A few weeks ago, I took a trip to the southern Japanese city of Nagasaki.
Nagasaki is an incredible place with a lot of fascinating history. It was one of the only Christian cities in Japan. It was the only place in Japan open to foreigners for hundreds of years. And an atomic bomb was dropped on the city at the end of the Second World War.
Today, I want to share the story of Nagasaki with all of you listening! Let’s learn some important history while practicing our English comprehension.
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Vocabulary
- Missionary (noun): A person who is sent to another country by a religious organisation to spread their religion.
- In the 16th century, Christian missionaries arrived in Japan.
- Convert (verb): To change your or someone else’s religious beliefs.
- St. Francis Xavier converted many Japanese people to Christianity.
- Harbour (noun): A sheltered area of water where ships can stay safely.
- Nagasaki’s harbour allowed it to become an important trading port.
- Melting pot (noun): A place where people from different cultures, backgrounds, or religions mix together.
- With Portuguese, Dutch, and Chinese influences, Nagasaki became a melting pot.
- Isolation (noun): A policy or situation in which a country or person avoids contact with others.
- Japan adopted a policy of isolation, only allowing limited contact with the outside world through Nagasaki.
- Forbidden (adjective): Not allowed; officially or legally prohibited.
- It was forbidden for Japanese citizens to leave the country.
- Shipbuilding (noun): The industry or activity of designing and constructing ships.
- Nagasaki became a centre for shipbuilding during the Meiji era.
Nagasaki’s Early History
When you think of Japan’s most famous cities, Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka might come to mind. But Nagasaki, a port city on the island of Kyushu, has a unique place in Japanese history.
Kyushu is in the most western of Japan’s major islands. This made it one of the easier places for people to reach from overseas – Kyushu is relatively close to Korea, China, and the rest of Asia.
Nagasaki’s history begins in the 16th century. During this era, Japan was divided into territories controlled by powerful regional warlords. It was also the period when the first Europeans arrived in Japan.
The first Portuguese ships apparently visited Japan in 1543. Over time, Portuguese ships would regularly visit Japan from their trading bases in other parts of Asia.
In 1549, a Spanish missionary called St. Francis Xavier arrived on the island of Kyushu. He successfully converted some local people to Christianity, and after he left the country, his followers converted a number of important warlords.
One of these lords was Omura Sumitada, one of the most powerful people in Japan at the time. Seeing the economic and military benefits of foreign connections, he allowed the Portuguese to use a small fishing village called Nagasaki as a safe port.
Nagasaki opened to foreign ships in 1571 and began transitioning from a tiny village into one of the most important ports in Aisa. Over time, Nagasaki’s harbour was developed, churches and European-style buildings were constructed, and the city began to grow rapidly. It became a gateway for goods, people, and ideas coming from the outside world, especially from Europe.
Christian Missionaries and European Influence
Soon after Nagasaki became a port for international trade, it also became the centre of Christianity in Japan. The Portuguese traders were followed by Jesuit missionaries who introduced Christianity to Japan.
Ōmura Sumitada was the first Japanese lord to convert to Christianity. Under his rule, the city welcomed missionaries, allowed churches to be built, and encouraged local people to become Christians. For a brief period, Nagasaki was known as a Christian city.
By the end of the 16th century, tens of thousands of Japanese had converted to Christianity.
Nagasaki became a melting pot of cultures. Portuguese influence was not just in religion, but also in food, architecture, clothing, and even the Japanese language. The famous Japanese food tempura (battered and fried fish and vegetables) was introduced by the Portuguese. The Japanese word for bread is pan which is borrowed from Portuguese. In fact, the name for the United Kingdom in Japanese is igirisu which comes the Portuguese name for England.
However, this growing Christian presence eventually alarmed the Japanese government. While some lords in the west of Japan had become Christian, most of the country was not. The ruling shogunate began to fear that Christianity could weaken their control and invite Western colonization.
In response, they cracked down on the religion.
By the early 17th century, Christianity was banned, missionaries were expelled, and many Japanese Christians were executed. One of the most tragic events occurred in 1597 when 26 Christians, both foreign missionaries and Japanese believers, were crucified in Nagasaki.
Christianity never completely disappeared though. Many believers practiced their faith in secret. The Kakure Kirishitan, or “Hidden Christians,” preserved their traditions for centuries, passing them down quietly within families.
Isolation and the Dutch Trading Post
In the early 1600s, Japan entered a long period of isolation known as Sakoku. This was a policy that strictly limited foreign influence in Japan. Japanese people were forbidden from leaving the country and foreigners were also largely banned from entering Japan.
