Karatsu : 唐津 – A hidden gem of Kyushu
Faced with a couple of days to spend whilst awaiting my Visa on a trip to Fukuoka and having already seen most she had to offer, I got out the Lonely Planet and pondered where to go to for a nice day trip. One spot stood out, it was Karatsu.
Karatsu, located 40 kilometres down the coast from Fukuoka in Saga prefecture, is a picturesque (especially when the Cherry Blossoms are in bloom), pleasant and historic city of just under 80,000 residents. Named kara, meaning China or east Asia, tsu meaning port, it has long been a significant port and launching pad for Japanese expedition. Indeed, it was from Karatsu that the Imjin War was launched upon Korea under Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
Apart from the quiet, pleasant tree-lined streets, the orderly downtown district, wide, welcoming bay and large expanses of beaches, there is one thing that truly stands out in Karatsu – its castle. Karatsu Castle is a splendidly restored, Hirayama-style castle perched on top of a hill which overlooks the city, harbour and surrounds. The initial castle was built between 1602 and 1609, and is unusual in that its stonework commences down at sea level. The castle was demolished in 1872 and subsqeuntly reconstructed nearly a centruy later in 1966 in a bid to promote tourism and act as a museum and repository of artifacts.
The city is a comfortable, pleasant and scenic fourty-five minute train trip from Fukuoka and makes for an excellent day trip choice of any travellers based in Fukuoka.
Nagasaki 長崎 – A beautiful city with a rich yet tragic past
Nagasaki came into global consciousness following the catastrophic dropping of the ‘Fat Man‘ atomic bomb just to the north of the city centre on August 9, 1945, just three days after the bombing of Hiroshima. As a result, these two cities share a morbid connection with Hiroshima being the first city to be attacked by a nuclear weapon and Nagasaki the second, and for now – and hopefully, ever – last. The northern half of the city was obliterated and between 60 and 80 thousand individuals were killed as a direct result of the attack – this includes 2,000 Koreans , who had been conscripted to work in Japan as forced labour along with eight Western POWs. Nagasaki was actually the secondary target for the second atomic bomb but was ultimately decided upon after the primary target, Kokura, had 70% cloud cover obscuring the city.
But, Nagasaki – with its picturesque location and beautiful, deep harbour – is far, far more than the tragic events of August 9, 1945 and its aftermath. The city has a rich, diverse and vibrant history that many to this day don’t realise until they visit the city – and I was guilty as charged on this behalf. For Nagasaki was actually founded by the Portuguese in the late 16th century and quickly became a beacon of Portuguese, and other Western – particularly Dutch - trade and interaction in the East. Francis Xavier arrived in Japan in 1549 and with him Catholicism with claims that there were 200,000 Japanese converts to the religion by the end of the 16th century.
Nagasaki formed a key trade link for the West with Southeast Asia, India and Europe with cotton, silks and spices being among the main items of trade. Substantial links were connected with ports in Southeast Asia and India to Portugal, such as at Manila, Makassar, Malacca (Melaka), Macau, Batavia (Jakarta) and Goa, and everything was going swimmingly for Western traders until a newly unified and pacified Japan under Tokugawa Ieyasu sought to isolate Japan from the outside mainly in regards to the increasing influence of Christianity.
Nagasaki, however, for a time was relatively exempt from the increasing isolation and Western influence progressed through the Dutch trading outpost, Dejima, on an artificial island in Nagasaki’s bay. By 1650, Dejima was the only outpost of Western influence and guns had been eradicated for the more ‘noble’ sword, foreigners were subject to the death penalty and Christians prosecuted. Non-Dutch nanban or ‘southern barbarians’ as Westerners were known were henceforth banished and largely non-existent in Japanese life until Commodore Matthew Perry and his military fleet forcibly opened Japan in 1854 and effectively ended Japan’s self-imposed isolation.
