Nagasaki — I’m back in Nagasaki this week, my second trip here as my first trip gave me an idea that something was wrong with my kidneys. Yes, just a few months after my return from Nagasaki, I had a kidney transplant. So call it a sort of pilgrimage visit, after all, Nagasaki is one of the most Catholic cities of Japan. In fact, before my operation, I prayed to St. Paul Miki one of the 26 martyrs who were crucified in Nishizaka Hill. Yes, in Calvary our Lord Jesus Christ was crucified between two thieves, but in Nishizaka Hill, all 26 Christians were crucified together, giving their lives to the Lord. St. Paul Miki was a son of a military man who became a novice Jesuit was crucified with 25 other Christians. Indeed, for Filipinos planning to visit Japan, going to Nagasaki would be a pilgrimage tour.
A visit to Nagasaki takes a 3-hour flight from Manila to Fukuoka, Japan. From the Fukuoka Airport, it will take two hours and 20 minutes tour bus ride to Nagasaki City. Three years ago, I also took the same bus ride, but this time, the Japanese government is building a new roadway, including a numerous bridges and tunnels. This was not there three years ago, which gives you an idea that the Japanese government loves to build infrastructure projects even so far and away from the nation’s capital in Tokyo.
Here in the Philippines, the further you are from the nation’s capital, the worst is our kind of infrastructure. Mind you, I have never read in the Japanese English language newpapers that the Japaese government was going to do a major infrastructure project. The Japanese just does it. In the Philippines, the Duterte administration declares a “Build, Build, Build” program and I can only second guess that they need to advertise these major infrastructure projects because the previous administration never gave infra any importance.
There are things that I noticed in Japan during this trip. For instance in the immigration area, before a passenger reaches the immigration officer, there are other officers who assists the passengers get into the correct line. In the Philippines the only immigration officer you meet is the one waiting for the passenger at the booth. While labor is very expensive in Japan, the government made sure that passengers are properly prepared to meet with the immigration officer. Why can’t we do this in Mactan?
On our bus ride to Nagasaki, you get to see other vehicles. Taxicabs for instance have drivers who wear white gloves. The same thing is true with truck drivers. Why can’t our public utility drivers show some kind of discipline in driving public vehicles for passengers? Indeed, discipline is what Filipinos lack.
No visit to Nagasaki is complete without visiting Nishizaka Hill, where 26 Martyrs were crucified together, including St. Paul Miki. Actually on August 15, 1549, St. Francis Xavier visited Kagoshima and convinced the Dai-myo to allow Christianity in Japan. At first the Daimyo saw Christianity as a treat to Buddhism, but later they looked at Christianity as part of European colonialism, which is why the Shogunate banned Christianity and those who refused to abandon their faith were killed. For decades this ban against Christianity prevailed until 250 years later when Christian missionaires returned to Japan and found a community of “Hidden Catholics” that survived the underground Church. They were named Kirishitan.
On Sept.27, 1637, Filipino Saint, San Lorenzo Ruiz was also brought into Nishizaka Hill and tortured. He refused to recant his Catholic faith and was killed, and his ashes thrown into the sea. His memorail Statue is located right behind the huge monument of the 26 Martyrs, which is one reason why Filipinos should come and visit Nagasaki.
Yes, the city of Nagasaki is the second and the last Japanese City to be nuked by the US military during World War II. Hiroshima was bombed by a nuclear bomb dubbed “Little Man” on August 6, 1945, while Nagasaki was bombed by a bomed dubbed “Fat Man” on August 9, 1945 and it marked the end of World War II. You can see the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum next to the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall built for Atomic Bomb victims in 2003. These are just some of the tourisms sights that Filipino travellers can see in Nagasaki City.