Tag: Japanese history
Suizenji Garden: Where the Art of War and Culture Resonate with One Another
One of Japan’s most renowned landscapes, Kumamoto’s Suizenji Garden is a stunning representation of engineering wisdom gained from wars and the artistic culture of the Edo era.
Suizen-ji Jōjuen (Suizenji Garden) in Kumamoto City...
Dogo Onsen: Wrapped in History and Charm
Just a short tram ride from Matsuyama city center in Ehime is Dogo Onsen, Japan’s oldest hot spring. Its main bath house has been the inspiration for the Studio Ghibli film Spirited Away (2001). But despite a famous pedigree, the...
Rare Treasures and Chinese Architecture at Nagasaki Confucius Shrine
On my first day in Nagasaki, I wanted to explore the cluster of historical attractions in the city’s south-east, to learn more about the interesting mix of cultures that make up modern-day Nagasaki. First on my route was the Confucius Shrine (or...
Doza and Shianbashi: Secret Shrines and Nagasaki Nightlife
I first stepped into Shianbashi, Nagasaki’s best nightlife area, around lunchtime. It was predictably quiet, with most places shuttered up after a long night’s trade. I would witness the infamous evening atmosphere a bit later on, but...
Gunkanjima Digital Museum: Preserving Hashima’s Human Experience
Life on Hashima is of great fascination to me. In the 1950s, this tiny coal mining island, just 160m wide and 480m long, was the most densely populated place on earth. Over 5,000 people lived, worked and...
Dejima: Nagasaki’s Historic Dutch Trading Post
Chief Factor's residence
It's normal to feel a kind of curious magic as you step into Dejima, the open-air museum on the site of Nagasaki’s historic Dutch Trading Post. In the blink of an eye, the modern city...
Glover Garden, Nagasaki’s Foreign Settlement
Perched atop a hill in the Minami-Yamate district, Glover Garden is one of Nagasaki’s most popular attractions. Part garden, part open-air museum, this charming spot offers great insight into the early western settlers who made Japan their...
The Nagasaki Hypocenter and Nagasaki Peace Park
After visiting the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, I made my way outside into the grey and drizzly Autumn day to explore ground zero. At 11:02 am on August 9th, 1945, the ‘Fat Man’ atomic bomb detonated 500...
A Visit to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
The atomic bombing of Hiroshima is a defining moment of World War 2, and perhaps what many associate with Japan during that time. However, it can’t be forgotten that three days later, on August 9th, 1945, while...
Kanazawa Castle: A Historic Symbol of Feudal Japan
It would be a shame to come all the way to Kanazawa, a Japanese castle town, and not pay a visit to the castle! The beautifully reconstructed fortress has extensive grounds and is located close to many other great attractions.