Reminders of Nagasaki’s European past are abundantly present in the city’s historical south side where there are scores of beautifully maintained and restored churchs, colonial buildings and gardens. To the north of the city, the Atomic Bomb Museum and adjacent International Peace Memorial Hall – located next to the actual impact site – are beautifully designed, thorough, well-maintained and poignant reminders of the horrible event of August 9th 1945 and its long lasting effects. The International Peace Memorial Hall’s purpose is stated as being a place:
- to remember those who perished in the atomic bombing and to offer a prayer for peace;
- to offer information on international co-operation and exchange activities concerning medical treatment for sufferers of nuclear accidents; and
- to preserve pictures of the deceased, and memoirs and personal accounts of the atomic bombing.
For a city that has occurred so many unspeakable horrors and such a turbulent history, it would be easy to understand if the city was insular and its locals wary and untrusting of outsiders. But, I found the complete opposite in Nagasaki. Nagasaki is a forward-thinking, progressive and positive city with a rich yet tragic history but with an open and welcoming heart. Its citizens are friendly, kind and generous; and its streets accept the past and embrace the future in this beautiful, picturesque city.
Fukuoka, Japan : 日本 福岡｛ふくおか｝
Fukuoka on the southern island of Kyushu and across the Korea Strait from Busan is a modern, prosperous and happening metropolis with clean,well-maintained streets, manicured parks and gardens, glistening malls and skyscrapers, fast, efficient public transport and elevated expressways. But, don’t be entirely fooled by the modern trappings as Fukuoka is one of the oldest settlements – if not, the - in Japan being geographically close to the Korean peninsula and mainland Asia.
Home to over 1.4 million people with over 2.5 million in the Greater Fukuoka area, it has surpassed Kyoto to be the seventh largest city in Japan and forms the hub of the Fukuoka-Kitakyushu region. The city is gaining prominence and confidence as experienced through its successful hosting of the 1995 Summer Universiade, 2001 World Aquatics Championships, and 2006 IAAF World Cross Country Championships.
Fukuoka has just about everything you could want whether it’s the history, culture and cuisine abundant in Hakata; the buzz and excitement of the department stores and clubs in Tenjin; the beautiful beaches and coastline to the north of the city, or the manicured gardens, parks and temples throughout the city; a visit to Fukuoka will assuredly be a pleasant one.
Looking out across the Yahoo! Dome & Fukuoka
Bouncer modelling nightclub Happy Cock's T-shirt
Fukuoka's Yahoo! Dome
Peering inside a small temple
Sakura, Cherry Blossom, trees lining the bank
Stone monument
Macau 澳门 – at the mouth of the Pearl River
Macau at the mouth of the Pearl River across the delta from Hong Kong is something different. If you thought Hong Kong was quirky with its presence of colonial architecture, double-decker buses, trams and cars driving on the left-hand side, Macau will throw you for a loop again. It is China but it doesn’t particularly look or feel like it at many points, for Macau was established as a Portuguese colony in 1887 having been home to Portuguese traders since the 16th century. Like Hong Kong, Macau has been returned to China, in 1999, yet remnants of Macau’s Portuguese past linger in its beautiful colonial architecture and local Macanese cuisine, language and culture.
A simple forty-five minute ferry ride from Hong Kong but seemingly a world away, Macau is a wonderful retreat to get away from the stress, the streets and the smog and take in a slower, more comfortable and relaxed pace in a relatively small metropolis. Whilst, the Portuguese history, architecture and cuisine may have traditionally drawn travellers to her shores, increasingly another beacon calls to tourists to visit the city on the Pearl. It is gambling. Casinos have flourished and increasingly sprouted in the city drawing thousands upon thousands of punters across Asia keen to take a win, the numbers only swell over weekends when thousands of Hong Kongers join the quest for fortune.
But, for me Macau is all about the culture, the architecture and the food. You won’t find me anywhere near a casino when I can amble around the old city, the ruins and the architecture taking it all in and eating some delicious food.
