Welcome to Nagasaki

Hirado, the picturesque island over two days#Day 1 #Day 2

1. From Fukuoka to Hirado

Fukuoka is a prefecture located in the north western portion of the island of Kyushu, in southern Japan. The hub of that prefecture is Hakata, which is easily accessible by the Shinkansen (superexpress train), plane, and boat coming from Korea.

(Train) JR Hakata Station 11:22 --> JR Sasebo Station 13:12

(Bus) Sasebo Bus Terminal 13:40 --> Hirado Sanbashi (Pier) 15:00

2. Hotel Check in

Have a look at our "hotel suggestions" page.

3. The site of the Dutch Trading House	(10 min)
In 1609, Dutch Trading Ships first entered Hirado Port and their Trading House was built. You can still see Walls, a Well, an all-night Beacon and Wharf.

4. Hirado Tourist Museum	(20 min)
(a 3 minute walk from the Dutch Trading House) This museum exhibits a number of materials mainly related to the Hidden Christians and the trade with European Countries. Nando Jin (closet-size God) and Maria Kannon (the Goddess of Mercy made to appear as a Buddha) show how people continued their beliefs during the prohibition of Christianity.

Did you know?
During the ban on Christianity which was strictly enforced between the late 16th and 19th centuries, faithful Christians hid from the severe persecution in remote villages and islands and, amazingly enough, succeeded in passing the faith from generation to generation in spite of complete isolation from the church for more than two centuries. This persecution led these few faithfuls to create religious objects that looked as though they were Buddhist although in fact they were in fact very Christian.

5. Sakigata Park	(20 min)
(a 7 minute walk from the Hirado Tourist Museum) Here is the Grave of Miura Anjin (William Adams) who was an adviser in foreign affairs for Tokugawa Ieyasu in the early 17th century. There is also a Monument to Francis Xavier who was the very first to engage in missionary work in Japan.

Did you know?
William Adams, who was on board the first Dutch ship that landed in Japan, became the trusted advisor to Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu. He is the hero highlighted in the best seller "Shogun" by James Clavell.

6. Matsuura Museum

(30 min)

This building was originally the residence of the Matsuuras, feudal lords of Hirado, and exhibits some 30,000 articles. Among other lords in those days, Matsuura was the first lord who made contact with the culture of the West, so that a number of valuable items still remain in this museum. In addition, the stone wall around the museum was built in the Momoyama period (late 16th century) and its beautiful structure and stone fence remind one of the old days.

7.Hexagonal Well	(5 min)
(a 3 minute walk from the Matsuura Museum) The hexagonal well is believed to show foreign influence. The well was made in a hexagonal shape so that several people could use it at once.

Did you know?
Born in Spain, Francis Xavier was a founding member of the Jesuit Order, and introduced Christianity into Japan in the mid 16th century. Since he visited Hirado, this church was built in his honor.

8.St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church	(15 min)

This Catholic church was built in 1931, and when the statue of Xavier was built on a corner of the site later, the church was renamed after him.

Have a look!
On your way out of the Church, walk towards the port and then turn around. You will be standing just in front of Hirado's most famous picture spot!
You can see the cross on the roof of the Catholic Church along with the tiled roofs of Shoju, Komyo, and Zuiun temples. It is an impressive scene with a mixture of Japanese and Western Cultures.

9. Stay at your hotel

DAY 2

Leave your hotel around 10:00

10.Dutch Bridge (Saiwai Bashi)
The Dutch Bridge is a stone arch bridge built back in 1702. The masons of this arch bridge studied masonry under Toyosaki, who had taken part in the construction of the Dutch Trade House, which the bridge is called after.

11. Monument of English Trade House	(located right next to the Dutch Bridge)
The English Trade House built in 1613 was closed 10 years later, because it couldn't beat Holland in the trade competition. Only this monument standing on the ruin reminds you of those days.

Although the steep hike all the way to the top of Hirado Castle will certainly put you out of breath, the fourth floor commands a spectacular view of Hirado Bay and the surrounding area. It's definitely worth a look!

12. Hirado Castle	(30 min)

	(a 15 minute walk from the Monument of English Trade House) Originally built in 1707 by Shizunobu Matsuura, the 29th lord of the Matsuura, the Hirado Castle was restored in 1962. The main tower has an exhibition hall for the relics of the clan.

Did you know?
Kobodaishi, who lived in the 8th century, studied Esoteric Buddhism in China and founded the Shingon sect in Japan. One of the three greatest handwriting masters in Japan, he is often cited in proverbs. For example, "Kobo even has a slip of the pen" which means "Homer sometimes nods". Another one is "Kobo doesn't choose his writing brush" which means "A bad workman blames his tools."

13. Three-storied Pagoda (Saikyo Temple)	(20 min)
(a 15 minute walk from the Castle) This three-storied pagoda, the largest in Japan, was built in 1989 at Saikyo Temple. The temple contains the grave of Kobodaishi, one of the three greatest handwriting masters in Japan, and the pagoda was built to commemorate the 1150th anniversary of his death. There is a Calligraphy museum in the pagoda.

14. From Hirado to Fukuoka

(Bus) Hirado Sanbashi Bus Terminal 13:20 --> Sasebo Bus Terminal 14:49
(Bus) Hirado Sanbashi Bus Terminal 14:20 --> Sasebo Bus Terminal 15:49

(Train) JR Sasebo Station 15:08 --> JR Hakata Station 16:53
(Train) JR Sasebo Station 16:08 --> JR Hakata Station 17:53

From Hakata Station, on to your ultimate destination.