Share your travel photos with us by hashtagging your images with #visitjapanjp >> Access information tucked in the northwest corner of Nagasaki In the 16th century Hirado became the first port in Japan to welcome European traders and you can still spot traces of Dutch and Portuguese influences in the local landscape and cuisine Some of the more secluded parts of the island were once a refuge for secret Christian converts who continued to practice their faith throughout the country’s ban on the religion the island is also part of Saikai National Park Its rich history and picturesque vistas make Hirado the perfect backdrop for a plethora of activities from hiking and cycling to fishing and museum-hopping a sacred mountain steeped in centuries of history Cycle along the dramatic coastline of Ikitsuki Island Join a fishing boat expedition An enormous red bridge marks the entryway into Hirado Island from mainland Kyushu two of its most recognizable landmarks come into view—the stately Hirado Castle and the sage-green spires of St Francis Xavier Memorial Church—reminding us that this was once where Eastern and Western cultures converged That legacy is still infused throughout the townscape with traditional samurai residences and rustic temples standing alongside gothic-style buildings eager to explore the town’s historic streets and alleyways View of church juxtaposed against temple buildings The first stop on our itinerary was the crowning gem of the island this hilltop castle was destroyed and rebuilt multiple times “The castle we see now is a restoration with some of the original features still in place,” says our guide We ventured up to the castle tower to be rewarded with gorgeous views of the port and the deep blue waters of Hirado Strait Visitors hoping to make their time in Hirado even more special can opt to stay like royalty in the Kaiju Yagura tower this luxurious accommodation blends modern comforts with an ornately designed interior Guests are treated to traditional performances and delectable meals prepared by a personal chef Located not too far from Hirado Castle is the former Hirado Dutch Trading Post “It was constructed in 1639 but destroyed shortly after so the building that stands now is a faithful reconstruction using detailed records from the Netherlands,” explains our guide Inside we encounter fascinating pieces that give us a glimpse into Hirado’s ties with the Dutch such as wooden statues To further immerse ourselves in the local history we paid a visit to the Matsura Historical Museum which houses over 30,000 precious relics The building itself is culturally significant as it was once the private residence of the Matsura Clan which ruled over Hirado for over 800 years After admiring the incredible collection of ancient scrolls and paintings we stopped to relish green tea and traditional sweets at the Kanuntei Teahouse This charming building is nestled in a garden of cherry blossom and maple trees making it perfect for a quiet moment of contemplation Green tea and traditional sweets served at Kanuntei Teahouse We kicked off the second day of our visit by mounting our bicycles and making our way to Hirado’s highest point After winding through roads hemmed by dense evergreen forests we found ourselves in Kawachi Pass—an open grassy expanse that offers sweeping views of the Genkai Sea and clusters of tiny islands Our guide pointed out the islands of Iki and Tsushima visible far off in the distance an uninhabited island that was venerated by ‘Hidden Christians’ who were persecuted during the 17th century The 536-meter peak is steeped in history—for centuries The trail to the summit is paved with cobblestones which were walked barefoot by pilgrims of the past As we climbed up a lush forest of evergreen oak and moss we were serenaded by bird call and kept our eyes peeled for a local species of the endangered tailed cupid butterfly which can be recognized by its delicate violet-colored wings our guide showed us the ruins of an 8th-century temple as well as stone monuments hallowed by Hidden Christians Just off the summit is a viewpoint where you can observe the western shores of the island along with Kasuga Village and the neighboring Ikitsuki Island The mountain is also great for birdwatching as you can spot migratory birds traveling between Japan and the Korean Peninsula depending on the time of the year this remote spot was once a refuge for a community of Hidden Christians and Kasuga Village are all Hidden Christian sites that make up a World Heritage Site,” says our guide View from Maruoyama Hill in Kasuga Village Maruo to admire the beautiful rice paddies The area is incredibly quiet and retains an idyllic charm making us feel like we had stepped back in time We then stopped at the local tourist center to unwind chat with locals and enjoy a delicious boxed lunch prepared with locally-grown ingredients before making our way back to our accommodation Boxed lunch prepared with local ingredients We were up bright and early on Day 3 to join a fishing crew on their boat—it was a rare and unique opportunity to watch fishers in action We embarked on our journey well before sunrise at Shiraishi Fishing Port Being on a fishing boat was an exhilarating experience; you can soak in the refreshing sea breeze and first rays of the morning sun accompanied by the excited calls of the fishing crew and hungry seagulls The local fishers here use a set-net fishing method We were lucky to be able to join in on the action helping them reel in huge catches of horse mackerel we were treated to a delicious and hearty breakfast that included sashimi and grilled fish prepared from the fresh catch we prepared our own lunch boxes packed with oshizushi—rice cakes stuffed with fillings of our choice oshizushi is normally eaten on special occasions so they are prepared in auspicious shapes like the cherry blossom flower we hopped on our bicycles and traversed the pastel blue bridge that connects Hirado to Ikitsuki Island The plan was to cycle a loop around the island along a route nicknamed the Ikitsuki Sunset Way The area is known for its dramatic stretch of coastline known as the Shiodawara Cliffs Shaped by the pounding waves of the Genkai Sea these formations have a striking honey-comb like appearance Obae Lighthouse sits on a steep cliff on the northernmost tip of the island We decided to stop there to savor the oshizushi we had made earlier and soak in the stunning seascape we stopped by Daifukuya—a locally-beloved dessert shop—to refuel this retro establishment is known for their decadent Nagasaki-style milkshakes prepared with shaved ice and condensed milk we were rewarded with a beautiful sunset by the southern tip of Ikitsuki Island Sunset at the southern tip of Ikitsuki Island we took a deep dive into the quintessential Hirado confection this delectable sweet treat is prepared by dipping pieces of castella sponge cake in egg yolk and boiling it in sugar We got a chance to try it ourselves at the factory of Tsutaya a confectioner that has been around since the early 1500s “Casdoce was once exclusively made for royalty,” a staff member told us and we were invited to sample our piping hot creations once they were ready Tsutaya also has a retail shop in central Hirado where you can purchase beautifully packed boxes of casdoce as souvenirs or treat yourself to castella-infused ice cream on a hot day you can also find a variety of indoor activities if you get unlucky with the weather We joined a stencil-dyeing workshop to craft a memento of our trip Pick a souvenir of your choice—such as a t-shirt or tote bag—and paint it using one of the many pre-prepared stencil designs Hirado offers a glimpse into a different side of Japan Whether you are looking to immerse yourself in the outdoors this picturesque port town offers something for every kind of traveler Journey through the traditions and natural landscapes of Japan Browse the JNTO site in one of multiple languages In modern Japan where most people turn to Shinto shrines to bless babies