Macau, the perfect antidote for the hustle and bustle of big city Hong Kong and only under an hour away.
Hong Kong 香港 – the Fragrant Harbour
Hong Kong – the Fragrant Harbour -said to be named for the pungent smells of sandalwood that drifted across the water from factories lining the coast or for the sweetened harbour waters which swelled with the fresh water estuarine of the Pearl River, has long captured the imagination of would-be travellers as the pre-eminent and original ‘East meets West’ metropolis where westerners could go to get a glimpse of the mysterious East without venturing too far into the continent itself. A safe option to get a taste of another world but with enough western comforts and familiarity not to completely frighten the tourist.
Established as a British colony in 1842 following Chinese defeat in the First Opium War, the city prospered under British governance and majority Chinese population. The short occupation by Japan in WWII gave way to the Cold War era when thousands upon thousands of mainland Chinese flocked to the city to escape the poverty of home. Later, fearful of governance under Chinese rule thousands of mostly wealthy Hong Kongers fled to cities such as San Francisco, Sydney and Vancouver to escape a return to Chinese rule in 1997. But, despite lingering issues and concerns in regards to free speech and democratic rights, the city has continued to flourish under its current “one country, two systems” paradigm under Beijing.
Despite being rivalled and in some cases surpassed in population by nearby urban metropolises of the Pearl River Delta just over the border such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen, Hong Kong has continued to boom and attract not only tourists but also migrants from South Asia, South East Asia and beyond, keen to play a part in this dynamic metropolis on China’s southern coast.
Hong Kong is one city with plenty to offer no matter what’s your taste or preference. Whether it be fine dining – Chinese, Indian, Western or other; shopping – in a modern, shiny mall or crowded side-street market; or exploring the jungle – be it the urban or natural one; Hong Kong has it all and is a destination that any traveller worth their salt cannot help but visit.
Beijing 北京- the Northern Capital & the Great Wall 长城
I went to Beijing with a couple of friends on a Korean tour during the Lunar New Year holiday of 2004 and I can honestly say the only time I’ve been colder than walking across a windswept Tiananmen Square was the next day atop of the Great Wall. She was cold. I’d estimate a good 20 below Celsius with the icy Siberian winds adding another 10 to the chill factor. But, it was well and truly worth the numbing discomfort as this is one truly great city and a must for any avid traveller.
The name Beijing - the most recent of its several names – means ‘northern capital’ which about in 1421 when the Yongle Emperor switched the Ming Dynasty capital north from Nanjing, which aptly means ‘southern capital’. The city has since remained the seat of power of the nation we now know as China ever since, barring the period of 1928 to 1949 when the Republic of China had Nanjing as its capital, and not including from the war years of 1937 to 1945 when the capital was Chongqing.
Three thousand years old, witness to scores of dynasties and invaders, Beijing exudes history at every corner. Yet, it also exudes something else, power. And, with that authority. Being the capital of the largest nation on Earth and all under the control of the one central authoritarian party (the CCP) necessitates stringent vigilance and order. And, the seemingly constant presence of Police and Army personnel at every corner ensures you remember that this is the capital, not Shanghai or one of the many other upstarts along the coast, and that you will behave when in the capital or face the consequences.
Located on the northern tip of the North China Plain, Beijing has always been prone to invaders, being relatively defenceless against northern hordes, notably Mongols and Manchus, raiding and ransacking the city. A definitive security barrier was required,and the answer was the Great Wall of China.
Stretching over 8,000 kilometres and being in existence – in one form or another – since the 5th century BC – the Great Wall is quite simply a marvel of human endeavour, ingenuity and effort. Yet, it also has had its tragic history with thousands upon thousands over the years killed building, maintaining and guarding the wall along its entirety particularly during times of war or famine, or during the bitterly cold winter months.
