Nyokodo, Dr. Nagai Takashi
Dr. Nagai Takashi (3 February 1908 – 1 May 1951) was a Catholic physician specializing in
radiology, an author, and a survivor of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. His subsequent life
of prayer and service earned him the affectionate title “saint of Urakami”.
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Nyokodo, which is adjacent to the Takashi Nagai Memorial Hall, is Dr. Takashi Nagai’s hospital
room and study. This 2-tatami building was built as a new home for the doctor, with the generosity
of the people of Urakami and fellow Catholics who were left penniless by the atomic bombing.
The doctor named this building “Nyokodo,” meaning “Love your neighbor as yourself,” and spent
his later years here. Dr. Nagai fought the onslaught of leukemia and worked hard to write even
though he was bedridden. From this room of just two tatami mats, the doctor continued to harass
the people of Urakami, writing novels such as “The Chains of the Rosary,” “Leaving the Child,”
“The River of Life,” and “The Bells of Nagasaki.
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Massage for World Peace from Dr. Nagai
The person who pray for peace must not hide even needles, for a person who possesses
is not qualified to pray peace.
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Sanno Shrine
Sanno Shrine is located approximately 800 meters away from the ground zero of Atomic bomb.
The Shrine was instantly obliterated by the explosion and the 4000 degrees Celsius heat wave
vaporized nearby trees.
The only thing that remained is the Torii gate standing on a single column, reminding us of the
tragedy that took place.
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The surviving trees of Sanno Shrine have become another living demonstration of destruction
and re-growth. Two large camphor trees were scorched, burned and stripped of all leaves by
the Atomic bomb’s shock wave; and yet, despite everything, the trees survived.
The surviving camphor trees are now a symbol of World Peace.
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Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan
Nishizaka Hill in Nagasaki is the place of Martyrdom of 26 Japanese Saints. The 26 Martyrs of
Japan were a group of Catholics who were executed by crucifixion on February 5, 1597.
The Twenty-six Christians led by Paulo Miki, including six foreign missionaries and three young boys,
were arrested in Kyoto and Osaka on the order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the National ruler, for preaching
Christianity.
They were marched 800 km through the snow to Nagasaki and crucified in front of large crowd on
Nishizaka hill on Feb. 5, 1597.
Paul Miki said from the Cross
All of you who are here, please listen to me.
I am a Japanese by birth, and a brother of the Society of Jesus. I have committed no crime, and the
only reason why I am put to death is that I have been teaching the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I am very happy to die for such cause, and see my death as great blessing from the Lord.
At this critical time, when you can rest assured that I will not try to deceive you, I want to stress
and make it unmistakably clear that man can find no way to salvation other than the Christian
way. The Christian law commands that we forgive our enemies and who have wronged us.
I must therefore say here that I forgive Taikosama (Hideyoshi).
Then they all ascended to heaven with the happy of giving the life to Christ.
Nishizaka hill, the site of Martyrdom in 1597 |
The martyrs said that ” All people, bless God ! ” |
The 26 Japanese martyrs have been canonized in 1862 |
Pope Pius XII designated the Nishizaka of Martyrdom of 26 Japanese
Saints as an official Pilgrimage site for Catholics in 1950.
The place of their martyrdom was designated as a Historical Place by Nagasaki-prefecture
in 1956.
The museum behind the monument is devoted to the memory of the martyrs and to Christianity in
Japan in general. Its interior is reminiscent of a church with stained-glass windows, making for
atmospheric viewing of the exhibits. On display are artifacts related to Christianity in Japan,
including old documents, statues and jewelry.
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General information
Address | 7-8 Nishizaka-cho, Nagasaki-city |
Access | 5 minutes walk from JR Nagasaki Station |
Nakamachi Church
Nakamachi Church is located near JR Nagasaki Station which was constructed
for Japanese Christians in 1986.
The church was dedicated to the 16 Saints of Nagasaki (St. Thomas and the 15 Martyrs)
in 1988, and the monument honoring them was erected in the premise.
The 16 Saints were martyred in Nagasaki from 1633 to 1637.
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The 16 martyrs became Saints in 1987, since 26 Saint.
Dominic Ibáñez de Erquicia Pérez de Lete, Spanish, 1633, Dominican Priest
Antonio Gonzalez, Spanish, 1637, Dominican Priest
Jordan Ansalone, Italian, 1634, Dominican Priest
Luke of the Holy Spirit Alonso Gorda, Spanish, 1633, Dominican Priest
Michael de Aozaraza, Spanish, 1637, Dominican Priest
Guillaume Courtet, French, 1637, Dominican Priest
Jacobo Kyushei Gorōbyōe Tomonaga de Santa María, Japanese, 1633, Dominican Priest
Thomas Rokuzayemon Nishi, Japanese, 1634, Dominican Priest
Vincent Shiwozuka, Japanese, 1637, Dominican Priest
Francis Shōyemon, Japanese, 1633
Matthew Kohioye, Japanese, 1633
Lorenzo Ruiz, Filipino, 1637
Marina of Omura, Japanese, 1634
Magdalene of Nagasaki, Japanese, 1634
Michael Kurobioye, Japanese, 1633
Lazarus of Kyoto, Japanese, 1637
Shitsu Church
Built in 1882 by Father de Rotz, this low-ceiling church features a brick exterior, wood interior
and stone entranceway. The roof itself is low in order to limit damage done by strong winds.
