One of the great things about being in the U.S. Army stationed in Japan in the 1950s was the opportunity for some really neat Little Adventures. I've already posted about our trips to Kyoto, Nikko, Mount Fuji, and a few other places. Here's another one:
It's August 1958 and I'm assigned to JCRC-J, an ASA communications unit located at North Camp Drake, just outside Tokyo. I've got a week off, and so does an old high school friend named Carl Rice who was stationed on the southern island of Kyushu. So we decided to meet at his post near Fukuoka and then travel by train and boat around both Kyushu and Shikoku.
I made the long journey from Tokyo to Fukuoka by train, and slept most of the way. There was, however, one startling sight. As we passed through Hiroshima I happened to look out to the right just in time to see the infamous A-Bomb Dome, the ruins of a former commercial building that was the only structure left partially standing after the devastating attack of August 6, 1945. Some 200,000 people, mostly civilians, perished on that fateful day.
Arriving at Fukuoka, I met Carl and we took off by train for a few days of exploring.
First stop was Nagasaki, which had been destroyed by an atomic bomb just thirteen years earlier — almost to the day. Surprisingly, much of this city had survived the devastation, protected by steep hills that reminded me of San Francisco. We stayed at an old inn in one of those narrow valleys, and visited several historic buildings, including the so-called "Madame Butterfly House." Built in 1863 for a British merchant named Thomas Glover, it is said to have inspired the setting for Puccini's tragic opera. The view of the harbor from here is breathtaking.
Another nearby site we visited was the Oura Catholic Church of 1865, the oldest Gothic building in the country. It was dedicated to the Christian martyrs who were crucified by the Japanese government in 1597 for their religious beliefs.
No trip to Nagasaki would be complete without a visit to Peace Park, which marks the very epicenter of the atomic bomb blast of August 9, 1945. A black column points up to the exact spot where the bomb detonated, while a rather hideous huge statue (photo, left) of a man pointing to the sky sends the same message. A nearby museum displays artifacts of the event, including a disturbing section of a bridge into whose concrete side entire bodies of humans were burned.
From Nagasaki we took an old steam train (photo, right) through the countryside to the hot-spring resort of Beppu on the Inland Sea. At that time steam trains were still very common throughout Japan, so we quickly learned to close the windows every time we came to a tunnel.
Arriving in Beppu, we checked into a ryokan inn that had its own hot springs and gardens. Getting into the restful spirit of the place, we quickly changed into yukatas (a type of lightweight cotton kimono) and replaced our socks and shoes with geta, a kind of wooden sandal that makes you two inches taller and raises you above the muddy footpath. It is very easy to trip while wearing these, but we eventually got the hang of it. After a stroll through the bubbling hot springs and an encounter with a fierce devil of a statue (photo, below), we had a sukiyaki dinner and a few drinks before taking baths in the healing waters and going to bed on futons.
The next day we boarded an overnight steamer for the voyage to Takamatsu on the island of Shikoku, which took us right through the heart of the legendary Inland Sea. A band played as the boat pulled away from the pier, and everyone waved sayonara to Kyushu. 
Feeling flush, we had opted for a first class cabin in lieu of the steerage hold, and spent several hours in the top deck lounge. With the dawn came some fabulous views, and a somewhat hungover me (photo, left) hanging onto the railing.
Arriving at Takamatsu in the morning, we checked into a hotel and made arangements for a guided bus tour of the sights. This went well as we visited the world-famous Ritsurin-Koen Gardens, begun in the 17th century as a summer retreat for a ruling clan. Another stop was at the 16th-century Tamanojo Castle (photo, below), home of that same clan.
Then we were taken to a hilltop plateau with nearly a hundred temples. I thought we would just visit one or two, but no — the tour kept going on and on, in Japanese of course. The extensive views across the Inland Sea made it all worthwhile depite the boredom of one temple after another. The photo below shows Carl having his picture taken by the tour guide, with others in the group standing around.
The next morning we took a ferry to the main island of Honshu, where Carl got a train back to Fukuoka and I headed north on another train to Tokyo.
NOTE: Some of the photos were taken on a dubious local film that faded badly after nearly fifty years of improper storage. I tried to repair the damage as best I could in Photoshop Elements, but they are still much less than perfect.
Interested in photography? Check out my "Assisting Avedon" blog.
SO, just what Little Adventure am I up to now in 2013? Why, just the most challenging one of them all! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT.
Great story. I can clearly picture what you describe. I was living in Japan about seven years ago. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see much of this great country like you did - especially the southern part. I hope to return next year, (or the year after). I miss it. As Bob Hope always sang, "Thanks for the memories." ~ JR
Posted by: John Reid | December 02, 2012 at 12:01 PM