As many people from Hawai‘i know, we get a lot of tourists from Japan, and I mean a lot. They are vital to Hawai‘iʻs tourism economy. The tourists are not the only ones who are Japanese. There are also many people of Japanese descent that live here. So from that we can see the impact Hawai‘i has had on Japan and vice versa. We in Hawai‘i have a lot to show for Japanese culture considering the impact they have had on us, but of course it does not compare to the real thing. By that statement I mean the Japanese culture is better experienced in Japan itself. Japan has a lot to offer. Cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Nara are the main destinations for the people that travel there not only from Hawai‘i, but across all of America and around the world. Those cities are great, but how many of us know of the other cities in Japan? How many of us know about the places not often talked about? Well I am here to talk to you about two interesting areas around Japan that not a lot of people normally visit: Nagasaki and Kanazawa.
Nagasaki:
Photo: Devin Takahashi/Kapiʻo.
On my trip last year in summer of 2012, I wanted to visit the city of Nagasaki and see the city primarily for its history of the atomic bomb attack. My dad and I agreed and we set a course for the beautiful city. What we came to see when we finally experienced the city was that the city was way more than a mark of the atomic bomb.
Photo: Devin Takahashi/Kapiʻo.
This city has so much to offer. A brief description of the city would be that it is a Japanese San Francisco — it is a bay city that is hilly. To start off, there is the memorial park where statues roam the park, depicting art of the tragedy, donated from many of the countries all around the world, including a piece from Minnesota. But there is much more than that. The city is surrounded with Dutch architecture. This is because long ago the Dutch settled there. Relating to the Dutch in Nagasaki, there is a lot of Catholic architecture as well because the Dutch were Catholic. So in the city you notice there are much more churches than anywhere else in Japan. There is also this delicious food called Champon. Champon is a delicious orgasm in my mouth. This dish includes seafood, vegetables, pork and ramen noodles. If you are ever in Nagasaki, this should be your first dish, considering you are not going to get it anywhere else. I could go on and on but I encourage you to explore the city for yourself and see the amazing history that lies behind it.
Kanazawa:
Photo: Devin Takahashi/Kapiʻo.
The summer of 2013, my trip to Japan involved my dad and me exploring the town of Kanazawa. Kanazawa is a city west of Tokyo, towards the Japan Sea side. This town has so much to offer. To start off there is one of the three most beautiful gardens in Japan located in the town. They also offer a 21st century museum of art to explore and the Kanzawa castle. The city offers great seafood as well.
Photo: Devin Takahashi/Kapiʻo.
The biggest attraction for the city is Shirakawgo. This place is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The location of this beautiful place is set in a valley, about an hour’s bus ride from Kanazawa. This place is old world in a sense that the houses are ancient and the structures are of many years past. The beauty of this place is nothing short of sublime. Its seclusion from the rest of Japan makes it so magical that a place like this actually still exists.
In summary, these two places are excellent and well-overlooked destinations. Japan is a country with much to offer, so explore more and challenge yourself to get around and see what there is. I have been to Japan nine times and have been to many places around the country, but I still have not seen a lot of this wonderful destination yet. So next time you want to take a vacation, I encourage you to explore Japan.