The church’s bell was brought here from France by a priest and rings out beautifully every
morning. The location is famous as the place where the movie “Gege” was filmed.
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Peace Park
Peace Park was established in 1955 near the Ground Zero where the Atomic bomb was
dropped at 11:02 am on Aug. 09, 1945. Peace Memorial Ceremony is held in front of the
statue on August 9 every year and the Mayor of Nagasaki makes the “Nagasaki peace
declaration” for the whole world.
The Peace Fountain reminds us of the tragic scene unfolded shortly after America dropped the
Atomic bomb in Nagasaki at 11:02 am on Aug. 09, 1945.
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Bell of Nagasaki
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Completed in 1955, ten years after the Atomic bombing. The 9.7 meter high statue sitting on a 4
meter tall pedestal, made by renown sculptor Kitamura Seibo who born in Minami-Shimabara-city,
Nagasaki-prefecture in 1884. The raised arm points to the threat of nuclear weapons and the
out-stretched arm symbolizes peace.
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Monuments presented from all over the World
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General information
Address | Heiwakoen, Matsuyama-machi, Nagasaki-city |
Access | 3 minutes walk from Heiwa-koen-shita Tram Station |
Glover Garden
Glover Garden is located on Minami-Yamate hill in Nagasaki-city, and nine traditional buildings
can be seen at Glover Garden. Among these, the Glover Residence, Orto Residence, and Ringer
Residence were built during the settlement era and are valuable buildings that have continued to
stand on this land for over 150 years.
Glover Garden boasts a great location overlooking Nagasaki Port with Mt. Inasa, a landmark
of Nagasaki-city, in the background.
In 1858, the Edo shogunate concluded treaties of amity and commerce with five countries:
the United States, the Netherlands, Russia, England, and France, and foreign merchants
with dreams came together to visit Japan as it entered a new era. Western-style buildings
covered with Japanese-style roof tiles line the hill overlooking Nagasaki Port, and these are
where the daily lives of foreigners from all over the world lived. “Glover Garden” is located here.
You can feel the history of Nagasaki from the end of the Edo period to the Meiji period in this
area, where the residences of foreigners from the settlement era, including the adventuring
merchant Thomas Glover, and the Western-style houses that were scattered throughout
Nagasaki-city are gathered.
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Glover Residence
Glover Residence is Japan’s oldest wooden Western-style building and is the UNESCO
World Heritage registered in 2015 as Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution
In 1859 an enterprising Scotsman named Thomas Glover arrive in Nagasaki and immediately
become involved in a variety of businesses. Glover operated a coalmine, founded the first
modern shipyard in Japan, supplied weapons to Satsuma clan in Southern Kyushu and
established Japan’s Kirin beer brewery. The Glover residence, built in 1863, evokes an era when
Western architecture and lifestyle were of great interest to Japanese. Several other merchant
houses have been relocated to the Glover Garden, which surrounds the house itself, making the
area a pocket of 19th-cencury Western culture overlooking Nagasaki Bay.
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Golver Residence is generally believed to have been the scene of Puccini’s opera, Madame
Butterfly. Inside the park is the life-size statue of the famous opera singer, Tamaki Miura, who
received international acclaim for her performance as Cho-Cho-san in Madam Butterfly.
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General information
Address | 8-1 Minamiyamate-machi, Nagasaki-city |
Access |
10 minutes walk from Oura tensyudo-mae tram station through in front of Oura Cathedral |
Open hours | 8:00 to 18:00, until 21:00 in summer time and peak season |
Admission fee | JPY 610 |
Days closed | No closing days |
Ground Zero
Disastrous War must not be repeated. The plutonium atomic bomb exploded about 500m over the
central monument at 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945. The most part of Nagasaki was destroyed, and
a tremendous number of lives were lost. And about 70,000 of Nagasaki’s 240,000 residents died
instantly, and up to 60,000 were injured.
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The radius of total destruction was about 1.6km, followed by fires across the northern portion of the
city to 3.2km south of the bomb.
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General information
Address | Heiwakoen, Matsuyama-machi, Nagasaki-city |
Access | 3 minuts walk from Heiwa-koen-shita Tram Station |
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Gunkan-jima island cruise
The cruise ship take you exploring Tachibana bay from Nagasaki port and landing on Hashima
island. The site has been registered on UNESCO World Heritages as Sites of Japan’s Meiji
Now Hashima is a ruins called “Gunkanjima”, so called after its resemblance to the
silhouette. Hashima Island is located 3 km southwest of Takashima, and it was the success of
Takashima that led Mitsubishi to purchase this island, both islands giving access to the same
undersea coal deposit.
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Hashima coal mining island is an artificial reclaimed island and the site of Japan’s first major
undersea coal exploitation pioneered by Mitsubishi – and host to one of the world’s most
extraordinary former mining communities
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General information
Address | Hashima Takashima, Nagasaki-city |
Access |
about 40 by a ferry from Nagasaki port |
Kurosaki Church
The Church is located in Kurosaki district, where was place of the setting for Endo Shusaku’s
novel Silence. In 1897, the foundations were laid down according to Father de Rotz’s design.
Construction followed and in 1920 the church was completed.
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The followers built it brick by brick with their own hands. The modest design serves to bring out the
beauty of the bricks. Experience the depth when you come inside and see the rib vault ceiling.
The church’s stained glass also leaves a lasting impression.
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