Nagasaki travel guide

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The city in harmony with foreign countries cultures

Nagasaki-city has many oversea countries cultures and the significant Japanese histories

like no other areas. The fascinating Nagasaki-city has been created since Japan began exchanging

with foreign countries during the National isolation period. In addition to above features, the

geographical conditions are creating fascinating tourism and now many tourists are visiting here.

 

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Historical features

1）National isolation in Japan

     Nagasaki is the only place opened to oversea countries ( just Dutch and China ) during the

     National isolation period from 1639 to 1854.

     And trading with Dutch was done at artificial island Dejima.

2) Christian Pilgrimage sites

    Japan’s unique practice of the Christian faith continued in Nagasaki region even during the ban

    on Christianity from 1587 to 1859.There are many Christian Pilgrimage site and

    Hidden Christian Sites in Nagasaki region is registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage in 2018.

3) Japan’s Industry modernization

    Shipbuilding, and Coal Mining, industries in Nagasaki were great contributed Japan’s Industry

    modernization. And 5 sites of these industries are registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage as

    Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution         

4) Atomic bomb

   The Atomic bomb exploded at 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945.

    The most part of Nagasaki was destroyed, and a tremendous number of lives were lost.

    Nagasaki is now appealing for World Peace, Disastrous War must not be repeated.

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Peace Park

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.

 

Peace Statue Completed in 1955, ten years after the atomic bombing

Peace Fountain Reminds the tragic scene unfolded shortly after the dropped Atomic Bomb

Ground Zero The Atomic bomb exploded about 500m over the central  monument

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Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution UNESCO World Heritages sites  

The origin of Japan’s modernization is here.  Under the growing sense of crisis over a foreign

menace, Nagasaki supported the introduction of Western countries technology, which started

during the last years of Japan’s National isolation period. With “ Dejima ” as the only window

to West during the period of National isolation. Nagasaki contributed for Shipbuilding and Coal

Mining and 7 sites have been registered on the UNESCO World Heritage. 

 

Glover House

Hashima island /  Gunkan-jima island

Giant Cantilever Crane

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Christian Pilgrimage sites in Nagasaki

 

Oura Cathedral  / UNESCO World Heritage

Basilica of Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan.     

One of the famous landmarks in Nagasaki-city, was built in 1865 under the supervision of 

the French priest Bernard Petitjean. It was designated as a National Treasure in 1933 for

its value as Japan’s oldest Gothic-style cathedral.

 

Entrance gate of Oura Cathedral

Japan’s oldest Gothic-style Cathedral building

Statue of Mary, at entrance of Cathedral, installed in 1867

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Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan     

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

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Sotome Pilgrimage sites   / UNESCO World Heritage

When he discovered the underground Christians, Petitjean realized that there were many other

Christians hiding in the Sotome region.He appointed de Rotz as the parish priest of the Shitsu and

Kurosaki districts.    

 

Shitsu Church

Former Shitsu Aid Centre

The statue of Mary

 

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Featured destinations

 

Mount Inasa   World’s three great night veiw  can be seen from the summit

Magane-bashi bridge The oldest stone arch bridge in Japan

Kazagashira Park Magnificent view of Nagasaki, on the other side of Mt. Inasa

 

Dejima Only the trading port in Japan  during Natinal isolation

Urakami Cathedral Newly constructed church, after destroyed by Atomic bomb

Sofukuji temple  The first Chinese style temple in Nagasaki

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China town One of the three big China  town in Japan

Confucius Shrine   The world’s only Confucian shrine built outside China by Chinese hands

Suwa Shrine The spiritual and cultural hub for the citizens of Nagasaki

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Nagaaski Wharf Elegant international & domestic tourist harbour

Kofukuji Temple A Chinese temple to pray for safe navigation

Nagasaki Pearl Nagasaki-prefecture is the birthplace of pearls

 

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Tour results

We are offering various types of tours, and the tour results up to now are shown links below.

Tailor-made tour     Study tour     Golf tour

 

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Christian Pilgrimage sites in Nagasaki Region

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Hidden Christian site is registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage

Japanese Christianity has a long history of continuing faith while coexisting with Japanese

traditional religion Shinto and General society.

