally Chinese and rebuilt after the atomic bomb into the shape of a turtle carrying the Goddess of mercy on its back. Inside this temple there is a Foucault Pendulum which verifies the fact that the earth rotates by it's movement. The clock at the temple is also set to chime at 11:02 which was the time the atomic bomb exploded
The humid weather broke and it rained heavily once again which forced me to find shelter firstly by looking round some old air raid shelters and secondly by paying a visit to the Nagasaki Museum of HIstory and Culture. This museum was more
interesting than I expected and focussed on Nagasaki's history of overseas trade ( largely with the Dutch). The audio guide helped massively to guide me round the museum and I managed to kill a couple of hours taking in all the exhibits and talking to some random man (who turned out to be employed by the museum).
The next day it was back to glorious sunshine and off to explore the Urakami area which was the hypocentre of the Atomic bomb blast.
I started at the peace park and took in the quiet surroundings around the memorial monolith which marks the exact point below the centre of the atomic bomb explosion and the many floral tributes and paper cranes that decorate the area. It also hosts part of the former Urakami church that survived the blast.
I crossed the road to the Atomic Bomb museum and it was quite a sombre experience as it recounts the destruction and loss of lives quite graphically but I felt it was something that should be seen. Following this I paid a visit to the adjacent Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims which I have to say was one of
the most moving and emotional places I have ever visited.
The memorial was deeply symbolic with all elements representing something to do with the atomic bomb beginning with the slow walk around the fountain (which represented the victims cries for water) before descending into the memorial hall.
Before going into the hall I was ushered into an annex which had a rolling film of photos of all the victims for contemplative time prior to entering the hall.
The actual memorial hall was a peaceful but thought provoking experience as you stared at a giant column which housed the registry of all the victims of the blast and the emotions felt in the silence where powerful and quite overwhelming. On leaving there I headed back towards the hotel but not before taking a quick detour to check out the one pillar Torii which is still standing despite half of it being destroyed in the blast.
The next day I decided to head up to Glover Garden which overlooks the harbour and is home to former homes of some of Nagasaki's pioneering Meji period Europeans. Some of these have been reassembled in their current locations but some still stand in their original
sites.
It had a very romantic old world feel and was also had some stunning garden areas and statues to add to the ambiance..
With that it was off on my travels again to enjoy some natural wonders...
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