Noelle's Nagasaki Expedition (Nagasaki Song List)

I'd never been to Kyushu before, let alone Nagasaki. So, last December, my mom and I decided to use the opportunity to explore this culturally and historically rich part of Kyushu. Much of what I know about Nagasaki comes from a combination of enka/ryukoka/mood kayo, travel shows, and classes on Japanese history. Because it was the main (at times the only) port of entry into Japan for foreigners back in the day, traces of Chinese and Western influences are particularly strong. Case in point, a Chinatown and Holland Land (Huis Ten Bosch) in just one prefecture. It was where Christianity thrived, but was also the site where its persecution was particularly intense during the Edo era. It is one of the most featured locations in enka and mood kayo. It is where Kiyoshi Maekawa (前川清) is from! Needless to say, I was stoked to visit such an iconic place.

We were in Nagasaki city for about four days and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there. The food was mostly great, the city picturesque with Chinese and western colonial architecture, and it had a rather quaint atmosphere. Oddly enough, the cultural mix and hilly terrain reminded me of Hong Kong and just a hint of Singapore. I would like to share some highlights through the Nagasaki-themed songs I filled my ears with throughout the trip. Nagasaki songs, particularly those from the early Showa era, seemed to have a more exotic and European sound, if not Chinese, but my selection here mainly features the former. I'm not very familiar with European music, but I reckon some melodies could be Portuguese-influenced.

If you know other tunes featuring Nagasaki, feel free to mention them too. With that said, let's begin.

Hachiro Kasuga -- Nagasaki no Hito (長崎の女)

We kick things off with Hachi's signature, "Nagasaki no Hito". I thought it was a pretty good way to begin the trip since it sounds rather bright while describing the features of the city, like the sotetsu (Japanese sago palm), ishi-datami (cobblestone paths), the minato machi (port town), Oranda-zaka (Hollander Slope), etc. It fit the only day when the weather was clear and we were able to take a stroll down the port. We did see sotetsu. Many sotetsu. Seeing palm trees thriving in winter was a first for me.

Akira Nakai, Takahashi Katsu & Coloratino -- Shianbashi Blues (思案橋ブルース)

After our walk, we headed to a place featured in one of my favourite mood kayo songs and karaoke go-to's, Shianbashi. It's basically a watering hole with a number of Chinese joints and bars. Kinda seedy, but not unexpected, considering it's a mood kayo staple. The wistfulness conveyed by lead vocalist Nakai's high tenor in the original "Shianbashi Blues" fits perfectly in the warm, neon-lit streets of Shianbashi, but more so when it's raining... which would come later...

We then adjourned to Tsuruchan, a Nagasaki institution. This more-than-a-century-old kissaten is renowned for a Nagasaki B-grade gourmet food, Toruko raisu (Turkish rice). I don't think there's anything Turkish about it, but to say that it was hearty was an understatement: large servings of double carbs (napolitan spaghetti plus rice pilaf) and a slab of tonkatsu with gravy. Never had a, "Gochisousan" been more appropriate after I polished off everything. Mom would later remark that she'd never seen me eat that much carbs in one sitting before. Neither have I, mother.

Uchiyamada Hiroshi & The Cool Five -- Nagasaki wa Kyou mo Ame data (長崎は今日も雨だった)

Mae-Kiyo and the Cool Five finally make their appearance! Yes, I had saved the Nagasaki-made group's iconic hit for Day 2 of our trip because that's when the rain came. A lot of it. I don't like rain, but I took it as an opportunity to experience what most Nagasaki songs feature. Also, there's just a warm feeling when you hear one of your beloved singers' songs that first got you into him at the place he came from.

Later in the day, mother and I finally found and visited Glover Garden. Besides the fact that this residence of the titular Scottish businessman is a famed historical spot in Nagasaki, we wanted to go up there because the Glover house was often used in extremely cheesy and cringe-worthy karaoke videos from the 1970s and 80s, some featuring Mae-Kiyo and his cronies. I still cannot bear to rewatch some of those videos because I die of secondhand cringe every time. It was a beautiful place, however, with an amazing view of the bay and city, especially in the evening. We also did the tourist thing of having castella and tea at a cafe on the premises. Castella is... cake. That's all I can say. But its worth got elevated because I was cold, drenched, and hungry.

Dick Mine & Sendaka Fujiwara -- Nagasaki Elegy (長崎エレジー)

Before ending our day a Glover Garden, we first began the day going uphill. Up Oranda-zaka and exploring the old grounds of a Catholic/Christian girls' school (I forgot what it was called). In the rain. Oranda-zaka and the surrounding slopes were really steep and lined with cobblestone, so the anxiety from trying to slide down the hill was palpable. Oura Cathedral was the main checkpoint in mind. It was one of the well-known churches from the persecution days and I believe where Christianity was "rediscovered" in Japan once the hunt was over. Rather poignant, especially under the grey skies, light rain, and with Mother Mary watching over the town from up a hill. So, I thought "Nagasaki Elegy" was fitting with its references to Catholicism and a fine drizzle. Also, this song was constantly running through my head throughout my time in Nagasaki.