Christian-style chapels for weddings and Buddhist temples for funerals it’s hard to imagine anyone worshiping in secret for fear of persecution old habits can be as resilient as religious tradition In the Land of the Rising Sun there are still “Hidden Christians” among us their home and sanctuary is Neshiko Village in Nagasaki Prefecture’s Hirado City They still keep religious artifacts under wraps and pray in secret The threat of persecution may have long since passed but that doesn’t make it any less memorable The Portuguese Jesuit missionary Francis Xavier introduced Catholicism to Hirado in 1550 The new faith soon took root on the city’s western coast and Ikitsuki Island the Tokugawa Shogunate outlawed Christianity before closing the country to foreigners The crackdown on the foreign faith from the West was brutal It’s estimated that more than 40,000 Christians were martyred in Japan between the 17th and 18th centuries they were usually executed on the beach and their bodies disposed of in nearby Ushiwaki Forest I often found human teeth and bones while playing around the forest behind the village,” said Tadashi Takiyama or “omizuyaku,” added that the site is therefore sacred “So we always take our shoes off when we go into the forest.” the entire village of Neshiko and the surrounding area is considered sacred grounds by Kakure Kirishitans because of its historic role as a place for executing Christians once they were discovered the government conducted religious censuses annually in which citizens were required to stomp on Christian artifacts; those that refused were tortured and killed Hirado’s Christian communities went underground paper crosses and medallions in storage cabinets or “nando,” continuing to venerate them in secret These cabinets became known as “nandogami,” or cabinet gods before which believers chant their prayers Takiyama and other Kakure Kirishitans are their descendants “We are alive today because our ancestors kept trampling on those holy paintings,” said Takiyama I definitely would have asked them to tread on me to live and keep their faith in me alive.” As admirable as this appreciation for life is the cleric’s expression may seem odd to some Christians Having been passed down under the guise of Buddhist practices with no connection to the Catholic Church for so long or “orasho,” is the core practice of Kakure Kirishitans Takiyama said the language of the prayers is a mix of Latin Portuguese and dead Japanese dialects that even he does not understand but he has memorized them and recites them at length: “It is much more important to chant them smoothly without mistakes.” There are a variety of group and priestly chants recovery from disease and other good fortunes A typical community service begins with Takiyama’s call to prayer in Latin with everyone replying “Amen.” The spirits of martyrs Buddhist and Shinto gods are then called on Once in a while participants stop and start chatting about everyday events a through back from times when being caught holding such prayer meetings meant certain death “By hiding in Buddhism for more than 250 years our belief in Christianity gradually veered off merging with Buddhism and Shinto to become kind of a local religion,” Takiyama explained I make the sign of cross our way; when I visit a temple I put my hands together; and when I visit a shrine his faith is not the Christianity most are familiar with our belief is far from that of the Catholic Church,” he said “We cannot go back to the original belief anymore.” since Japan’s ban on Christianity was lifted in 1873 Takiyama says none of the Kakure Kirishitans in his village have returned to Catholicism Priest at two Catholic churches in the area said they do not know of any either “The church has repeatedly appealed to them to return but I have never heard of any coming back to us,” said the Rev “We should not force them but just respect their free will.” believes the reason they never joined the many Catholics in the region may not be so simple “Because of the strong bond of rules and tradition between community members over time each member felt like they could not convert on their own,” he said “But if the community as a whole decided to convert they might have returned to the Catholic Church.” Of the approximately 30,000 Kakure Kirishitans in Japan after the legalization of Christianity And the official Kakure Kirishitan community in Neshiko disbanded in 1992 despite nearly half of the 200 households in the village being members at the time “We could not find a successor in the community anymore,” he said of a younger cleric needed to someday take over his duties I talked with other members and determined to disband the community.” He offers prayers at believers’ homes on request blesses nearly 200 of their homes during Christmas and New Year’s and – as has always been the custom – he secretly “purifies” their deceased loved ones from Buddhist prayers after their official funerals Located on the entrance to the Forest of Ushiwaki near Neshiko Beach Hirado Christian Museum accommodates many artifacts statues and paintings that the area’s “Hidden Christians used to keep and venerate Exhibits abd documents tell about the history and community of local so-called Kakure Kirishitans Just off the shore of a mile-long white sandy beach in Neshiko is Shoten-Ishi More than 70 local Christians that were discovered here by the authorities were executed on it in 1635 A master of Neshiko village had a wife and three daughters a nice young man came from wherever and settled in the house The man was really industrious and well-liked he was allowed to marry the master’s eldest daughter told him about his family’s hidden Christian faith was a secret agent and immediately reported this to government officials The entire family was arrested and severely prosecuted to determine if there were any other Christians in the village they insisted that they were the only Christians in the region The five – including the unborn child – womb were executed on the stone on Aug 26 of the old lunar calendar (currently in mid-October) and their bodies were disposed of in the Ushiwaki Forest Locals started calling the stone Shoten-Ishi and have venerated it as one of the area’s most sacred sites It is believed that if anyone climbs on the stone a huge wave will sweep the village and its residents out to sea Sign up for our weekly newsletter of articles from Japan THERMAL, Calif. – Mar. 6, 2021 – Show jumping competition continued in the Grand Prix Stadium Saturday afternoon as thirty-seven riders challenged Alan Wade (IRE)’s course in the $25,000 Vita Flex 1.40m Open Classic Posting a double clean effort and stopping the jump-off timers at 34.757 seconds Molly Talla and her own Hirado Blue emerged victorious.  Hirado Blue (Zirocco Blue VDL x Anicky) and Talla have been paired together for four years “He is a nine year old that I got from Ireland as a five year old He has come up through the ranks as a young horse,” Talla shared “He has a huge personality; he’s a huge punk on the ground and he is very cheeky and funny and full of it only eight pairs returned with clear rounds for the jump-off Talla was able to utilize Hirado Blue’s smaller stature to ride a quick and efficient track They really suit me; I really enjoy riding his courses Coming in second place was Mitch Endicott (Rancho Santa Fe CA) and Chaccrobat (Chacco Blue x Gerlinda) The pair stopped the jump-off timers at 36.532 seconds Finishing the top three was Jeffrey Fields (Redwood City CA) riding Sahana Ganesan’s Sherlina Ale (Sheraton x Bolina) with a time of 38.007 seconds Besting ten other U25 competitors, Endicott also claimed the top spot in the $1,000 AIG U25 Classic which ran as an overlay with the $25,000 Vita Flex 1.40m Open Classic.  “Chaccrobat; I believe he’s a twelve year old gelding out of Chacco Blue is the owner of the horse,” shared Endicott “I’ve been riding him for probably about six months now and I think we’re really starting to develop a nice partnership.” The pair has boasted consistent results in several classes over the season at Desert International Horse Park (DIHP) “We’ve competed in all the National classes here [at DIHP] We were fourth in a $25,000 Grand Prix in December We were clear in another $75,000 Grand Prix but he really is a great horse,” Endicott noted Full Results: $25,000 Vita Flex 1.40m Open Classic Full Results: $1,000 AIG U25 Classic The Plaid Horse is a print and digital publishing company providing exceptional coverage for the hunter/jumper/breeding disciplines at reasonable rates and suppliers to the industry through horse show and event coverage Contact us: news@theplaidhorse.com Sign up for The TPH Newsletter and receive fresh inspiration from the hunter jumper world, news about your favorite horse shows, and more! Example: Yes, I would like to receive emails from The Plaid Horse Magazine. (You can unsubscribe anytime) JapanChevron Courtesy Hirado CitySave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products and listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links. Consider it R&R, with a little something extra: royalty. After debuting a trial program at Nagasaki Prefecture’s Hirado Castle in 2017 as the first-ever castle stay in Japan, the Japanese government now is allowing permanent overnight stays at the historic site on the westernmost tip of the island of Kyushu, where guests can book a solitary suite in the two-story Kaiju Yagura Turret. “Hirado was the door to the world in the Edo period,” said the lodging’s designers at Atelier Tekuto, a Japanese design studio, in a release translated by Condé Nast Traveler. Japanese exports like porcelain, silver, and tea were funneled through the port, as well a painting style called Rinpa, which encouraged cultural exchange with the Western world, the designers said. “With the aesthetics of Rinpa as the basis, we wish to offer a place to experience the new values of Japan.” A latticed wooden wall, designed and made by craftsmen in Sasebo City, Nagasaki Prefecture, is just one of the suite's locally sourced details. Hour-long martial arts lessons are offered by iaidō and kendo masters, styles that are both heavy on swordplay. Get inspired by the 7th-century kanto-no-tachi sword in the castle keep’s collection of feudal artifacts, which also includes the armor of Hiromu Matsura, the 10th-century lord of Hirado, and swords through the 18th century. Local Kyushu artist Takahide Komatsu's butterfly mural is inspired by the rinpa style of painting. The bathroom's three floor-to-ceiling windows offer sweeping views of Hirado Bay. For another rare cultural experience, you can take in a special performance of Hirado Kagura, a Shinto ceremonial dance for chinkon, the purifying and shaking of the spirit. Or get away from it all on horseback riding trails around the island. But no matter how you spend your stay at Hirado Castle, you're bound to be awed by the experience. “Not everyone in Japan knows about this. Nobody really knows about this island,” says Yuko Yamasaki, a concierge at the castle. “It was a place for foreign travel, but also isolated, so it was a great place to be uniquely preserved.” All listings featured in this story are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world Christianity and Japanese Buddhism and Shinto coexist on the island we take in a view that symbolizes Hirado—St Francis Xavier Memorial Church’s spires and cross as backdrop to the temple’s tiled roofs we find an overlook and stop to stretch our legs on the nearby hills Within minutes of walking it felt like being transported to the grassy hills of Switzerland While the elderly hiker we met on the trail had nicknamed the hilltop view “little Aso” after the mountain in central Kyushu we decided to think of it as “little Appenzell.” Refreshed from our stroll through the hills of Kawachi Pass we continued to the northernmost end of Hirado Japanese emissaries left for the Chinese court in 600 AD A nearby statue commemorates the famous monk Kukai who To the west of Hirado is the smaller Ikitsuki Island This mountainous island’s rocky cliffs offer stunning views of the sea below The highlight of these is the Shiodawara Cliffs with rock columns and formations reaching up to 20 meters high It reminds us of Hawaii’s Little South Point and the isolation makes the Shiodawara Cliffs something altogether different—the kind of view that needs to be felt as well as seen While our travels have given us a glimpse of Hirado we get back in the car to drive to our hotel wondering what local delicacies they have in store for us secure that anything drawn from these local waters or fed by the island’s grasses will be a delicacy worth waiting for The Dutch Trading Post in Hirado was once a bustling hub of East Asian trade the Tokugawa shogunate permitted the VOC (Dutch East India Company) to trade with Japan and the Dutch Trading Post was constructed under the guidance of Matsura Takanobu According to descriptions from the diaries of trading post captains but as trade grew they gradually expanded their facilities during the first half of the 17th century The especially large warehouses built in 1637 and 1639 stood as symbols of the VOC’s booming trade It may have been that the trade was a little too successful The buildings remained lost to history for more than three centuries The first steps toward reconstruction were made in 1922 when the site—which included the original Dutch Wall and Wharf—was recognized as a National Historical Site when full-scale excavations finally started and a collaborative effort between the government and the private sector was launched to rebuild the trading post But with no blueprints or designs to be found the reconstruction team faced a huge hurdle But thanks to the Dutch East India Company’s detailed records keeping Director of The Dutch Trading Post in Hirado some aspects of the construction process were made clearer: “The Dutch accounting and audit system of 17th century was incredible Detailed records and figures are written and kept in the Netherlands were all written in those accounting books and it was so amazingly accurate.” With the help of these accounting figures and records as well as the drawings of the trading post that appeared in the Atlas Japannenis published by the Dutch missionary Montanus in 1669 The Dutch Trading Post is now a historical fact rather than something obscurely featured in historical records You can feel—even practi- cally breathe—the history that comes through the monuments and articles on display inside the building Okayama is also director of The Matsura Historical Museum were constructed in 1893 by the 37th Lord of Hirado as a private residence called the Tsurugamine Villa has belonged to the Matsura clan since the Kamakura period (1192 to 1333) and Okayama explains that this part of Hirado was frequented by many European traders including the famous William Adams One of the museum’s highlights in Kan-un-tei a small tea house where the Chinshin-ryu tea ceremony has been practiced since the 17th century you can sample a cup of matcha made in the traditional way as you gaze out on the grounds Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Tokyo Located on an island in Nagasaki prefecture the castle has opened one of its buildings as a luxury retreat where you can spend the night Built in 1599, Hirado Castle got burned down but was later restored during the Edo period (1603-1868). Its main keep and four turrets were reconstructed in the 1960s, and have been open to the public ever since. Recently, one of those two-storey turrets has been taken over by Hirado Castlestay Kaijuyagura which has redesigned the interior as a hotel complete with all the mod-cons The castle retreat features a wooden interior with beautiful murals of butterflies and cherry blossoms painted by renowned traditional painter Takahide Komatsu.  