Nagasaki Japan

Jiroko (meaning rich and nice according to Jiroko) was a wealth of information.  On our way she told us that Japan was composed of 4 major islands and 7,000 smaller islands.  Who knew?

Guide Jiroko

Also I learned that Japan is 380,000 square kilometers, 75 % mountainous and 15 % agricultural with 126 million people - average of 340 people per square kilometer which is 10 times the number of people per square kilometer in the United States.  The volcanic area of Japan has 20,000 hot springs and an abundance of good cuisine and lodging. The price of a condo ranges from 300,000 to 600,000 with a 10 to 30 percent downpayment and 20 to 30 years to repay the mortgages. Japan has 3 seasons, spring, rain and summer. We were at the end of spring and many of the cherry trees were still in blossom.

Nagasaki is located on the northwest side of the island of Kyushu, almost directly across from South Korea. In 1568  the first shipyard was built paving the way for the opening of the port in 1641 for trade with the outside world, while the rest of  Japan  sealed itself off from the world. At that time only China, Korea, Portugal and Holland were allowed to trade with Japan as long as they vowed to stay clear of Christianity. Eventually it became the most westernized city in Japan.



Epicenter of the blast



It is sadly famous as the site of one of the two nuclear detonations that ended WW II at 11:02 a.m. on August 9th (unfortunately also our wedding anniversary), 1945.  The bomb, nicknamed "Fatman' exploded with a force of 21,000 tons of TNT 1,600 feet above Nagasaki's industrial Urakami Valley.

 40,000 Japanese died instantly. Of the 240,000 Japanese there 150,000 were affected.  One of the heroes was Dr. Nagai Takeshi who survived although he had already been diagnosed with leukemia.  His wife perished. His children who had been sent to the country lived. He spent the rest of his life (he died at the age of 43) caring for his two children and those afflicted by the bomb in his rebuilt house Nyokodo, which translates to 'love thy neighbor as thyself'.  He wrote several books before his death. One of them, The Bells of Nagasaki, was made into a motion picture despite controversy. I thought briefly about getting a copy of the book until I found out it was selling for $465.44 on Amazon. The cheapest used book was 80$.



from sister city St Paul MN



 Statute of Peace



We visited the Peace Park first - simple and beautiful with statues from around the world commemorating the desire for peace in place of war.  The 30 ton, 30 foot centerpiece was created in 1955, and stands on a base 13 feet high and cost thirty million yen donated by people all over the world- one arm outstretched to the sky warning about the horrors of war and the incoming bomb, one arm outstretched inviting peace, eyes closed in prayer for the victims. I would tell you what Terry's slightly inappropriate but funny nonetheless comment was but I can't bring myself to do it.  Let's just say I wanted to crawl under the cement.  He has That Voice that broadcasts to everyone on the plaza without the assistance of electronic equipment.

Nagasaki today - from viewpoint at the Museum

Detail from a statute at the entrance to museum

Our next stop was the Atomic Bomb Museum which detailed the unleashing of the bomb and the effect that it had on the city. Jiroko was not allowed to 'guide' us in the museum as quiet was mandated within; flash photography was not allowed. 



11:02 AM August 9, 1945



I found it fascinating, disheartening, and hopeful. A clock which stopped at the exact time of the blast was preserved. Exhibits detailed what lead up to the decision to bomb Nagasaki; a fateful  last minute clearing of the clouds and the pilots last chance to use it; avoiding failure should they have to return to base with it;  the 10,000 degree temperature that incinerated a town and many of its inhabitants, leaving the survivors craving and crying for water.  The mass destruction and terror of that night  a poignant reminder of why the world must never again resort to using a real weapon of mass destruction.

There are two sides to every story, of course, ours being that we ended the war and saved a lot of american lives by sacrificing this town. It was the 2nd bomb and Japan surrendered immediately.  Further justified by the fact that we were unwilling participants in a war they dragged us into by bombing Pearl Harbor.  War is just an ugly business.




Paper cranes

 

Student Art Displays at the Museum

The museum is clearly a monument to the horror of war and beauty of peace with paper cranes, paintings, statutes and water fountains incorporated throughout the building and grounds.

On our return to port Jiroko told us that there were 100,000 shrines in Japan that were visited on important life events: wedding ceremonies, birth of children, passing an exam...happy occasions.  80 percent of the country goes to a shrine on New Years Day.

Funerals take place in the Temple (Buddha). The tradition  is you are born in Shinto and die in a Temple. 90 million Buddhists and 100 million Shintoists (if that is a word) confirm the fact that most Japanese believe in both religions. On Christmas most become Christians.

Jiroko told us about Dejima - an artificial island constructed by wealthy merchants for the Portuguese traders in the 17th century. Nagasaki was the sole trading port in Japan from 17th through mid 19th century. Like most of our visits, much was left unseen. Dejima, Shimbara Castle, Samurai Village, Mt. Inasa...Just cause for another cruise.


On a lighter note, Japan has mastered toilet technology.  They come complete with instructions for activating a noise machine, in case you don't want people to hear what is going on in your stall, and detailed instructions for operating the machinery. Our ship guide warned us to read all the instructions before attempting use or we might become unexpectedly soaked. It was just a little too complicated for me to attempt.

Instruction manual pictured below on right with toilet controls

Noise generator on the right