Ichiro Fujiyama -- Nagasaki no Kane (長崎の鐘)

On the note of poignant, nothing was more so than the Nagasaki Peace Park and Ground Zero for the atomic bomb. It was chilling to read survivors' accounts and to imagine what it must've been like then and there. And yet, it was tranquil and there was a sense of hopefulness that radiated from tributes to the victims of the devastation and monuments symbolizing the strive for peace. One of these sculptures was the Nagasaki no Kane (Bell of Nagasaki). According to the J-Wiki, it was built in 1977 in memory of military factory workers, many of whom were school students, who perished when the bomb hit a nearby factory.

Fujiyama's solemn "Nagasaki no Kane", though only related to the structure by name, quite aptly represents the gravity of this place. I feel it does this through the initial hopelessness that morphs into strength to carry on upon hearing the bells of the Nagasaki cathedrals toll in each stanza. An emotional song to fit such a significant place.

Uchiyamada Hiroshi & The Cool Five -- Omoikiri Bashi (思い切り橋)

On a lighter note, Chinatown and Megane Bashi (Spectacles Bridge) were next on the itinerary. Compared to Yokohama's Chinatown, Nagasaki's felt more... real? Less kitschy. There was a section that you could easily tell was geared towards tourists, but outside that bubble was a much larger, proper local suburb/settlement dotted with old Chinese Buddhist temples and a Hokkien clan association. Connecting Chinatown to other parts of town were bridges. Many bridges. That's not to be unexpected since the city is by the coast with many waterways. And one of the most iconic bridges is the Megane Bashi, a cobblestone bridge with two perfect arches that stretches over a tiny section of the Nakashima river. I believe it's Japan's oldest surviving arched bridge, but I could be wrong. It was very picturesque, especially when you see its reflection on the surface of the water.

I don't know any kayo that feature this bridge specifically but as an ode to the many ancient bridges in the area, I bring another Cool Five tune, "Omoikiri Bashi". A very dramatic and jaunty number with Mae-Kiyo's recognizable anguished cries.

Minoru Obata -- Nagasaki no Zabon Uri (長崎のザボン売り)

Along the uber-long, more than a-century-old shopping street that follows the Nakashima river, my eyes picked up an old, rather Chinese-style sundries store. It oozed early Showa-era vibes, but what stole my attention was a pile of pomelos inside. Despite the freezing rain, I couldn't help but smile because the very first Nagasaki-themed kayo I'd heard came to mind, Obata's cheerful "Nagasaki no Zabon Uri". It wasn't on one of the steep inclines of the city, the store was empty, and I don't even think pomelos were actually much of a thing in Nagasaki despite the Chinese settlement, but it was just a happy little coincidence to add to my Nagasaki song experience.

Yuri Akemi -- Nagasaki Monogatari (長崎物語)

On our final day before heading off to the airport, we checked out Dejima, where the Dutch settlers were confined during Tokugawa's reign in an attempt to stave off religious influence. It had been made into a sort of open-air museum with preserved Dutch-style buildings. "Nagasaki Monogatari" is one such song that gives a shout-out to the little island, among other Nagasaki tropes while telling the tragic story of one Jagatara Oharu (じゃがたらお春). 

Shizuo Higuchi -- Nagasaki Chanson (長崎シャンソン)

Ah, yes, traditional Japanese cuisine

Rounding off the trip was lunch at a family grill restaurant where Mom and I tried the Sasebo burger, the taberu milkshake (a milkshake you eat, not drink), and the lemon steak. It was pretty decent fare, with the latter being more delicious than it sounds. On the way back, I had Higuchi's exotic and jiving "Nagasaki Chanson" in my ears. Having enjoyed my time in the city, even with the rain, I think I can agree with the following welcoming lines from this ode to the port city:

Batten Nagasaki yume no machi 

Mimase yokatokko yorimasse

Batten Nagasaki yume no machi yume no machi 

"Batten" roughly translates to something like "although" or "but" in the Kyushu dialect, and this last bit of the last stanza proudly claims something like, "Nagasaki, city of dreams! Come on over, it's fabulous!" Couldn't have put it better myself. For that matter, it is indeed also an "uta no machi" (city of music), considering I was able to make a whole list out of just some kayo that are Nagasaki-themed.  

If you do have the opportunity to visit Kyushu, perhaps give Nagasaki a visit. It's great if you're a foodie and/or a history and culture buff. If I have the opportunity, I would love to go back. There's just so much more of the city and prefecture to see. Next stop, Sasebo, Saikai, and the "Kaeri Bune" (かえり船) music plaque.

On a final note, since Mae-Kiyo is a Nagasaki native (Sasebo city), he serves as a mascot/spokesman for the local police force's fight against fraud and other related crimes. Ever since I spotted my first Mae-Kiyo anti-crime poster, I took it upon myself to do a "Mae-Kiyo Sagashi" (Spot the Mae-Kiyo) and try to find at least one picture of the pillar man a day. I was more or less successful, and it culminated in the ultimate piece: Mae-Kiyo on the cover of the "Karaoke Fan" magazine. I'd waited an eternity for him to be on any magazine cover, and it just so happened that his long-awaited cover appearance coincided with my trip to Nagasaki :).