This roughly 120sqm space comes with a bedroom featuring two double beds which boasts panoramic views of  the ocean and the Hirado Bridge The castle can accommodate only one group of up to five people at a time and costs a hefty ¥660,000 per night (service charge and meals not included) Apart from the feeling of being a feudal lord the stay comes with optional activities like watching a kagura (a traditional ceremonial Shinto dance) performance having a tea ceremony and trying zazen meditation For those of us without a spare half-million yen the good news is you can still take a tour of the grounds for just ¥570 (¥310 for high school students ¥200 for junior and primary school students) Hirado Castle’s main keep has also been renovated and it now features digital art and new interactive activities inside a five-storey museum even if you’re not staying the night.  For more information about staying at Hirado Castle, check the website Keen to stay in a castle but can’t leave the comfort of your own bed? 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Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan. facebooktwitterpinterestinstagramAbout us Test cases in Europa prove that CASTING SPLITTER and SNAP BREAKER reduce fatigue costs and labor time while increasing safety As foundries start on their road to recovery from the COVID pandemic an increased emphasis is placed on cost cutting methods effective use of production and increasing the market competitiveness of the foundry in a everchanging industry Much has been written about analyzing processes and the implementation of new innovative (digital) technologies in several parts of the production process An area which is often overlooked is the fettling end process where large cost savings and improvements can be made a Japanese manufacturer of innovative hydraulic foundry equipment for the first time showcases a summary of 2 separate test cases of its equipment which revealed large improvements and drastic cut savings of up to 80% Full reports are available through Hirado’s international network of partners worldwide Test Case 1: 80% cost reduction by effectively breaking runners in Germany The foundry involved in this test case is in Northern Germany The foundry currently cuts the runners by using grinders turnaround time and creates high consumable (grinder disc) costs a storage unit containing a few months of worn consumables The actual picture of this scene can be found above (Used with permission of the foundry) Hirado’s Solution Hirado has an innovative solution to all these problems uses hydraulic pressure to operate its moving jaw and break the runner in half within mere seconds.  As the Snap Breaker requires no consumables the yearly consumable costs can be reduced dramatically The time for breaking of a single runner is also reduced thereby decreasing labor time and costs The Demonstration  Based the known background information but 450 covers 80%) and demonstration experience the Snap Breaker SBH-2L (397kn Power) was deemed to be the best option For the demonstration onsite in Germany the SBH-2 (222kN) power was used for a reliable assessment if the SBH-2 was sufficient or the SBH-2L was indeed needed Test performed onsite revealed that the Snap Breaker SBH-2 was able to break GJS 450 iron runners of 50mm at 80% power (177kN) within 2 seconds The 55mm runners could not be broken however due the gap limit of the SBH-2 and limited power Based on the demonstration results however it could be concluded that the SBH-2L would be sufficient for all due its higher power (397kN) The Analysis & Conclusion The data of the current Grinding method (Salary Time) was provided by the foundry and put against the results of the demonstration it was revealed that time could be cut in half with the Snap Breaker It was also revealed that consumable costs of up to 39,000 Euro could be reduced by over 95% as the Snap Breaker required virtually no consumables By implementing the Snap Breaker the foundry would increase worker safety The financial analysis also reveals that current annual costs of more than 70,000 Euro could be reduced by more than 80% The vast amount of advantages and savings thereby meant that the investment in the Snap Breaker was very much worthwhile Test Case 2: Increased worker morale and production less downtime and heavy cost reduction in Italy In the fettling process it currently has 2 employees working on a non-vibrating conveyor belt utilizing hydraulic wedges to degate the castings from the runner system The hydraulic wedge currently utilized weighs 30kg and has 126kn of splitting power While the molding line and rest of the production are high speed the employees at the degating section cannot keep up with degating speed required the castings are not degated continuously and some are degated at a later point The result is a bottleneck and production is ceased a few days a week the foundry is considering additional hydraulic wedges and employees Hirado’s Solution Hirado has been manufacturing it’s innovative lightweight and high-speed hydraulic wedges since 1980 and are currently used in over 20 countries worldwide Hirado’s unique hydraulic technology allows for light-weight equipment the patented dual switching technology ensures that only the power required is supplied thereby reducing wear and downtime while extending the lifetime of the equipment Operation is dual handed using a variety of handles it was decided to test Hirado’s Casting Splitter EP-80N(23) length of wedges and power can also be easily adjusted by the interchanging of liners an EP-80N(23) can be turned into an EP-80N(30)L ) The test of the EP-80 was performed by actual employees on actual castings another employee was using the current hydraulic wedge to compare it to the EP-80 the difference between the currently used hydraulic wedge and the EP-80(23) immediately became clear The difference in weight (13kg) meant that the worker with the EP-80(23) was able to get much faster to the casting Due to the fact that the EP-80(23) can be used both horizontally and vertically and that the counterwedges of the EP-80(23) can be turned 360 degrees the worker was able to degate the casting without picking up the casting the worker with the current hydraulic wedge had to pick up each casting it was also observed that the EP-80(23) could degate every casting at 70% power in one shot The current hydraulic wedge failed to degate most castings in one shot and required several more for 1 piece the hydraulic pump currently used cannot build up pressure and always runs at 100% power The Analysis & Conclusion Due to the above mentioned advantages in comparison to the currently used hydraulic wedges it was shown that the EP-80N(23) could degate more than twice the amount of gates in the same time frame (19 gates vs 8 gates) at less power (70% vs 100%) less energy (3,7 kW vs 5,5 kW) and less physical fatigue due to the difference in weight (17kg vs 30kg) Data from the tests of both equipment alongside data provided by the foundry (employee salary molding line capabilities) was used in Hirado’s unique analysis sheet to calculate the annual costs and units required to solve the bottleneck issue The analysis revealed that to solve the bottleneck issue an additional 3 foundry wedges (and 3 operators) of their current manufacturer would be required This would lead to 5 foundry wedges and 5 operators in total and annual cost of approximately 180,000 euro and 900,000 euro on a 5-year base only 2 systems and 2 operators would be required the cost reduction would be 30% whereas on a 5-year base the cost reduction could lead to more than 60% increase their current production by 40% and ensure a fast delivery time The Next Step The summary of the test cases above are just a fraction of how Hirado’s Foundry Equipment can contribute to a more efficient production Hirado’s network of international partners provide demonstrations and test cases such as above free on site.  