Japan’s unique practice of the Christian faith continued even during the ban on Christianity.

Hidden Christian Site in Nagasaki,  Shimabara , Hirado and Amakusa Regions bear unique

testimony to the tradition of people and their communities who secretly transmitted their faith in

Christianity while surviving in the midst of the conventional society and its religions during the

time of prohibition.

 

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Nagasaki

 

Oura Cathedral  / UNESCO World Heritage

Basilica of Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan.

Built in 1865 under the supervision of the French priest Bernard Petitjean. It was designated as

a National Treasure in 1933 for its value as Japan’s oldest Gothic-style Cathedral.

 

Entrance gate of Oura Cathedral

Japan’s oldest Gothic-style Cathedral building

Statue of Mary, at entrance of Cathedral, installed in 1867

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Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan     

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

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 Sotome area Hidden Christian Site  / UNESCO World Heritage 

When he discovered the underground Christians, Petitjean realized that there were many other

Christians hiding in the Sotome region.  He appointed de Rotz as the parish priest of the Shitsu

and Kurosaki districts.        

 

Shitsu Church

Former Shitsu Aid Centre

The Statue of Mary

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Urakami Cathedral

Originally constructed in 1895 as a brick Romanesque building, after a long-standing ban on

Christianity was lifted. When completed in 1914, it was the largest Catholic church in East Asia.

The atomic bomb dropped on August 9, 1945 explored in Urakami, only 500m from the cathedral,

which was completely destroyed. What remained of the cathedral is now on display in the 

Atomic Bomb Museum.

 

A replacement the Cathedral was built in 1959

Ruins of destroyed Urakami Cathedral are displayed

Ruins of destroyed Cathedral, displayed nearby Ground Zero

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Shimabara& Unzen / Naasaki-prefecture

 

Harajo Castle Ruins / UNESCO World Heritage

The Battle field of Shimabara Rebellion which was a peasant uprising agaist bakufu’s persecution

of Christians under the leadership of Amakusa Shiro in 1637.  Christian farmers rose in a riot due

to their grievance about the oppression by Matsukura Shigemasa. The Shogunate regarded this

riot as Christian rebellion and sent its punitive force, therefore locked themselves in the castle and

with their leader Amakusa Shiro Tokisada fought against the Shogunate. On February 27, 1638,

he died in battle.The following day, the castle fell. 37,000 Christians including women and children

died a violent death.

 

Entrance to Harajo Castle Ruins

Battle field of Shimabara Rebellion

The Statue of Amakusa Shiro

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Unzen jigoku

Jigoku, means Hell, is the number one attraction of Unzen with a peculiar smell of sulfur emitted

from the springs, and with white smoke rising from the ground over a wide area.

Unfortunately, this was once put into reality nearly 350 years ago during the time of religious

persecution in Japan.  30 Japanese Christians, failing to renounce their faith met  their death

here in the scalding spring of Jigoku.

 

Smoke rising from the ground over a wide area

Martyrdom site of Christians

The Cross written the name of six martyrs

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Hirado  / Naasaki-prefecture

 

Christianity in Hirado

When the religion was banned in the early Edo Period, and the Christians were forced to give up their

religion, a few believers, known as the “Hidden Christians”, continued to practice their religion in secret

for over two centuries. Some did so in the remote villages of Hirado Island.

In the late 1800s, the ban on Christianity was lifted, and many of the Hidden Christians rejoined the

Catholic Church and built new churches with the assistance of foreign priests. A few also refrained from

rejoining because their religious practices evolved quite a bit over the centuries to a degree where they

were not compatible with Catholicism anymore.

 

Nakae no Shima / UNESCO World Heritage

Located two kilometers off the coast of Hirado Island, Nakae no Shima is a small, uninhabited island

where religious leaders were executed during the persecution of Christians. The island is considered

sacred, and water collected there is used for baptism.

 

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Kasuga Village   / UNESCO World Heritage

This idyllic, remote village was refuge to a small community of Hidden Christians who practiced here

for centuries, far from the prying eyes of the government. After the ban on Christianity was lifted, the

local villagers decided to continue practicing their own unique brand of the religion rather than rejoin

the Catholic Church. As a result, churches were not erected in the village, and the religion remains

outwardly invisible.

