In this blog post, I’ll take a leisurely look back at my 4-night, 5-day journey in Nagasaki—the starting point of my trip to Kyushu, Japan—and share my reflections on the scenery, food, history, and the meaning of travel I experienced along the way.
“Welcome to Nagasaki Airport!”
I should be used to it by now, but hearing Japanese people speak awkward Korean still makes me laugh every time. Tuesday, August 24, 2010. I departed from Tokyo Haneda Airport and arrived at Nagasaki Airport just two hours later. After completing a one-year exchange program in Tokyo starting in September 2009, I didn’t want to return to South Korea right away, so I’d been planning this trip to Kyushu since last spring. Finally, my first-ever solo 4-night, 5-day trip had begun.
Kyushu is Japan’s third-largest island, located southeast of Busan. In the center of the island lies Mount Aso, an active volcano, while to the east are the hot spring towns of Yufuin and Beppu; to the west, Nagasaki and Kumamoto; and to the northwest, Fukuoka, the central city of Kyushu. Since you can reach Fukuoka in about three hours by high-speed ferry from Busan, Kyushu is considered a close and easily accessible destination for South Korean travelers. For this reason, most South Korean travelers tend to start and end their trips centered around Fukuoka.
However, I was different. Having lived in Tokyo—Japan’s capital and one of the world’s leading metropolises—for a year, I was feeling quite exhausted, and since the goal of this trip was to relax and reflect on myself, I wanted to embark on a journey that was different from everyone else’s. Additionally, one thing I realized while living in Japan was that traveling can often be difficult without speaking Japanese. This tendency becomes even more pronounced the further you venture away from major cities. Even though I could communicate in Japanese, I was still a foreigner, so I needed to research as much information as possible before setting out.
The final leg of my Kyushu trip was to take a high-speed ferry from Hakata Port in Fukuoka back to Busan. So, after much deliberation, I planned a 4-night, 5-day itinerary that began with arriving at Nagasaki Airport, followed by visits to Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Mount Aso, Yufuin, and finally Fukuoka.
Due to its geographical location, Nagasaki isn’t a city frequently visited by travelers on tight schedules. Consequently, there was less travel information available compared to Fukuoka or Yufuin, and at that time, in particular, I could find almost no travelogues written by South Korean tourists who had used Nagasaki Airport.
Nevertheless, the reason I started this Kyushu trip in Nagasaki was partly because I wanted to experience a trip different from others, but above all, it was because of Nagasaki’s night views and streetcars. Centered around Nagasaki Harbor and shaped like a bay, this city is famous for its beautiful night views, which can be seen from any of the surrounding mountains. Another major attraction was the fact that streetcars—the kind typically seen in South Korean movies or dramas set in the 1950s—are still actively operating today as a primary mode of transportation for residents.
I arrived at Nagasaki Airport late in the afternoon on August 24, and the bus ride to the city center took a little over an hour. I dozed off for a moment, and when I woke up, we had already arrived at Nagasaki Station. Since my main goal in Nagasaki was to see the night view, by the time I arrived at my accommodation, unpacked my bags, and rested for a bit, it was already 7:00 p.m. After dinner, I headed out to see the night view.
Nagasaki is one of the first cities in Japan to develop into an international trading port and was among the first to embrace diverse foreign cultures. At first, I thought it would have been heavily influenced by China, but it turns out it was actually significantly influenced by the Netherlands. Perhaps that’s why Nagasaki’s signature delicacy, castella, boasts a long history and tradition.
Along with castella, another dish that represents Nagasaki is Nagasaki champon. There are three famous Chinatowns in Japan: Yokohama, Kobe, and Nagasaki. Among them, the Nagasaki Champon I tasted in Nagasaki’s Chinatown was characterized by its white broth and was famous as a nutritious dish packed with various seafood. The flavor was slightly different from Korean champon. It wasn’t spicy at all; rather, it felt like I was drinking a beef bone broth. The bowl was packed with jjamppong noodles, a variety of seafood, and vegetables—the portion was so large that it would have been difficult to finish on my own. I was able to sample small amounts of ingredients like shark fin and abalone. While it was a bit pricey considering Japan’s cost of living, it was such a satisfying meal that I didn’t feel it was a waste of money at all.
After finishing my meal, I planned to explore Chinatown, but since it was already late and this is the smallest of Japan’s three Chinatowns, there wasn’t as much to see as I had expected.
I hurried to Inasayama Park to see Nagasaki’s famous night view. From Nagasaki Station, I made my way to Fuchi Shrine and then took the Nagasaki Ropeway up to the mountaintop. The night view, which had gradually come into view as we rode the cable car, unfolded into a breathtakingly beautiful scene the moment we reached the summit.
Since Nagasaki isn’t a major city like Tokyo, public transportation stops running relatively early. So, with some regret, I left Inasayama Park and returned to the hotel.
Wednesday, August 25. The second day of my trip had dawned. Dressed in a way that made it obvious to anyone that I was a tourist, I set out to explore downtown Nagasaki with a map and my camera in hand. Since the express bus to my next destination, Kumamoto, was scheduled to depart at 4:00 p.m., I decided to visit just one spot in the morning and one in the afternoon. To be honest, I had come to Nagasaki primarily for the night view and the champon noodles, so I didn’t have any major plans for sightseeing in the city itself. I hopped on streetcars and buses to travel here and there, getting off at stops where many people were getting off to take a look around.
The first places I visited were the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park. Nagasaki is one of the cities, along with Hiroshima, that was struck by an atomic bomb during World War II. The Atomic Bomb Museum was created to commemorate the horrors of that time and to ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated. At the entrance, the loud ticking of a clock’s second hand caught my attention; upon realizing that this was a symbolic representation of the time just before the atomic bomb exploded, a chill ran down my spine. After viewing the various exhibits depicting the immense devastation—including building rubble and photographs from that era—I couldn’t help but feel a heavy heart and a sense of solemnity. Although Japan’s defeat in World War II led to Korea’s liberation, facing the horrors left by the atomic bomb was a profoundly moving experience.
On the way to Peace Park, located next to the Atomic Bomb Museum, there is a monument; the tall, tower-shaped monument is said to mark the spot where the atomic bomb was dropped. Many people were observing a moment of silence in front of it, and as the photographs I had seen at the museum came to mind, I, too, paused for a moment of silence.
Peace Park was created after the atomic bombing to pray for world peace. The large statue of peace was impressive, but other than that, there wasn’t much else to see. Although I climbed countless steps in the sweltering August heat, I couldn’t help but feel a bit of a sense of emptiness there.
In the afternoon, I toured Glover Garden, home to the Glover family’s mansion. It’s worth visiting if you have plenty of time, but I didn’t feel it was a must-see for travelers on a tight schedule. Afterward, I returned to Nagasaki Station, where I selected a few of my favorite items from among the various castella specialty shops inside the station to buy as gifts for my grandmother and parents, then headed to the bus terminal.
Although my stay in Nagasaki was short—less than 24 hours—it was a happy two days during which I was able to see, eat, and enjoy everything I wanted to. Perhaps because it wasn’t a famous tourist destination, I was able to start my trip with a more relaxed mindset. The rest of my trip went smoothly as planned, and I felt that was thanks to having started it with a leisurely stay in Nagasaki. Even now, as I’m tied up with school and studying, I suddenly find myself missing that carefree August in Nagasaki.
