It takes about an hour and a half by bus from Sasebo Station. Cross the large red bridge "Hirado Ohashi" over the Hirado Strait in northern Nagasaki Prefecture to reach Hirado Island from the mainland. Hirado Port, Japan's first trading port, has had exchanges with the outside world since ancient times, and in the 16th century it flourished as a gateway to international Japan. We will stroll through the town where you can feel the exotic atmosphere and the atmosphere of an island castle town.
Take a bus from Sasebo to the exotic island of Hirado.
The Hirado City Tourist Transportation Terminal, where the Hirado Pier bus stop is located, is the central location for buses heading to the island and touring the island. It is also the base for tourism, with a tourist information center, taxi stand, and ferry terminal, and there are also many restaurants and souvenir shops in the surrounding area.
A Portuguese ship arrived in Sasebo in 1550. Matsuura Takanobu, the feudal lord of Hirado, gave permission for trade with Portuguese ships, and from then on exchanges with the West began. After that, Hirado grew into a city with a rich international flavor, with Dutch trading posts lined up along the port and many foreigners coming and going as a trading hub. At the time, a lot of silver was exported from Hirado. In an era when foreign culture, people, and language were all rare, the people of Hirado worked together with foreigners to greatly develop the city of Hirado.
Unlike other castle towns, which are often built with the castle in mind, Hirado was developed around the port. Hirado Castle, which was rebuilt in the mid-Edo period, and the private residence of the feudal lord, Matsuura, were apparently visible from the sea. The towering stone walls, castle walls, and buildings gave off an overwhelming presence, exuding power and dignity.
You can see how Hirado adopted Nanban culture and developed through trade at the Matsuura Historical Museum. There is also a teahouse inside where you can enjoy tea.
It's not uncommon to travel between islands by bus in this series... I took a bus from Sasebo and arrived at Hirado Island. The bus stop for the Saihi bus is the color of the Dutch flag upside down. Is this a coincidence?
The first thing that catches your eye is Hirado Castle, which stands out from near the summit. It is a landmark castle that can be seen from anywhere.
The road closest to the coast, Kaigan-dori, and the bus and ferry terminals along it are reclaimed land. The old town is up the hill from there, on Dutch Trading Street, a quaint road lined with old houses.
As its name suggests, if you walk along the Dutch Trading Post Street, you will arrive at the "Hirado Dutch Trading Post." This is a reconstruction of a warehouse built in 1639. At the time, there were many Dutch trading post-related facilities lined up along the harbor.
Hirado was Japan's first port for trading with the West. It was also here that trade between Japan and the Netherlands began. The Dutch trading post was located at the location of the flag depicted on the old map. Looking at this picture, you can see that a town was built along the sea, with the port at the center.
"Koshoro Jagatara-bun". Under the ban on Christianity, women who married foreigners and their children were deported. From Jagatara (Jakarta), where they were exiled, they longed for their homeland, and wrote their sad and bitter feelings in chintz. They sewed it into a fukusa and secretly sent it to Japan. It is a very rare item.
There is also a statue of Jagatara Musume along the coast. In Hirado, where many Westerners came and went, it was not uncommon for foreigners and Japanese people to marry and have children. The history of Hirado can be said to be a history of being at the mercy of various fates.
Leaving the Dutch Trading Post behind, we head up Dutch Hill. The merchant town was built along the harbor, but samurai residences were built on higher ground. We head up the hill to the private residence of the Matsuura family, who were the lords of Hirado.
We headed to the Matsuura Historical Museum, a luxurious mansion with stone walls and white walls.
First, let's look at the building from the outside. It is designated as a tangible cultural property by the prefecture. It is in such good condition that it is hard to believe it was built in 1893.
On the grounds is the teahouse "Kan'untei," a style of tea ceremony that has been passed down in the Hirado domain. Kan'untei was built in the Meiji period by the 37th head of the domain, Matsuura Sen.
It is a simple space that evokes the feeling of wabi-sabi, but the unique shape of one side of the thatched roof drooping down gives it a strong presence. I take a sip of tea.
Matcha tea in the Chinshin-ryu style. In the Chinshin-ryu style, you don't eat sweets after drinking tea, but between tea breaks. The sweets are "Casudos", a local Hirado sweet.
Castella is a deep-fried sponge cake coated in sugar. It has a crunchy texture when you eat it. The sweetness of the sugar goes perfectly with the matcha.
Although the exact age of this large cycad is unknown, it is said to be over 400 years old. Cycad trees are often seen in Nagasaki. I was told that this is because they are used in Catholic ceremonies. During the ceremony of Palm Sunday, cycad leaves are used instead of palm leaves for the mass.
Hirado Castle can be seen from anywhere, just like a lighthouse. The next day, I got up early and climbed up the castle.
A "castle hotel" will be born in 2020! The symbol of the city, Hirado Castle.
Hirado Castle is a landmark building that can be viewed from various angles around the city.
In fact, there are plans to transform this castle into a "castle hotel" around summer 2020, so it is likely to attract a lot of attention in the future.
No matter where you look in Japan, there are currently no castles that are open as hotels where you can stay all the time, so if Hirado Castle becomes a "castle hotel," it will be the first in Japan. The accommodation will be in the Kaiju Yagura Tower, which will be renovated together with the castle tower in the future. It is not uncommon overseas for old castles to be turned into concert halls or hotels, but for a Japanese castle, this is a very innovative and bold plan. It's a fun project that is likely to attract the interest of people who have never been interested in castles before, as well as foreign tourists.
