KYUSHU TRAVEL DIARYREVIEW KYUSHU TRIPS WE HAVE VISITED

Being British by birth, I’m considered a Christian by default, so it was a very British experience to see a church that reminded me of England. When I arrived the exterior was being renovated. I couldn’t get a shot of it from the outside so I headed inside. In place of stone pillars as you would find in the construction of a church in England, the structure is predominantly of wood making it uniquely Japanese. ‘Nagasaki’ style.

My visit to the church was brief. With the light fading, I headed to the Glover Garden, a colonial settlement built by rich merchants who made up Nagasaki society around the 1860s. It was like time travel as you entered the buildings preserved to their original.

 

The architecture closely resembles one-story bungalows used by foreigners in Hong Kong or Shanghai and imported to Japan by British traders. I used to live in Singapore in a pre-war colonial house, so the Glover Garden and its buildings offered a little nostalgia for me. The gardens and buildings perched high on a hillside offered excellent panoramic views of Nagasaki City and its port.

 

Nagasaki reminded me of Hong Kong with its narrow streets winding up steep hillsides and the electric trams still in operation plying the central boulevards along the valley. Nagasaki in Japanese means ‘Long Cape’ due to its length along the narrow valley surrounded by hills either side.

 

Nagasaki left a lasting impression on me and I plan to return again soon for another visit.  

Since it is easily accessible from Fukuoka City, I would recommend it very highly to Kyushu visitors. It’s possible as a day trip through an overnight stay is recommended.