Beijing is a city with an almost unsurpassed history yet with a promising and prominent future. Like the days of the Silk Road when thousands flocked east, these days, millions from all manner of nations and walks of life – are flocking to the northern capital to share knowledge, interact, learn, and experience all this grand city has to offer.
The Summer Palace ... in winter
Flags on Tiananmen Square
On the march .. across Tiananmen Square
The Great Wall of China
China's Great Wall
Forbidden City scene
Shanghai, China 中国上海
Following on from this morning’s photographic gallery of Shanghai’s The Bund district, here are photos of other locations and architecture across the metropolis of Shanghai.
Located by the Huangpu River on the Yangtze River Delta, Shanghai once a quiet fishing village transformed into a bustling, crowded city of commerce due to its convenient port location and opening up to foreign trade following the Treaty of Nanking. The foreigners left in the 1950s and with them, their money, yet the city continued to grow. Then, several decades later came Deng Xiaoping’s economic reforms and with them, Shanghai’s chance to re-enter the international stage and thrust itself once more as one of the most vibrant, prosperous and bustling urban centres on Earth.
The transformation of Shanghai over the past two decades has been truly remarkable. Global corporations have re-entered The Bund and with them thousands of Chinese entrepreneurs and millions of Chinese migrants seeking a better life and a piece of the substantial economic pie available. Hundreds upon thousands of Shanghainese along with migrants from inland China and their families have been lifted out of poverty through the economic miracle that has occurred throughout China’s most populous city and foremost economic centre.
Yet, it has come at cost. Development – at all costs – has been king in Shanghai as the local government and city planners have grand plans and visions for their city and its urban layout over the next 20 years. Thousands upon thousands of buildings, factories and homes have been uprooted for new structures. Hundreds of thousands have found themselves either homeless, displaced or jaded by inadequate compensation for loss of business or home. But, Shanghai – at this point in time – is one place on Earth where truly opportunity does exist for all if they are plucky, lucky, cunning, confident, or wise enough to grab a hold of it.
This photo collection comes from my visit to Shanghai in April, 2004. I vividly remember being amazed at the sheer scale of the place, the buzz of the streets, the atmosphere of optimism as opportunity awaited at every corner, and the sheer ambition of the weird and wonderful architecture of the city – it was as if the city was making a statement to the world – yes, we’re brash, yes, we’re over-confident, yes, we’re here and yes, we’re going to make an impact. The world’s best architects were given a licence to treat the city as their personal playbox and the results have been outstanding. One thing I also remember, perhaps not as fondly, was the overpowering smell, taste and sight of concrete dust – you couldn’t help but breathe in the very foundation of the city’s progress.
Shanghai’s a great city with a fascinating, rich yet relatively young history and no doubt a grand, prosperous and exciting future ahead of her as the city’s best days may well be yet to come. Almost eight years since I was there, I can’t begin to imagine how much its changed and I’m dying to get back there in the near future.
And, without any further adieu, ladies and gentlemen, Shanghai.
Welcome & The Bund, Shanghai, China – April, 2004
Hello and welcome to Photography Journal where I’ll been compiling photographs of sites and sights I’ve encountered – and continue to encounter – across the Asia-Pacific region.
The first gallery I’m presenting is a series of photographs I took of The Bund, Shanghai, China, which has a fabulous collection of beautifully maintained and restored colonial architecture. As you may know The Bund, along the Huangpu River, was the centre of the Shanghai International Settlement when in the 19th and early 20th century European powers starting with the British flocked to the concession area and set up banks, trading houses and consulates. Following the Chinese civil war the buildings were converted to different purposes – the Gang of Four were influential players operating out of this area during the Cultural Revolution - with all monuments and statues of Western figures removed.
A truly grand collection of buildings, home to a fascinating history and changes of fortune from the glamour and decadence of the Western concessions in the 1920s to the civil war and cultural revolution, and back to the present day – if only walls could talk!
Click for Entire gallery collection
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Authors
Ben