Here we introduce Hirado Castle before its reconstruction. We went up to the castle tower so that everyone can experience the magnificent view from the castle. The castle is located on a hill surrounded by the sea, so there is nothing to obstruct the view. It is a fantastic location from which you can get a panoramic view of the city of Hirado in any direction, including the famous church and Hirado Bridge!
At a Japanese confectionery shop in Hirado City, I tried the "Hirado Castle Monaka," which looks just like Hirado Castle, and felt even closer to the castle.
"Hirado Castle Monaka" by Tsunokami Confectionery. A fun way to eat while looking at the castle. The monaka skin looks just like Hirado Castle and is filled with bean paste.
We climbed up to Hirado Castle from the Kameoka Shrine side. Although it had rained heavily from a thunderstorm the night before, the path was well maintained and we were able to climb up without any problems.
The air on the way to the shrine in the morning is refreshing and pleasant.
We walk along the path to the castle, which bends at 90 degrees many times, along with beautifully restored stone walls.
Kameoka Shrine is located inside the castle. The annual autumn festival is called "Hirado Okunchi." This shrine enshrines the lord of the Matsuura domain.
It's finally time to climb the castle! However, this area around the ticket booth is also an important spot to see at Hirado Castle.
Stone wall near the North Tiger's Gate. This is still standing.
The stone wall leading from the North Tiger's Gate to the castle tower. This too still exists today.
Hirado Castle will soon undergo renovation. The Kaiju Tower will be rebuilt with concrete inside, while keeping the exterior the same, and will be transformed into a hotel where you can stay overnight.
If you climb up to Hirado Castle, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic view. You can also see the Hirado Ohashi Bridge, which connects Hirado to the mainland.
As a stone wall lover, I was very satisfied with this castle! I can't wait for the castle where you can stay to open.
St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church in Hirado, one of the places visited by Xavier, who brought Christianity to Japan.
Christianity was introduced to Kagoshima in 1549 when a Portuguese ship carrying Francis Xavier arrived there. The following year, upon hearing that a Portuguese ship had arrived in Hirado, Xavier visited the city for the first time. Xavier continued to preach throughout Japan, and is said to have visited Hirado a total of three times during the two years he stayed in Japan. As a result, Christianity took root firmly in Hirado. Even in the days when Christianity was banned, believers became hidden Christians and continued to preserve and pass on their teachings.
After the ban on Christianity was lifted, churches were built one after another all over Nagasaki. In Hirado, following the Himosashi Church and Houki Church, the Hirado Catholic Church was built in 1931. After that, in honor of Xavier, who spread Christianity in Hirado, the church came to be called the St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church.
"Lourdes" was built next to the church. It is modeled after the "Fountain of Lourdes" in France, and is also a testament to the faith in the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus. Catholics have faith in Mary, but I felt that faith in Mary was especially strong in Nagasaki. There was also a monument for those who were martyred in Hirado in this church.
In addition, Hirado and Ikitsuki Island, which is connected to Hirado by a bridge, have many Christian histories remaining. "Spots where you can see temples and churches at the same time" are also popular with tourists as a view that is typical of Hirado.
On the next page, we head to a World Heritage site related to the Hidden Christians. We participated in a "Regular Sightseeing Bus Tour of World Heritage Sites" to learn about the relationship between Christianity and people during the ban on Christianity.
St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church. There are beautiful churches in Hirado, so I would like to introduce them to you. I was personally looking forward to visiting churches on this trip.
Hirado is a city with a deep connection to Francis Xavier. Hearing that a Portuguese ship had arrived in Hirado, Xavier, who was in Kagoshima, rushed to Hirado. He began preaching on Hirado Island and Ikitsuki Island, and many of the local residents converted to Christianity as a result.
Within the church grounds, there is also a monument to the Hirado Martyrs. Hirado gained many believers because the feudal lord allowed Christianity to be spread, but it also suffered many tragedies from oppression, and it is said that as many as 400 people died in the area.
If you look at the church's steel tower, you'll notice that it is not symmetrical. This is a feature of this church, and due to financial difficulties during construction, one of the towers on the right side of the photo was never completed.
"Lourdes" is located next to the church. The springs of Lourdes in southern France are a Catholic pilgrimage site, and replicas of them can be seen in many churches in Nagasaki.
As I walked down the path that went around the back of the church, I saw a sign that read, "Temple and Church View." This is a popular spot where you can see symbolic scenery, and I had been wanting to see it myself.
This is a unique view that can be seen from any angle on the slope beside the temple. It is currently under restoration, but the view of the church tower beyond the temple roof is typical of Nagasaki and well worth seeing.
Now, I would like to introduce the other two churches I saw in Hirado. Both can be reached by the Seihi bus, but the number of buses is limited. The first is Himosashi Church. It is a large church, designed by Yosuke Tetsukawa, who left many famous church buildings in Nagasaki.
When I entered the cathedral, it was a time when the inside was enveloped in the pink color of the stained glass, making it feel mysterious. The ceiling was also decorated with a tortoiseshell pattern and classical floral motifs, making it a wonderful building.
Next is the brick-built Houki Church. This is a cute-looking church. It is a wooden building with a brick facade and stone foundation.
The interior and exterior of the building are all unified in the "pointed arch" style. The facade is also decorated with vibrant stained glass, just like the interior.
The pamphlet you can get at Houki Church is designed to take the shape of the church building when you cut it out. Be sure to pick one up and take it home with you!
Read the second part here
The contents published are accurate at the time of publication and are subject to change.