To find out more about Hirado, their innovative equipment and its network of partners, please visit the official website at www.hirado.co.jp/en   I would like to receive the bi-weekly Foundry-Planet newsletter with all latest news Plus the special newsletters – all can be cancelled anytime and at no cost Ikitsuki Island is located in the western part of Kyushu and is linked by a bridge to Hirado Christians went underground for fear of persecution They were known as the “Hidden Christians.” The island is an hour drive from Sasebo Naval Base so I hopped in the car recently to visit some wonder places in the area One of those places was the Kyushu Nature Trail The cliffs are characterized by rows of huge pillars of columnar basalt It was a very pleasant place to just enjoy nature as it is I stopped at the Sakai National Park Obaebana Lighthouse I experienced one of the most peaceful and stunning views of the island toward the China Sea be advised that the wind from the sea is very strong wearing long sleeves and long pants is highly recommended My last stop for the day was the Luna Llena Glass Studio Fumika Komatsu and Masahiko “Tombo” Kawabe founded the studio to create stained glass art and neon art I took a glass charm workshop at the studio and created three different necklace charms inspired by flowers I made a charm that looked like the camellia flower which is one of the most important flowers in Japan’s culture John’s wort (Hypericum perforatum) flower and the blue Plumbago flower Workshop students at Luna Llena Glass Studio get initial instruction on how to arrange crystals Students are given creative freedom and full use of all the tools and instruments for their creations in the studio The studio’s second floor has a small rustic museum and store I enjoyed my visit to the island and creating my own art the more I realize that travelling around Japan is a unique once-in-a-lifetime experience How to get there: Obaehana Lighthouse Nagasaki Prefecture Hiradoshi Nagasaki (Closed on Wednesday and Thursday) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- About the writer: Yashira Rodríguez is originally from Caguas Rodríguez enjoys nature and moving to Japan was a dream come true Before joining the Navy she was an artist-artisan and journalist leading to a localised form of the religion still practised by a few dozen people today According to verbal testimony, at least 70 villagers were taken there and beheaded in the early 17th century. Their crime had been to convert to Christianity the adults told us that if we climbed on to the rock the village would be cursed,” said Kawakami “ascension rock” is a permanent reminder of the atrocities of almost four centuries ago But the martyrdom of Japan’s “hidden” Christians is in danger of being forgotten Tens of thousands of Japanese Christians were executed tortured and persecuted after the Tokugawa shogunate banned the religion in the early 1600s With a wary eye on Spanish rule in the Philippines the authorities feared Japan could be the next country targeted by European powers that used Christian teachings as a catalyst for colonial rule The ban left Japan’s 750,000 converts with a choice: renounce their religion or continue to practise their faith in secret in the knowledge that discovery would almost certainly mean death Discussion of Japan’s Christian heritage has largely been absent from public life since the mid-1960s, when Shusaku Endo explored the martyrdom of early converts in his critically acclaimed novel Silence Now, Martin Scorsese hopes to ensure their story will not be forgotten with a film based on Endo’s novel that is due for release next year the film – also called Silence – follows two Portuguese Jesuit missionaries who are sent to Japan in the early 1600s to investigate reports that their mentor has committed apostasy They arrive to find Japanese converts in the midst of a brutal crackdown by the Tokugawa shogunate While no official records are kept of the number of modern-day kakure kirishitan (hidden Christians) local experts say perhaps only a few dozen people still consider themselves believers clandestine worship has contributed to a sharp decline in the number of believers ageing populations on the islands where it once flourished believers fear their crypto-Christian tradition is at risk of dying out is one of the few hidden Christians who is happy to talk publicly about his faith “We don’t practise our faith in public because we are effectively still in hiding,” he said “We usually remain quiet and never ‘out’ ourselves as Christians by appearing on TV or giving interviews We don’t hold special ceremonies or pray in public we don’t do anything that would risk giving ourselves away.” Remote southern islands such as Hirado proved fertile ground for Catholicism after St Francis Xavier and other missionaries introduced it to Japan in 1549 After a nationwide ban was enforced in the early 1600s converts devised ingenious ways to keep their faith alive They gathered in private homes to conduct religious ceremonies and figurines of the Virgin Mary were altered to resemble the Buddha or Japanese dolls their prayers sounded like Buddhist sutras even though they contained a mixture of Latin since keeping bibles was considered too great a risk None wore crosses or other religious accoutrements The need for secrecy during the 250 years that Christianity was banned meant the version of the religion observed by Kawakami’s ancestors bore little resemblance to its mainstream Catholic origins early Japanese Christians incorporated elements of Buddhism and Shinto into their faith until it became a polytheistic creed of its own “In many ways it was a very Japanese version of Christianity,” said Shigeo Nakazono curator of the Shima no Yakata museum on Ikitsuki But even this localised form of Christianity met with fierce opposition from the Shogunate authorities who devised a singularly cruel test of loyalty to expose converts Suspects were ordered to prove they were not Christians by trampling on fumie – images of Christ or the Virgin Mary carved from stone or wood – or face being hanged upside down over a pit and slowly bled to death When the Meiji government lifted the ban in 1873 an estimated 30,000 secret Christians came out of hiding Christians of all denominations make up less than 1% of Japan’s population of 128 million “Japan was coming under the influence of European industry and technology and that meant that old objections to Christianity weakened,” Nakazono said Nakazono wondered whether Scorsese’s film would stay true to Endo’s novel which some have criticised for being preoccupied with martyrdom “If all hidden Christians had been martyrs “But there were enough people willing to stamp on the fumie denounce Christianity and then beg God for forgiveness.” ascension rock – physical proof that there were those who refused to abandon their faith – is half submerged by the incoming tide locals remove their shoes before setting foot on the beach’s fine white sand as a sign of respect the memories of the executed converts have been preserved by word of mouth – a tradition that gives Kawakami hope that their courage “We feel we have a duty to pass it on to future generations,” he said “This is something our ancestors risked their lives to tell us.” has come untethered from its initial purpose which was to allow city dwellers to support their ancestral towns It is part of the great tax giveaway happening across Japan Taxpayers who donate money to Hirado get a nice deduction and a shipment of slipper lobsters Hirado has hundreds of other thank-you gifts a fold-up electric bike or a wedding-photo shoot with formal wear and hotel stay included Donors — 36,000 in one year — now outnumber residents “I think of them as neo-citizens,” said Hirado’s mayor Exploiting a quirk in the country’s tax system scores of towns with dwindling populations are supplementing revenue by courting outside donors The result is a sort of adopt-a-forest program for rural communities one where the forest reciprocates with gifts Local governments are offering things as diverse as marbled wagyu beef and hot-spring vacations attracted 56 million yen with a deal on tablet computers The tablets were available for a donation of 