Mr. and Mrs. G have been to Nagasaki to enjoy three days holiday.
About 8 years ago, a copy town of Holland was build near Nagasaki by a man called Kamichika born in this area. Mr. G. never considered of visiting it, because, he can visit Holland with the same amount of money. But Airline Company offered him free tickets and free Hotel coupons. He found it was a nice offer.
Dom Torun
With substantial investment amounting up to 5 billion $, it is 90% complete copy of Netherlands. Windmills, canals, lock gates, brick buildings having Dutch facade, castles, plazas, cathedrals, museums, residential district with private boat piers, several tall ships for hire, 5 big hotels, casino, athletic club, restaurants, shopping arcade and royal palace etc. The royal palace is an exact copy of Paleis Huis Ten Bosch. Key building materials were imported from Holland.
Windmill
The idea came from the fact that Nagasaki was an only gateway to western world over 300 years in Edo era and Holland was a sole trading agent for Japan at that time.
Canal walk
Lock gate
He enjoyed it very much and would recommend his friend to visit.
Hotel Europe
In a marine shop, he found a fake scrimshaw and acquired one. It was made in Italy. He liked it.
De Liefde
Among 3 sailing ships, he found a ship, which arrived Japan in the year 1,600. The name of the ship is "De Liefde". It passed through Magellan straight and sailed across Pacific Ocean before arriving Japan. On board of the ship, there were an English man called William Adams and Dutch called Yan Yosten. Both of them lived in Japan as vassals of Shogun the rest of their lives. William Adams was given a land in Miura peninsula and Yan Yosten had an estate in a place just east of now Tokyo station. The place is still called Yaesu named after Yan Yosten.
Kankou maru is a ship presented to Shogun from Wilhelm III, King of Nederland.
Kankou maru
February 27, 1999