View from Mount Inasa

On our last day in Nagasaki, I accompanied two friends to the Observation Deck on Mount Inasa.  The drive up the mountain was full of twists and turns, and more than once I was afraid we’d get pushed off the road!  We made it safely to the top, where despite overcast skies, the 360 degree views were stunning!

On the Observation Deck

After spending a good amount of time wandering around the observation area, we hopped back in a cab to go to Chinatown.  It seems silly that we went to Chinatown in Japan (especially since we’d just stopped in China well over 10 times), but the area came highly recommended.  We stopped in some shops, got some very tasty mango frozen yogurt, and continued walking to a nearby shopping center.

Gate to Chinatown

Parade in the mall

There was a small parade inside the shopping area.  After snapping a few pictures, we decided to get away from the crowd.  There were street vendors outside the shops selling unique food items.  One friend ordered a fried potato on a stick, and the other got an omelet of sorts, also on a stick.

Street food

About an hour later, we came across a mall.  Our goal of the day, since it was our last day in Japan, was to find ramen noodles.  We obtained our goal inside the mall!  After a large late lunch, we made our way through another mass of street vendors outside.  They were selling everything from bananas on a stick to chicken legs.  Some food was very authentic Japanese, while other options were typical carnival goods.

Carnival

Bananas!

After so much food, we were anxious for a bit of exercise.  We walked along the water towards the ship, stopping in a beautiful park.  Once on the ship, we went up to the pool deck to watch Sail Away.  Sailing under the Nagasaki Bridge was incredible!  The ship cleared the bridge by just one meter.  It was a beautiful ending to a fun day.  I have nothing but fond memories of my adventures in Nagasaki!

Sunset in the park

Sailing under the bridge

Nagasaki

During our first 12-day cruise we stopped at 4 different Japanese ports.  Unfortunately, I didn’t make it off the ship the day we stopped in Tokyo.  I had to spot an ice show for some guests visiting from land, and didn’t feel up to rushing once I was done.  Instead, I had a movie day with my roommate and took a nice long nap before going to the crew talent show.  We surprised a cast member with a performance of “Seasons of Love” at the end of the show.  It was a great night, and I was glad I saved energy during the day.

“Seasons of Love”

Our last stop in Japan was in Nagasaki.  I woke up early to ensure that I could get off.  It was a warm, sunny day, and after a couple rocky nights on the ship, I was eager to be on land!  My friends and I had heard that there were nice gardens near the port, so we trekked over after disembarking.  The walk up to the gardens was lovely.  We had a great view of the ship, and enjoyed window shopping at the little shops that lined the street.

View of the ship

Just before the entrance to the gardens, we came across the Oura Cathedral, the oldest Catholic church in Nagasaki.  There were gorgeous statues outside, and a lovely altar inside.  It was an interesting mix of Eastern and Western styles.  The church was simultaneously foreign and familiar.

Oura Cathedral

We walked out of the cathedral and into Glover Gardens, named after Thomas Glover, a coal miner and trader that assisted the modernization of Japan in the 19th century.  His home, as well as the homes of other Westerners in Nagasaki, were open to walk through.  There were also fountains, statues, and lovely flowers scattered throughout the gardens.

Sun room at Glover’s home

Fountain at the gardens

There was also a heart stone at Glover Gardens.  Touching the stone is supposed to bring you luck in love.  You could purchase a paper heart to write a wish on and hang from the tree about the heart stone for extra luck.  I opted to simply touch the stone.  Only time will tell if it brings me luck!

At the heart stone

We ended the day with some delicious Asian Pear ice cream and a light lunch.  It was another great day!  I’m looking forward to more Japan ports in the coming weeks.

Street in Nagasaki

Before this contract, Japan was the only country I’d visited in Asia.  About a year and a half ago I went to Tokyo and Kyoto and loved both cities.  I found the country to be clean, beautiful, culturally vibrant, and full of nice people and delicious food.  I’ve been looking forward to exploring more of Japan.

View from the Peace Park

Last Sunday was my first opportunity.  We stopped in Nagasaki, and had an entire day to see the sights.  My dance captain took charge for the day, and helped guide a group of 9 clueless Westerners on the bus to reach the Peace Park.

Statue at the Peace Park

The park pays tribute to the victims of the bombing in Nagasaki, and is intended to make an appeal for lasting world peace.  Information about the tragic bombing is scattered through the park.  There are also large statues that were donated by other countries.  Each statue represents peace.  It was beautiful to see the various depictions of the same theme.

Donated statue

A different style

The main attraction at the park is The Peace Statue by Seibo Kitamura.  It is a man with one finger pointing to the sky, a reminder of the threat of nuclear weapons, and the other hand outstretched to represent world peace.  One leg is folded in as though in meditation, while the other is poised for action in defending humanity.

The Peace Statue

From there, we walked to the Atomic Bomb Museum.  It was interesting to learn about the bombing, but was very emotional.  There were testimonials from victims that brought tears to my eyes.  Paper cranes were strung together all around the museum, giving a refreshing pop of color to the otherwise harsh museum.

Paper cranes

Inside the museum

Next we walked to ground zero and saw a remnant of the Ukami Cathedral wall.  The section was moved to ground zero to make way for the reconstructed church and to remind visitors to pray for the souls of the victims of the bombing.

Wall remnant

We ended the outing with an authentic Japanese meal and a bit of shopping.  It was nice to lighten the mood a little, and have a break to process what we had seen.

Next week: more Korea!