100,000 yen The government views it as a way of addressing wealth disparities between cities and the countryside Critics say the system has come untethered from its initial purpose or “hometown taxation.” But there is no requirement that donors have any connection to the places and The cost of thank-you gifts is also rising steadily as local governments compete to attract patrons since donors’ tax write-offs subtract from other cities’ revenue Playing the game has been a boon for Hirado when it was a bustling trading hub that drew cloth and silver merchants from as far away as Europe Today it has a cluster of aging tourist hotels built by overly hopeful developers in the 1970s and 1980s The population has dropped by half since the 1950s While Hirado began accepting donations soon after the program began in 2008 it only recently started to earn serious money it set up a website where donors can choose gifts and a point system to claim rewards The town earned 1.46 billion yen in donations in its latest fiscal year That was the most of any local government in Japan “My wife saw something about it on TV and said it would be a good way to save on taxes,” said Shigeki Kanamori he received gifts worth roughly half that amount about the price of lunch at a Tokyo restaurant “My biggest problem is that my refrigerator’s full,” he said He has written a book about where to find the best deals Kanamori expects to do even better this year The government doubled the upper limit on tax deductions on April 1 to 20 percent of the value of the donor’s municipal tax bill combined with increasingly assertive soliciting which hit 14 billion yen nationwide last year Hirado’s gifts cost the city a little less than half the money it receives But some towns are pouring 70 or 80 percent of the value of donations back into thank-you gifts and are less focused on using local goods A few towns have opted for whimsy as a way of standing out at lower cost sends donors a selection of exotic beetles is luring people with free use of Toyota’s Mirai hydrogen-powered car said they recently gave 10,000 yen to the town of Genkai ranked second to Hirado in donations last year thanks in part to the popularity of its wagyu beef “I had no idea where Saga or Genkai were,” Mutsuko Sarashina said “I was happy to get such high-quality beef so cheaply but I also like the idea that my contribution could help a small town in the countryside.” Defenders of the system say its merits more than make up for its flaws Recipients provide a list of proposed uses for donors’ money upfront and let them choose which ones to pay for said the competition it fostered was healthy and was spurring local innovation Popular causes include child-care subsidies and computers for local schools They are working on a smartphone-based system that would turn reward points into a virtual currency donors could spend at local businesses “We know we won’t be on top forever,” said Kuroda Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser The exotic look created by traditional Japanese homes shadowed by gothic-style cathedrals and a Dutch Trading Post with stone port facilities makes Hirado a great attraction on the Western island of Kyushu Hirado is only a 40- to 50-minute drive from Sasebo Naval Base As soon as I drove across the 2,188-foot-long Hirado Bridge and got onto the island I found the castle to be a must-see attraction Besides its majestic white appearance on the hill behind the port this five-story building gave me a good view of the whole town and harbor against a backdrop of blue sea and the Matsura Peninsula but it also helped me plan an effective walk around the town The inside of the castle was used as a museum and I was able to learn about the history of Hirado from the various artifacts and documents on the Matsura clan The Matsura were the owners of the castle and governed the region throughout Japan’s feudal era As Hirado is located on the western tip of Japan its connections with China and the Korean peninsula date back more than 1,000 years Hirado’s most glorious history as a flourishing trading port started in 1550 when the first Portuguese ship arrived this port town was Japan’s main international trading port for 90 years until the nation instituted its closed-door policy in 1641 I found it interesting that this majestic castle was built in 1718 Strolling down stone-paved streets surrounded by hydrangeas in bloom I enjoyed finding vestiges of the town’s glorious age There were various stone structures built by the Dutch which was smeared with a cement mixture of seashells and lime a couple of stone-made square wells near the Trading Post The Dutch Bridge is Hirado’s signature stone-made arch bridge over the river between the castle and downtown All of these stone structures are found on the right side of the port next to the Matsura Historical Museum and Dutch Trading Post you will see the fine masonry work of the Dutch from years past The warehouse of the Dutch Trading Post was built in 1639 and is considered the first full-fledged Western-style building in Japan Although the current building is a reconstruction the uniquely shaped white warehouse provides a glimpse into the history of this port town The main street is aligned with various shops restaurants and cafes housed in traditional Japanese buildings signs are posted to indicate where attractions are located I noticed several folks soaking their feet in a free “onsen,” or hot spring There is even a place to soak your arms at Hirado Foot & Arm Spa but it was my feet that were getting the workout It was a very welcomed and relaxing break for my feet and legs Walking up a sloping stone path to the Hirado Church I encountered a very impressive view of the spire and cross of another Catholic church in combination with the traditional Japanese tiled roofs and grave stones of Komyoji and Zuionji temples This really showcased how much this port town merged Japanese and Western cultures Francis Xavier Memorial Church (aka Hirado Church) is a large and beautiful gothic-like green church It was originally built as Hirado Catholic Church in 1931 and was renamed later as St Francis Xavier Memorial Church to commemorate the saint who introduced Christianity to Hirado in 1550 Christianity quickly spread as the Matsura clan forced the residents on the western coast of Hirado and Itsukushima Island to convert to Catholicism to help their trading efforts with Westerners While you can enjoy the whole day strolling the streets of this port town if you are interested in the island’s natural beauty or the history of Hidden Christians you may want to visit Neshiko and Ikitsuki Island Route 22 between Hirado Port and Neshiko Beach is really mountainous with steep ascents and descents I really enjoyed the hour drive to Neshiko taking in the beautiful green rice terraces stretching along the mountainside Neshiko Beach is a mile-long white sandy beach The water is so clean and clear that the beach was selected as one of Japan’s best 100 beaches by the Government of Japan in years past a receptionist at Sasebo Navy Lodge told me that Sasebo locals often go to Neshiko Beach More than 70 locals were executed on this beach for being Christians in 1635 after Christianity was banned by the Tokugawa Shogunate government Christians in Hirado pretended to be Buddhists while keeping their true faith as “Kakure Kirishitan,” or Hidden Christians paper crosses and medallions deep in storage cabinets many Kakure Kirishitan artifacts are displayed at the Hirado Christian Museum near Neshiko Beach Neshiko Beach is considered a sanctuary for Hidden Christians in Hirado A current minister of the Hidden Christians told me they always take their shoes off when they walk on the beach and hills of Neshiko The Western coast from Neshiko to Ikitsuki Island is known as the home of Hidden Christians With the history of oppression and executions I was saddened while passing through the region although the route provided panoramic views The 3,150-foot blue Ikitsuki Bridge looked