Friday, May 20, 2011

Obama Foot Bath: Nagasaki Prefecture

This is the coastal resort town of Obama


The Obama Foot Bath in Nagasaki is one of the highest rated sites on Tour Nagasaki`s full day Nagasaki and Shimabara Peninsular tour.  If its relaxation that you want then this is the place for you! Can you imagine just letting yourself go and releasing all that built up stress, then you have come to the right place indeed!!

The Obama Footpath is a place where you can come, chill out, enjoy some delicious steamed food, maybe even a alcoholic beverage or two and generally feel all that pressure of daily life just float away into the atmosphere.

I can`t even remember when a customer, let alone a local has complained about the environment at the Obama Footpath, the only complaint that I have had is that there were too many people in attendance and not enough seats available.  The solution to this scenario is too arrive earlier than the hordes.

ENJOY!!

Please click on the link to see Obama Foot Bath Nagasaki on a map:

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

A great place to relax

Meeting my wife

Romantic place

A great place for a picnic
Lots of food and drinks to enjoy
Relaxation at 40 degrees celcius





My daughter loves hanging with her President namesake




Please check out the Obama Foot Bath Nagasaki on the video below:

Thursday, May 19, 2011

Nagasaki Peace Park Statue: Nagasaki City

The Nagasaki Peace Park Statue is a 9.7m tall bronze peace statue symbolizing a universal prayer for world peace and for the consolation of war victims. It was created by Nagasaki-born Seibo Kitamura who was born on the Shimabara Peninsular in Nagasaki and still operates a Museum and a place for many of his work of arts for the viewing pleasure of his many fans and followers.

The statue's right hand points to the threat of nuclear weapons while the extended left hand symbolizes eternal peace. The mild face symbolizes divine grace and the gently closed eyes offer a prayer for the repose of the bomb victims' souls. The folded right leg and extended left leg signify both meditation and the initiative to stand up and rescue the people of the world.

Every year on August 9th, the anniversary of the atomic bombing, a peace memorial ceremony is conducted in front of this statue and a peace declaration is made to the people of the world.  The statue is impressive from all angles and distances and picture and photos really don't do the statue justice.  It is when you see the Statue up close that you get a real sense of its aura and dramatic message for all!  It's amazing just to stand and look at the fine and delicate details of the sculpture and realize that time has flown by without even realizing it.  A must visit for every visitor!!  Our Private Tours spend a good amount of time here and give all our clients a wonderful but surreal experience in the process.

Come and check out the Nagasaki Peace Park Statue on a map:

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

Lets take a photo together.
Photo opportunity

Peace Statue message



Impressive even in the rain

Always lots of flowers donated

Special place indeed!



Please click on the video link below to see the Nagasaki Peace Park Statue in all its glory:

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Kuchinotsu Port: Nagasaki Prefecture

Kuchinotsu Port in Nagasaki Prefecture was one of the first modern ports in Japan that accepted foreign traders. After the arrival of the first Portuguese ship to Japan in 1543 and the introduction of Christianity six years later, the Daimyo (feudal lords) in various parts of the country began to welcome the Portuguese ships into their ports in order to promote trade and in some cases Christianity.

During the Age of Exploration, Portuguese trade ships left their mother port of Goa (India) and sailed to Nagasaki via Malacca, Macau and other Far East Ports, finally returning to Goa after about three years.  Goods imported to Japan by the Portuguese ships included raw silk, silk fabric, cotton and woolen cloth, ivory, coral and sugar.  At the entrance of the Kuchinotsu Port is a statue depicting what the Portuguese looked like according to the Japanese in the day.  It is quite a sight to see the features being exaggerated beyond belief!

In 1865, the Portuguese moved to Kuchinotsu Port on the Shimabara Peninsula.  With its sheltered entrance and deep water and friendly locals it was well received as a great landing place.  In 1571 however, Kuchinotsu lost its status as Nagasaki's No 1 Port as Nagasaki Harbor opened.  Portuguese ships arrived here along with a chartered Chinese ships, thus marking the opening of Nagasaki Harbor for foreign trade making it the port of choice which it still retains today.

Kuchinotsu Port whilst still being a beautifully maintained deep water port pretty much has slipped into oblivion and is just a very sleepy coastal town and though it has remained a scenic beauty it really doesn't have anything to entice travelers to come and see its wares.

Check out Kuchinotsu Port on a map!

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

This is Valignano

Celebrating 450 years since the first ships came


The European ships

Depicting the times








Click on the video below to see how the Portuguese were depicted by the Japanese at Kuchinotsu Port Nagasaki:




Thursday, May 5, 2011

Nagasaki Tall Ships Festival: Nagasaki City

The Nagasaki Tall Ships Festival is held every year at the end of April.  Nagasaki Harbor hosts the Nagasaki Tall Ships Festival for 5 days, usually from April 25th till the 29th.  The Harbor is full of various types of ships, many different sailors from around the world can be seen and there is a multitude of activities and events to partake in which culminates in an extraordinary fireworks extravaganza at the end of the proceedings.

Tall ships from both home and abroad gather in the port city of Nagasaki for Japan’s greatest tall ships event.  During the Nagasaki Tall Ships Festival, watch the raising of pure white sails during the sailing drill performances, board the ships and look around or take a cruise around the magnificent Nagasaki Port. The Fireworks displays need to be seen to be believed and the beautifully illuminated tall ships add grace to Nagasaki Port’s night scape, which is spectacular to say the least!

The sailors from around the world are very friendly, interact well with the locals and tourists and add a lot of character to the Nagasaki Tall Ships Festival which already doesn't lack anything that makes it an extraordinary event.  If you have a chance please come and check out this special festival for yourself.  It is well worth spending a day here in Nagasaki just wandering around the port area which are surrounded with parks and greenery which also add to the overall presence and feel of this unique and wonderful festival.

Come and check out the Nagasaki Tall Ships Festival on a map!

Click on the pictures below to enlarge:

In full bloom


Nagasaki Harbor

Yours truly

Lots of spectators

My kids talking to the sailors