But there was one major exception: Nagasaki.
Nagasaki was allowed to remain open under very strict control. The Portuguese, however, were completely banned. There trade routes and buildings were instead given to the Netherlands. The Netherlands were the only Western country allowed to trade with Japan (also China and Korea could trade to a lesser extent).
Why the Dutch? Unlike the Portuguese and Spanish, the Dutch traders were not interested in spreading Christianity. They brought no Catholic priests or missionaries. They focused entirely on business, which made them less threatening to the Japanese authorities.
In 1641, the Dutch were moved to a small, artificial island in Nagasaki’s harbour called Dejima. They were strictly confined to Dejima and could only enter the city under heavy supervision.
Still, the goods, books, knowledge, and ideas came through Nagasaki into Japan. Japanese scholars would travel to Nagasaki with the hope of accessing Western books on science, medicine, and technology.
Japan did technically trade with other countries as well. They traded with Russia in the north, China and Korea, and the Ryukyu kingdom which is now a part of Japan called Okinawa but at the time was an independent kingdom.
Nagasaki was home to most of the Western and Chinese foreigners. The Chinese community was a little freer than the Dutch but were also kept in a location close by the island of Dejima.
This gave Nagasaki a mix of Portuguese, Dutch, and Chinese influence.
The Meiji Era and Industrialisation
In 1868, Japan entered a new era: the Meiji Restoration. The Meiji restoration was the end of Japan’s isolation from the world. The country attempted to westernise and modernise. They changed their economic system, education, and politics.
Nagasaki’s long experience with foreign trade and global influence gave it a major advantage. It was already familiar with Western technology, languages, and ideas. As a result, Nagasaki quickly became one of Japan’s most important industrial cities.
Its main industry was shipbuilding, thanks to a modern shipyard built in collaboration with the Dutch earlier in the 19th century. In particular, the Mitsubishi Corporation (still one of the biggest brands in Japan today) played a key role in Nagaski’s industrial growth.
The shipyards produced warships, steamships, and other vessels that supported Japan’s ambitions both economically and militarily.
During the Meiji era, the population grew, the economy expanded, and Nagasaki’s importance as a strategic port increased. Foreigners were allowed to live and work in Nagasaki again, leading to the establishment of international schools, hospitals, and research centres.
World War II and the Atomic Bomb
By the time World War II began, Nagasaki had become one of Japan’s major industrial centres. Its shipyards, steelworks, and weapons factories, especially those run by Mitsubishi, were vital in supporting the Japanese military.
On August 9, 1945, just three days after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, the U.S. military dropped a second bomb on Nagasaki. This bomb, nicknamed “Fat Man,” was more powerful than the one used in Hiroshima, but Nagasaki’s geography helped limit the destruction somewhat.
Still, the damage was immense.
It’s estimated that around 70,000 people died, either instantly or from injuries and radiation in the following weeks and months. Tens of thousands more were injured, and the city was left in ruins. Many of the victims were civilians, including children and the forced labourers brought to Japan during the war.
The bombing of Nagasaki was one of the most devastating events in human history. It also played a major role in Japan’s decision to surrender, bringing an end to World War II just days later.
What many people don’t know, however, is that Nagasaki was not the main target for the bombing. The US actually planned to attack a different industrial city in Kyushu, called Kokura, but when the plane arrived, they couldn’t see anything due to smoke and clouds. Instead, they flew on to Nagasaki.
Nagasaki Today
Nagasaki was slowly rebuilt once the war was over. While it was previously home to major war industries, the focus of recovery was on foreign trade, fishing, and ship building.
New temples and churches were constructed, and the city is now a major tourist destination.
Nagasaki is perhaps best known globally for its Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. These sites attract visitors from around the world and serve as powerful reminders of the horrors of nuclear war.
While not as large or economically dominant as Tokyo or Osaka, Nagasaki is still a fascinating place.
It is a city that has seen the best and worst of global contact: openness, persecution, war, and now peace.
Final Thought
Today I wanted to introduce the history of Nagasaki to all of you.
I think Nagasaki is one of the most interesting places I’ve visited, especially from a historical perspective.
It was one of the only parts of Japan open to the world for centuries. It was also a place where Christians were persecuted and killed for their beliefs. It was a key part of Japan’s war effort. It was destroyed by a nuclear weapon. And now it is an important advocate for global peace.
Hopefully you enjoyed this more historical episode of Thinking in English. Later this week I’ll release a second episode (exclusively on Patreon) that talks about some of the places I visited during my week in Kyushu!
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