 

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Tabira Church

The church was designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke, a famous architect of various churches in

Nagasaki-prefecture, and built between December 1915 and October 1917. It is one of the latest

brick churches in the prefecture of Nagasaki. Tetsukawa Yosuke has called this one of his best works.

 

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Amakusa / Kumamoto-prefecture

 

Hidden Christian of Amakusa

Christianity was first brought to Japan in 1549 by a Jesuit priest named Francis Xavier when trading

opened in Kagoshima. Not long after, it spread to neighboring areas such as Nagasaki and Amakusa.

In 1614, the Tokugawa regime felt threatened by the growth of Christianity out of their fear of

colonialism. Persecutions began and the eradication of Christianity started. Missionaries and priests

alike were killed, while those who practiced Christianity were given an option to renounce their faith or

face death. Some chose to convert to Shintoism and Buddhism in order to hide their Christian faith.

Fed up with famine and cruel treatment, peasants from Amakusa organized a rebellion to fight against

the regime. This resulted in the Shimbara Rebellion, which is considered as one of the largest revolts

during the Edo period.

 

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Oe Cathedral 

The oldest Catholic Church in Amakusa and was one of the first churches built right after the ban

on Christianity was lifted. The and Romanesque-style architecture and the chalky white structure

was rebuilt in 1933 by a French missionary priest named Father Garnier using his own money and

contributions from local Christians living in the area.

 

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Sakitsu Village   / UNESCO World Heritage

A Gothic-looking church is located on a cove of a fishing village. In 1934, a French priest Augustin

Halbout MEP purchased the premises of the former village headman and built a wooden and

concrete finished church, with Tetsukawa Yosuke’s design and construction. He placed the altar

at the very site where fumie or a test to ensure non-allegiance to Christianity had been conducted.

 

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Amakusa Shiro Memorial Hall

The theme Museum shows History of Christianity in Amakusa and Shimabara Rebellion

which was a peasant uprising agaist bakufu’s persecution of Christians under the leadership

of Amakusa Shiro in 1637.

 

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Sakitsu Village

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Sakitshu is a Christian Pilgrimage site and has been registered on UNESCE World Heritage

as Hidden Christian site Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region

 

A Gothic-looking church is located on a cove of a fishing village. In 1934, a French priest

Augustin Halbout MEP purchased the premises of the former village headman and built a

wooden and concrete finished church, with Tetsukawa Yosuke’s design and construction.

He placed the altar at the very site where fumie or a test to ensure non-allegiance to

Christianity had been conducted.

 

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 Location of Amakusa

 

　　

 

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General information  

Address	539 SAkitsu Kawazu-cho, Amakusa-city, Kumamoto-prefecture
Access	by Car 2 hours 40 minutes from Kumamoto-city 45 minutes from Amakusa Airport
Church Open hours	9:00 to 17:00
Admission fee	No fee is required
Days closed	No closing days

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Oe Cathedral Amakusa

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The Church is a Pilgrimage site and is the oldest Catholic Church in Amakusa and was one of

the first churches built right after the ban on Christianity was lifted. The Romanesque-style

architecture and the chalky white structure was rebuilt in 1933 by a French missionary priest

named Father Garnier using his own money and contributions from local Christians living in

the area.

 

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 Location of Amakusa

 

　　

 

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General information  

Address	1782 Oe Amakusa-cho, Amakusa-city, Kumamoto-prefecture
Access	by Car 2 hours 50 minutes from Kumamoto-city 60 minutes from Amakusa Airport
Open hours	9:00 to 17:00
Admission fee	No fee is required
Days closed	No closing days

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Gunkan-jima island cruise

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The cruise ship take you exploring Tachibana bay from Nagasaki port and landing on

Gunkan-jima island.

 

Hashima coal mining island is an artificial reclaimed island and the site of Japan’s first major

undersea coal exploitation (1890) pioneered by Mitsubishi – and host to one of the world’s

most extraordinary former mining communities. 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.

Now Hashima is a ruin called “Gunkanjima”, so called after its resemblance to the silhouette.

