One Legged Torii Gate: Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture

The One Legged Torii Gate in Nagasaki City (gate entrance of a Shrine) is well known as one of the unanticipated consequences of the atomic bomb blast on August 9, 1945.  The epicenter of the bomb's destructive force was located approximately 800 meters from the Shrine and as a result, one support column was knocked down but the other somehow remained standing, even though it was rotated about 30 degrees on its pedestal base, and facing another direction than its original position.

Just to stand here now and see the remnants of the bomb and its effects on Nagasaki makes one realized how significant life really is. "The One-Legged Torii bears the scars of traumas past and still stands with determination" is a famous quote I once heard that really resonates with me and provides me inspiration whenever I am going through a tough time and need to re-evaluate what is really important in life.

The One Legged Torii Gate a real find and a place that pictures just don't do justice.  A little word of warning though, the actual location is situated above the road level and quite an amount of stair climbing is involved in getting to the place in point.

Pictures can be taken from below and will give you a sense of the power of the atomic explosion all those years ago but of course to get up close and personal and to touch the monument will give you so much more of a connection.  You will just have to conserve the amount of stairs you climb during the day and save them all up for the last and biggest climb of them all, you won't be disappointed!

Our Private Nagasaki and Shimabara Tours nearly always visits this site at the end of the day before returning to the Nagasaki Port which is only 10 minutes away.

Check out the One Legged Torii Gate in Nagasaki on this map below:

 

Click on the photos below to enlarge:

Lots of stairs

Great story

In all its glory

Still standing

Destroyed column

English info

Please check out the One Legged Torii Gates in the videos below:

Mukyudo- WW2 Air Raid Shelter: Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture

There are numerous WW2 Air Raid Shelters still in existence today in and around Nagasaki Prefecture.  However the best and most interesting one that I have had the opportunity to find and explore is absolutely the one called Mukyudo which is located near Huis Ten Bosch in Sasebo,.

Mukyudo during World War II, was the air-raid shelter of the former Miyamura Elementary and Junior High School.  The reason why this Air Raid Shelter is unique when compared to others is the fact that both male and female students as well as their teachers at the time were responsible for making and maintaining the shelter.  Not only was the shelter used as a classroom in times of bombing by the Allied Forces but was also used by the community in and around the school.  As most of the towns members were elderly (most of the men were away fighting in the war) the students were basically responsible for protecting their community from foreign forces.

This site is not being preserved for laying blame! On the contrary, it is kept as a reminder of community spirit, group cohesion and to remind the younger generation about the historical significance of the area in regards to WW2.

There is a brochure in English provided to all international guests, there are signs but mostly in Japanese, however ones imagination and visual clues provided are more than enough to give you the insights in what it must have been like during these turbulent times in Japan and the World in general.

This attraction has slowly be surely become a popular site on our Nagasaki Cultural and Historical Tour.

Please check out the Mukyodo WW2 Air Raid Shelters below on a map:

Please click on the photos below to enlarge:

Depiction of the situation

The tools that were used

The entrance

Ring the bell for peace

Ventilation

The classroom

Please click on the video below to see more about the Mukyudo WW2 Air Raid Shelters:

Hario Wireless Towers: Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture

A real historical and important WW2 site that still remains in Nagasaki to this day, is called the Hario Transmission Towers.  They were the starting point of the message sent by officials to proceed with the attack on Pearl Harbor.  As a result of this, the Hario Transmission Towers will forever be remember if only in an infamous way.  

It must be mentioned that despite heavy bombing in Sasebo during the war, the towers remained standing.  This leads to an interesting theory that the American`s purposely left this site alone in the belief that it would come in handy in the future when Japan would eventually be defeated.

Construction began on the three 446-foot transmission towers at the station in 1918 and was completed in 1922. Improved communications were needed as Japan began to expand its empire. The Russo/ Japanese War triggered a need for strengthening Japan`s Wireless Infrastructure thus manpower and money was poured into the project at an amazing pace and as a result the project was completed in a record time.

This facility is still prized for its engineering and wireless technology and along with its historical background has been designated as an Important Cultural Asset.  The Hario Wireless Towers symbolizes the development of technology in Japan which has resulted in the highly developed and technologically advanced 21st Century society that exists today.

I have visited this site many times in the last 2 years and have made it a regular stop on Tour Nagasaki`s itinerary.  This area is a special place indeed.  Amazing nature contracting with technology from yesteryear,  the sheer size and speed that these towers were constructed are to be commended as one can only get a grasp of their enormous girth once you are standing and or walking around the circumference of its base.

Of course, American`s in particular will feel more emotional at the Hario Wireless Towers but realistically the site should be viewed as a small piece of history and a culmination of many different events that occurred before the message was even sent.  In many ways, this site should be seen as a technological site and not as a WW2 historical site in my opinion.

