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Cornwall Morganeering Copyright

 

Kyushu, Japan - 4th to 8th June 1999

 

  Glover Garden, Nagasaki Located at the southern end of Nagasaki City, Glover garden is now the resting place for the former homes of European residents in the Meiji Era (1868-1912), and is named after Thomas Glover (1838-1911) Glover was a Scot who started business importing arms into Japan during the Meiji Restorartion period. He went on to build the first railway, and started the Nagasaki shipyard, which eventually became Mitsubishi Shipyard. Glover garden also included the Walket, Alt and Ringer houses as well as Mitsubishi No 2 dock building.  
       
  Unzen Spa Unzen Spa is located on the Shimbara-hanto peninsular to the east of nagasaki, and is the site of "jigoku" or "hell's boiling water". In earlier centuries, the boiling pools were used to execute Christians during periods of persecution. In the 19th Century Unzzen became a popular resort for foreign residents of Shanghai and Hong Kong, and has the oldest golf course in Japan. The Nita Pass leads out of Unzen to the popular Mt. Fugen, part of the Unzen-dake range, which is a favourite hiking area.  
       
  Shimabara Shimabara is the port for ferries to Kumamoto, and has a re-built castle called Shimbara-jo. The castle, originally built in 1624, played an important part in the Shimbara Rebellion, 1637-38, a Christian uprising. It was rebuilt in 1964. Shimbara also has a museum area dedicated to the 1991 eruption of Mt. Fugen, with houses buried roof high in volcanic ash.  
       
  Karatsu Karatsu is a small city of 80,000 people and also has a reconstructed castle. Karatsu is a jumping off point for the Higashi-Matsuura-hanto peninsular.  
       
  Yobuko Yobuko is a busy little fishing village along the Higashi-Matsuura-hanto peninsular  
       
  Imari and Arita Imari and Arita are the major pottery towns of Saga Prefecture. Pottery has been produced there from the early 17th century using captive Korean potters. Although Imari is the name popularly associated with this pottery, it is actually produced in Okawachiyama and Arita.  
       
  Kumamoto Kumamoto is a large town with a population of 565,000, and is famous for its castle. The original castle was built between 1601 and 1607, but was destroyed and rebuilt in this century. Suizenji Garden, started in 1632, is a Momoyama style garden imitating stations on the Tokaido. The Kokin Denju-no-Ma teahouse was moved to the garden from Kyoto in 1912.  
       
  Dazaifu Dazaifu was the governmental centre of Kyushu during the Kofun period (300-710) and through the Heian Period (794-1185). It was also important as the chief port for commercial and cultural contacts with China. Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to the poet and scholar Suguwara-no-Michizane, and is noted for its irises which bloom in June. Nearby is Komyo-ji Temple, which has a beautiful Zen garden reminiscent of Ryoan-ji in Kyoto., which is solitude itself compared to the Tenmangu Shrine.