 

 

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General information  

Address	Hashima Takashima, Nagasaki-city
Access	about 40 by a ferry from Nagasaki port

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Glover Garden

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Glover Garden is located on Minami-Yamate hill in Nagasaki-city, Glover Garden has nine

Western style buildings including the Glover’s Residence built in 1863 by Japanese carpenter

Koyama Hidenoshin.

The Glover Residence is Japan’s oldest wooden Western-style building and is the

UNESCO Wlorld Heritage registered in 2015 as Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution

 

Tomas Glover Residence, World Heritage

Former Mitsubishi second dock house

Overlooking of Nagasaki harbour

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Glover’s arms-importing operations played an important part in the Meiji Restoration, he built the 
first train line in Japan and he even helped establish the first modern Mitsubishi ship yard.

 

Inside of the residence

 

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Nagasaki harbor view from Glover Gargen

 

Venus Bridge

Mitsubishi Heavey Industries,  repair dock

Giant Cantilever Crane,  World Heritage

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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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Location of Nagasaki-city

 

　 

 

 

Oura Cathedral

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Basilica of Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan Registered on UNESCO’s World Heritage as

Hidden Christian site

 

One of the famous landmarks in Nagasaki-city, was built in 1865 under the supervision of the

French priest Bernard Petitjean. It was designated as a National Treasure in 1933 for its value 

as Japan’s oldest Gothic-style Cathedral.

 

Entrance gate of Oura Cathedral

Japan’s oldest Gothic-style Cathedral building

Windows of Cathedral building

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“On March 17, 1865, a group of peasants from Urakami came to the church and professed

their faith to Father Petitjean, thus revealing that Christianity had survived through the 

centuries of persecution. The white marble statue of the Holy Mother at the entrance was built

in commemoration of the dramatic discovery of the “Hidden Christians.

 

Former Latin Seminario  Nagasaki

Statue of Mary, at entrance of  Cathedral, installed in 1867

Statue of Pope John Paul II,  visited here in 1981

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 Location of Nagasaki-city

 

　 

 

 

 

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Onga River Pump Station

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Built in 1910 on the east bank of the Onga River.
It served, and still serves, to deliver industrial water to Yawata via an 11.4 km pipeline.

This supply is integral to the steel production process and was necessary to cope with the 

1st phase expansion of the Imperial Steel Works.

 

The site has been registered on the UNESCO World Heritage,

Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution 

 

Onga River

Onga River Pump Station

Water piping to the Steel Works

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 Location of Kitakyushu-city

 

 

 

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General information 

Address	1-3-1 Dotenouchi, Nakana-city, Fukuoka-prefecture
Access	40 minutes by a vehicle from JR Kokura Station 60 minutes by a vehicle from Fukuoka-city

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Contact us

Kitakyushu / UNESCO Industrial Revolution One-day tour

 

Kitakyushu-city is the birth place of Steel Making Industry in Japan and contributed

greatly to the development of the Japanese industry modernization.

The four sites of Yawata Steel Works in Kitakyushu area have been inscribed on

UNESCO World Heritage as Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution in 2015.

 

This tour introduce how Kitakyushu-city contributed to Japan’s industrial modernization

with unprecedented speed in the world and also the history to Environmental Future

City can be learned while visiting World Heritage sites and related Industry Heritages.

 

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 Location of Kitakyushu-city

 

 

 

 

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Tour conditions 

 

The tour is the private tour exclusively for your group.

・Minimum number : 2 person

・Maxum number : 30 person

・Tour date : please specify the date

・English speaking tour attendant escorts your journey to produce a pleasant trip.

・Chartered vehicle is utilized as per number of person.

 

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Itinerary  

 

8:00 Depart Fukuoka-city

Transfer to Kitakyushu-city using Kyushu Expressway, 1 hours 

Visite World Heritage and related site in Kitakyushu

 Kitakyushu Innovation Gallery Studio   →　Higashida No.1 Blast Furnace

 First Head Office the Steel Works  UNESCO World Heritage

Lunch at Otani-kaikan Hall

Kawachi Reservoir  →　Minami Kawachi bridge

Onga River Pump Station　UNESCO World Heritage

Transfer to Fukuoka-cuty

18:00 Arrive at Fukuoka-city

 

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Where to visit  

 

Kitakyushu Innovation Gallery Studio

Museum of Industrial Technology, in April 2007, based on this theme of “innovation,

” the Kitakyushu Innovation Gallery & Studio (KIGS) opened in Yahata, Higashida, 

where Japan’s mordern steel industry operation was started. 

