Nagasaki

Fukuoka Airport

From Fukuoka airport we rented a car at Budget Rent-a-Car via Tocoo (http://www2.tocoo.jp), the only English rent-a-car service in Japan that I found. Very easy and no fuss, 65,000円 for 2-weeks in a small car with GPS navigation.

We left at 12pm and drove all the way down to Nagasaki via local roads (no toll charges). There are a couple of interesting points along the way, but it's nothing special. 大橋公園　(oo hashi kouen) is a big dam about two-thirds of the way to Nagasaki, just past Saga. It's a nice place to stop and very beautiful.

Nagasaki

Once in Nagasaki we stayed with friends in one of the most beautiful houses I've ever seen - huge, very Japanese and will a mountain-top view of the whole city. Not much use for others, but nevertheless a fascinating insight into how some people live in this part of the world. It is certainly a far cry from the rabbit-huts we are all used to in Tokyo!

Nagasaki is a cool city. It is very Japanese, but with a strong link to the West predicated on trade links to Europe (espcially Holland and Britain in the 19th Century), and very very different to what anyone living in Tokyo or Hokkaido would be used to. It's set within a small mountain range that is curiously reminiscent of the slopes Rio de Janeiro, particularly the views from up high in Laranjeiras. A stunning setting. Electric trams whisk you around the city in no time, and you can get a day-pass for 500円. Single trips are now 120円. So for most people it will be a no-brainer. Most places are also walkable from one to the other if you have more time. The centre is actually all quite compact. All guide books will give you an exhaustive list of places to go in Nagasaki, but here are my impressions:

The main 'sights' are mostly outside the immediate city-centre. So even after a full day of sight-seeing, I was left feeling like I hadn't really seen the heart of the city. So it'd be a good idea to set aside an hour or two for aimless strolling around the JR Nagasaki station area.

The hypercentre of the 2nd atomic bomb detonation is 15 minutes outside the centre by tram. There are monuments, fountains, a park and a museum. It's not as overwhelming as the equivalent in Hiroshima, but still moving, and a necessary excursion regardless if you are in the area.

The shrines dotted around Nagasaki are all nice. Beautifully maintained, and some with great views over the city. If you've seen shrines in Japanese cities before, you know what to expect.

The famous Megane-bashi (Spectacle Bridge) is pretty and there is a great arty cafe with excellent food/coffees/teas where you can easily spend an hour or two. [Cafe Foglio (095-822-2442) It's right next to the bridge on the 2nd floor. Looks terrible from the outside, but it's not.] They also have local handicrafts and art work on display and for sale. Great! (Tram stop: Nigiwaibashi)

The many sites around the hilly area of Sofukuji Temple (Tram stop: Shokakuji-shita) are beautiful and I'd suggest you head for that area and spend an hour or two just wandering. 中の茶屋 - Nakano Chaya is a lovely garden with teahouse up in the same area. Everything around there is superbly signposted in four languages and you really can just go exploring.

If you happen to be around the (small but nice) Chinatown area around lunchtime, you could try Kakuni-manjiu (かくにまんじう) for a quick lunch. It's sold in stalls on the street and is a tasty Chinese white-bun with meat/pork and only 300円. If you do this, don't make the mistake of eating in the nearby square at the end of the road. There a clan of huge eagles/hawks that hang out on the nearby power cables. If they spot someone eating they quite literally fly right at you from behind and snatch lunch out of your hands, meaning you have to walk all the way back down the road and get some more. Trust me.

The other must-see place is the Glover Garden. Really not what you'd expect from rural Japan. A fascinating story of English families that came to Japan in the 19th Century, built multi-national trading companies, befriended samurai and even contributed to the over-throwing of governments. This huge sprawling park houses original and reconstructed houses from the period, and some beautiful landscaped gardens and fountains. There are also moving walkways and elevators built into the side of the mountain in a very 'only-in-Japan!' kind of way. Aside from the contents of the gardens, there are stunning views of Nagasaki throughout. When we were there, there was a Christmas-infused jazz concert under way. Not great, but the atmosphere was special. Go at night.

We went to the harbour area by Ohato station for dinner, on a recommendation. It wasn't great food, but possibly a nice date-spot.