Please check out the Hario Wireless Towers below on a map:

Please click the photos below to enlarge:

One of the towers

Well signed location

English Translations

Size is enormous

Transmission Station

Surrounded by nature

Reaching to the sky

Please click on the videos below to enjoy the views of the Hario Wireless Towers:

UNESCO Hidden Christian Tours in Nagasaki Prefecture

Tour Nagasaki specializes in Christian Pilgrimages. Since the inclusion of Nagasaki’s Hidden Christian Sites under the UNESCO World Heritage Listing, our services to these remote and hard to get to regions have become a popular destination.

This is the area of Nagasaki that we specialize in.

Check on the map below:

 

Please check out these destinations on the video below:

Nagasaki Private Day Tours

The following sites and many more can be explored on our Private History and Cultural Tours of Nagasaki.

Highlights of this tour include Robot Hotels, Cultural Sake Brewery tasting experiences and old Nagasaki WW2 sites can be seen on this video below.

Please check it out.

Samurai Street: Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture

The Samurai Street commemorates the old samurai section of Shimabara City on the Shimabara Peninsular.  This famous street is lined with stone walls and a spring water canal running down its center. Three samurai houses have been restored and opened as exhibits to the public to restore the image and the traditions of this old Samurai town.  It is an extremely picturesque setting and perfect for a great photo shoot as images of feudal Japan came racing back into your consciousness from many of those movies and books you have read from your youth.

There aren't too many places left in Japan where one can step back in time and literally feel what it was like to live in these exciting yet dangerous times in Japan where the Samurai yielded ultimate power and demanded total respect.  The houses are basic and it is evident that living was quite antiquated and very traditional.   The kitchen too was very rudimentary and of course a lot on ingenuity was needed to cook and prepare the food for the huge number of immediate family as well as extended family, guest and of course acquaintances that visited the house every now and then.

The canal was used by all of the district and the water source was controlled and looked after communally. A great example of group dynamics where everyone within the community helped each other unlike today's society that is built on greed, destroying the natural resources around us and lacking compassion of our fellow man.  Sometimes i think it wouldn't have been too bad to live in these feudal times especially when comparing to the issues that we face today.

This site always rates highly on our Private Nagasaki Tours.

Check out the Shimabara Samurai Street in Nagasaki here:

 

Click on the photos below to enlarge:

A restored Samurai House

Samurai Kitchen

Natural Spring water running 

Family setting

Traditional Samurai setting

Taking a closer look

Typical Samurai Pose

Water for the community

Old thatched roofs

From the outside

About the family


Please take a look at the Shimabara Samurai Street here on this video:

Yamazato Air Raid Shelters: Nagasaki City

Yamazato Air Raid Shelters in Nagasaki are located on the grounds of Yamazato Elementary School and are possible for viewings but only on weekends and holidays as during the week regular school classes are held at this working Elementary School.

In early 1945 as the war effort reached a fever pitch, an air raid shelter was dug at the Yamazato Elementary School, located about 600 meters north of the hypocenter, in order to protect the lives of the pupils from anticipated air attacks.  After the atomic bombing, burned and injured children, teachers and neighborhood residents crowded into the shelter, where ultimately most of them died.

Although the Yamazato Air Raid Shelters are now closed and chained off to the general public, their images still give you chill as you can nearly see and feel the fear and cries of desperation on the children as they struggle to find friends and loved ones and desperate just for one drop of water to quench their thirst.

The Yamazato Elementary School site also has a Children's Memorial which was erected in November 1949.  A small girl clad in traditional farm-style clothing kneels in prayer amid the flames ignited by the atomic bomb.  This memorial was erected upon the suggestion of Dr. Nagai and was paid for with funds donated by him and with royalties from the book "Living Under an Atomic Cloud", a collection of excerpts taken from the diaries of pupils who survived.  It is dedicated to the memory of the 1300 pupils and teachers who died as well as their families.

This place and its remaining Memorials certainly is a sombre and sad place to visit.  It is very hard to try an imagine all the children, teachers and innocent people that were affected by the viciousness of war.  It is from these places that we can learn to forgive the wrongs of the past and build a better future for our children, one where war and terror can be eliminated from the horizon.

A must see but only on weekends as on weekdays regular school classes take place!

Come and check out Yamazato Air Raid Shelters in Nagasaki on this map:

 

Click on the photos below to enlarge:

The Air Raid Shelters saved many lives

Restored to their previous state

They are long indeed

One of the tunnels

From the outside

Click on the videos below to see more of the Yamazato Air Raid Shelters Nagasaki: