Had a great time in Nagasaki this past week. The transport system was convenient, yet intensely crowded. I’m used to crowded transit in Tokyo, but in Tokyo it somehow works better due to the incredible level of efficiency necessary in a city of so many millions. It was very shocking to me how used to Tokyo I’ve become. The so-called “freaks” who are Tokyoites have for me become so much the norm, that to see the “normal” people of Nagasaki was an abruptly confounding experience. I mean, guys look and act like guys – that’s really freakishly bizarre after living in Tokyo!
Although it was too windy for the ropeway to work it’s way up the Mount Inasa when we tried at first, the view was great when we finally made it. The night view was splendid. The weather was a bit difficult for most of the time, but it did adhere to the norm in that it was too cold when we didn’t have a jacket and too hot when we did. Nearby our hotel was the Glover Garden, which they apparently pronounce as Clover Garden, and which I only realized later was Glover Garden. He was a Scot who was instrumental in the city history and the education of Japanese in western science and humanities. It’s the first historic garden park I’ve ever been to with escalators. Convenient! There is also the sobering Atomic Bomb museum and the peace park with it’s statue pointing to the earth and to the heavens warning what may come from above.
Outside the city we went to Huis ten Bosch which is basically a fake Dutch city theme park. It was pleasant, but deserted at the time. It’s about the price of Tokyo Disneyland (5000ish yen) and has some museums and a canal boat ride in keeping with the Holland aesthetic. A Dutch location in Nagasaki itself is Dejima, a preserved trading post where you can explore the living quarters and storage areas.
We also got the chance to see the new Star Trek at a branch of Toho Cinemas they have there. It was good, but royally disturbed the red letter established history, preferring action over respect for the Trek continuum. Of course, that should not be surprising considering that JJ Abrams character.