 

Museum Building

World Heritage, Meiji Japan’s Industry Revolution

Introducing Industry innovation history of Japan

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Higashida No.1 Blast Furnace

The only one in the world, the Blast Furnace which was actually used until 1972, is preserved

as it was.   This place is the birth place of Japan’s modern steel industry began in 1901 and It

contributed greatly to the development of the Japanese steel industry.

 

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First Head Office of the Steel Works

Built in 1899, ahead of production facilities.

It is an architectural fusion of Japanese and European design, a two story red brick building

with bilateral symmetry and a central dome set in a Japanese tile roof.

 

World leading rails producing in the Steel Works

First Head Office building registered on the World Heritage

Observation deck of the World Heritage

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Otani-kaikan Hall

Built in 1927, opened as an employee club of the then-owned Yawata Steel Works

The western-style building of Art Deco style architecture. 
The Hall building received the Kitakyushu City Architectural Culture Award in 1989. 

 

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Kawachi Reservoir

The reservoir for supplying water to Yawata Steel Works; the construction took 8 years and was

completed in 1927.  The concept of the designer Hisanori Numata was “Civil engineering is an

eternal monument”. The Dam in harmony with nature, is imaged European Castle and  

the volume 7milion cubic metre reservoir.

 

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 Minami Kawachi-bashi bridge

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Onga River Pump Station

Built in 1910 on the east bank of the Onga River.
It served, and still serves, to deliver industrial water to Yawata via an 11.4 km pipeline.

This supply is integral to the steel production process and was necessary to cope with the 

1st phase expansion of the Imperial Steel Works.

 

Onga River

Onga River Pump Station

Water piping to the Steel Works

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Tour results

We are offering various types of tours, and the tour results up to now are shown links below. 

Tailor-made tour    Study tour     Golf tour 

 

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 HOME    About us   Our Services    Terms and Conditions

 

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Study tours to Kyushu

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The themes of study are Environment, Solid Waste management, Industry, Christianity

in Japan, World Peace, Science, Geography, Architecture as well as Economy,

 

We are offering the Study tours for Schools, Universities, companies and any other groups.

Furthermore, we are also providing the excursion tours for the customers of International

conferences and company visit.

 

The places for the Study tours are Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka-city and Nagasaki-city.

We are providing the Study tour as a package including the planning, arrangement of visiting

places, tour conductor and interpreter, transportation and accommodations.

  

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What to learn

We are offering various type of study tour utilizimg the following learning resources,

environment requirement of learning.

 

UNESCO World Heritageof Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revokution / Kitakyushu-city, Nagasaki

Kitakyushu one-day tour	Nagasaki one-day tour	Japan’s Industrial modernization tour
The birth place of Steel Industry in Japan and contributed to the development of the Japanese industry modernization	The origin of Japan’s modernization. Nagasaki contributed for Shipbuilding and Coal Mining	To learn how Japan has become the world’s most industrialized country in the short period

 

One-day tour	3 days tour	6 days tour
To show how Christians have been continued their faith since 26 martyrs were crucified in Nagasaki in 1597	To visit Nagasaki, Shimabara and Unzen. Shimabara was the Battle field of Shimabara Rebellion	To visit Sotome, Nagasaki  Unzen, Shimabara, Amakusa  Kumamoto and Hirado

 

Peace Statue

Ground Zero

Atomic Bomb Museum

 

STEM Education field  / Kitakyushu-city, Fukuoka-city 

There are a lot of Museums and facilities where Science, Technology,

Engineering and Mathematics can be learned.

 

Environmental Museum

Kitakyushu Manga Museum  and Aru Aru City

Kitakyushu Innovation  Gallery Studio

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Architecture and construction design / Kitakyushu-city and Fukuoka

There are a lot of unique construction designed by renowned architects and civil engineers, 

that were constructed beginning of Japan’s Industrial modernization. 

The design philosophy of designers focused on the future can be learned.

 

West Japan Industrial   Club

Minami Kawachi-bashi   bridge

Kawachi Reservoir

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Tour results