rather mysterious against the backdrop of solemn green mountains and blue sea near the home of the Hidden Christians Website: hirado-shoukan.jp Tel: 0950-26-0636 Travelers to Nagasaki Prefecture have a lot to choose from when it comes to visiting historic sites A short list would include the site of a Mongol invasion in the 1200s European traders gravitated to what’s now Nagasaki Prefecture and it’s in Hirado that the Dutch who became the only Europeans allowed to trade in Japan for two centuries set up shop for the first time in the island nation Hirado’s heyday came with the first permanent Dutch trade outpost or “factory” in 1609 and went with the policy of national isolation and the moving of the Dutch to Dejima in 1641 but the little town has made the most of its past with rebuilt structures memorials and the still standing Matsuura home Its success as a trade port had three elements: The Dutch and British merchants who opened their factories here the English samurai and advisor to the shogun who helped set up these trade agreements and the Matsuura clan who ruled Hirado and allowed it all to happen in their domain Though it’s the home of the first Dutch and British Japanese factories the Dutch were not the city’s first brush with foreign commerce self-proclaimed descendants of Emperor Saga began as pirates who operated from the island and preyed on Chinese and Korean ships bringing in commerce the old fashion way during the 11th century Hirado’s first European contact came with a visit by Portuguese merchants in 1550 The Matsuura clan tolerated their presence and allowed them to trade and their missionaries to preach hoping that it would encourage greater outside trade Portuguese trade in Hirado ended after the Miyonomae Incident which left several of their sailors dead and gave them a dislike for the local samurai the Matsuura may have tolerated Catholics but the neighboring Omura clan became Catholic and it was in their domain they found a new harbor that fit their needs Nagasaki welcomed its first Portuguese trade ships in 1571 the Matsuura remained open to trade and this openness paid off with the establishment of the Dutch factory in 1609 and the English factory in 1613 the one with longest history and most surviving artifacts and ruins is the Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie (VOC) or Dutch East India Company When their mission landed in Hirado they met with Matsuura Shigenobu the “retired” head of the clan and his interpreter the Englishman formerly known as William Adams The Dutch took to Hirado and even after the arrival of the English were seen favorably by Matsuura Their compound grew and was a distinctly European feature to an otherwise normal Japanese town Unlike their later tenure in prison-like Dejima they and the other foreigners were free to enjoy Hirado as they would have enjoyed their own homelands and interacted with the locals who became accustomed to living alongside exotic strangers and even marrying them and also possibly to maintain the old Matsuura-Omura rivalry Hirado rebuilt the largest of the VOC warehouses in 2009 a few years after Nagasaki decided to recreate old Dejima during the twilight of the VOC’s presence in Hirado A solid stone structure with a strong wooden frame the original storehouse had one fatal flaw- its Christian year of construction was inscribed on the building and that provided the shogun justification to order it be torn down just one year after its construction This was shortly before the entire VOC factory was shut down and operations forcibly moved to Nagasaki’s man-made island of Dejima where the foreign taint could be entirely controlled yet still allow Japan a small peephole to the outside world Following on the trend of reconstruction using original materials and methods seen in the newer rebuilt castles the warehouse is built on the site of the original and like the original but with some updates for modern safety standards it’s a typical Dutch warehouse of the same kind of could see in Dutch trading posts all over the world which is an aspect that appeals to me The warehouse is named “Hirado Dutch Trading Post” and the museum inside tells the Dutch trade story art and replicas for pieces that do not have The written narrative is in English as well as Japanese but it’s creatively put together and tells its story well in an easy to follow narrative I think this museum does a better job of the VOC presence here than Dejima does Heading away from the water and up the hill can be done walking the original steps along the still standing Dutch wall This wall separated the trading post from the rest of the town and especially their other foreign counterparts the wall and stairs are in good shape and lead up the hill where the rest of the compound used to be before the path gives way to Sakikata Park which houses the grave of Miura Anjin as well as a memorial to St the Jesuit who brought Catholicism to Japan in 1549 and had visited Hirado visitors can attend a memorial service that is held for Anjin near the anniversary of his death One of the sadder stories from this whole drama is that of the Hirado women who loved these foreign men When Hirado was closed and the Dutch sent to Dejima 32 Japanese wives and mixed-heritage children of European traders were banished to the VOC outpost in Jagatara (Jakarta) and never allowed to return It wasn’t until 1660 they were allowed to send letters home Some of these letters are on display at the Hirado Dutch Trading Post and there is a memorial to the “Jagatara Girls” on the waterfront Unlike the Dutch and the rebuilt warehouse there are no remains of the other company in town There are however markers denoting where their trading post stood where William Adams lived and another memorial to the company which I ran down like a game of stone marker Pokemon because you gotta catch ‘em all I recommend getting a city map in English from the tourism center or castle to do this and find all the little spots of interest in old downtown Hirado along with seeing the still standing sites helps give one some perspective on the size of Hirado in the 1600s as nothing is that far apart The Matsuura lived on the hill just over their domain and the factories were on their separate sides of town all of which is hemmed in by the hills surrounding Hirado making it all feel rather cozy The British East India Company first approached Japan hoping to find a new export market for English woolen goods arrived in Hirado in 1613 to a warm welcome Miura Anjin was on hand to inform them that trade required a trip to Edo so as to obtain permission from the shogun This trip brought the English into contact with Japan’s post roads After this trip the Englishmen sent back a suit of armor as a gift from shogun Tokugawa Hidetada to King James I as well as letters describing this wondrous civilization This led the Scottish king of England to declare them the “loudest lies I have ever seen.” The British and Dutch peacefully co-existed for several years in Hirado until 1618 when the Dutch brought a captured English ship Things worsened until 1620 when the Dutch attacked the English factory after Anjin rescued a few prisoners from the Dutch The attacks were stopped by Matsuura troops that were ordered to protect the English Soon after the British and Dutch came to an agreement became close and celebrated their new found ‘not being enemies-ness again’ the traditional Hirado way by engaging in piracy together against the Chinese They brought back silks they’d plundered from Chinese vessels on the route from Manila to China to Hirado The alliance didn’t last long after Miura Anjin’s death later that year so bad neighbors combined with few ship visits and scarce trade the Englishmen discovered belatedly that attempting to sell a product they themselves refused to wear wasn’t a great marketing tactic found Japan to be not worth the effort and closed their factory in 1623 but it did have one long term effect on the English language a company representative in Hirado wrote to their representative in Portuguese Macao for a pot of the ‘best sort of chaw [cha] in Meaco [Macao].’ The company employees and sailors were drinking tea regularly in Hirado almost a half-century before it became fashionable in their homeland the English also introduced the sweet potato to Japan All of this trade was made possible in part because of William Adams/Miura Anjin England in 1564 and in his early years as a mariner served in the Royal Navy during the Anglo-Spanish War under Sir Francis Drake who was also famous as an explorer and adventurer He began working for VOC in 1598 and took part in an expedition that spanned four continents but after nineteen months and a horrifically arduous Pacific crossing only one ship remained which Adams navigated to Japan despite the inadequate charts made landfall at Kyushu’s Oita Prefecture in 1600 The ship was picked over for useful bits by the local daimyo’s men before Liefde and her starving and sick surviving crew was sent to Osaka Castle to met Tokugawa Ieyasu the man who would soon be shogun and rule all of Japan who eventually made him a samurai with the name Miura Anjin it’s because James Clavell modeled his “Shogun” protagonist on Adams.His contributions to Japan include the construction of the first Western-style sailing ship teaching Tokugawa Ieyasu Western mathematics and geometry as well as translating and advising him in foreign trade matters concerning Europeans He was involved in the opening of both the English and Dutch factories at Hirado as well as the expulsion of the Spanish He also organized and participated in Japanese trade missions in the East Indies and Southeast Asia The price of his success was that he was forbidden to ever return home though after the beginning of regular trade with the East India Company he was able to send money to support them Essentially that was the end of the Englishman William Adams The samurai Miura Anjin spoke Japanese and observed the nation’s dress and customs was the lord of a fiefdom on the Miura Peninsula (modern Yokosuka) and had a Japanese wife Adams played a visible role in facilitating foreign trade here but there’s another party that needs a lot of credit for hosting the red-haired barbarians and that’s the Matsuura clan The Matsuura are interesting in part because of their “samurai of the sea” origins and also because they ruled here for centuries They were never the most powerful clan but at the same time they were never wiped out or lost control of their territory which spanned from Hirado to what’s now Sasebo Even supporting the losing side in the Battle of Sekigahara which decided who would rule over all of Japan they managed to not be replaced by another family Because of this there is a straight line of continuity here and the Matsuura mansion built in 1893 but in the traditional style that one saw during the days of the British and Dutch It’s collection of artifacts and art stands out from other museums because the collection is personal it all belonged to the same family which passed them down over generations Sadly I could only appreciate the quality and appearance of the displayed heirlooms as very little was in English Lords like to look down on their domains so the home is on the same set of hills as Sakikata Park and the high location feels right for the picturesque manor especially when visiting the garden and thatch-roof traditional teahouse For a small fee I sat quite painfully on my knees and took tea the proper way It’s a simple tea ceremony and the peaceful setting in the house amidst the garden was most pleasant the lady who served it took me on a tour around the small tea house showing off the 1893 structure’s traditional construction The most visible sign of Matsuura authority is the castle on the hill across the bay from Hirado Hirado or Kameoka Castle sits on a high point where it both looks out to sea like a protective bulwark against attack but also a reminder to the town below who owned them The original was built in 1704 on the site of an earlier castle that Matsuura Shigenobu who had supported the losing side at the end of the Warring State period burned down in 1613 as a show of loyalty to Tokugawa Ieyasu Tokugawa let the Matsuura keep Hirado Domain which they controlled from the 1100s until the abolition of the han system in 1871 The original castle was mostly dismantled around that time The current castle is a steel-reinforced concrete replica that was built in 1962 but the little donjon overlooking the sea has a complete set of defensive walls including rebuilt towers a gate and a tower are original from the 1704 castle it’s about average for rebuilt 1960s replicas and the museum inside is an annex to the Matsuura museum in Hirado proper but original armor and weapons makes it worth the visit The collection is nice because a lot of it is composed of family heirlooms things the Matsuuras owned and cared for over generations Sets of familial armor are displayed alongside swords and guns from the days of daimyo and shoguns There are other non-military artifacts but I’m a guy and they had me at guns and armor One of the best and rarest artifacts is a sword with a ring in the pommel which is roughly 1500 years old and is believed to have been used in a Korean invasion straight water buffalo horn hand guard and almost straight blade make it different than almost any Japanese swords one sees on display in museums For those not interested in samurai or other cool things the trip to the castle is worth it for the view of Hirado from the top floor it’s a poignant place to end a trip to this historic island It looks daunting but the trip up from town to castle isn’t that bad and is a short walk I recommend going over the stone “Dutch Bridge” which was erected in 1702 I hope you enjoy visiting Hirado and can appreciate what you see The history shared here may not be perfect I’ve discovered I can read about the same event in three different sources and get three different versions that don’t perfectly line up with each other so I have done the best I can to give an honest account with the sources I’ve had to work with Getting to Hirado from Sasebo via train can be accomplished by riding the Matsuura Railway from Sasebo to Tabirahiradoguchi This is NOT a JR line train so the entrance to Matsuura Railway is up the stairs beside the Raffine Spa inside Sasebo station Matsuura is a local train and take 90 minutes to reach Tabirahiradoguchi Once there a bus or taxi can be taken to Hirado itself I recommend asking the driver to take you to Hirado-jo (Hirado Castle) or the Hirado tourism information center on the waterfront if you want to start your Hirado tour with the Dutch ruins and warehouse and work back to the castle Navy mass communication specialist assigned to Commander U.S He enjoys travelling to see historic sites and World War II artifacts please disable the ad blocking feature and reload the page This website uses cookies to collect information about your visit for purposes such as showing you personalized ads and content By clicking “Accept all,” you will allow the use of these cookies Users accessing this site from EEA countries and UK are unable to view this site without your consent is attracting tourists in its new life as a hotel particularly from Asia and the United States Guests to the castle can stay overnight at the Kaiju Yagura watchtower The two-story reinforced concrete watchtower was used as a storeroom but was transformed into a hotel and opened in April 2021 The accommodation accepts one couple per day with rates starting at ¥400,000 per night excluding meals The hotel’s luxurious interior includes a glass-walled bathroom with a view of the Hirado Ohashi bridge a Shinto ceremonial dance designated as an important intangible folk cultural asset I felt as if I had entered the world of history,” said a 40-year-old male guest from China Our weekly ePaper presents the most noteworthy recent topics in an exciting © 2025 The Japan News - by The Yomiuri Shimbun Japanese version