Photographs
(Above) The site of the Nagasaki foreign settlement at the mouth of the Oura River in 1859,
before the reclamation of flat land from the harbor and the development of the hillsides into
residential districts. Myogyoji, the Buddhist temple where the first British consulate in
Japan was established the same year, is visible center-left. In 1863, British merchant
Thomas Glover would build his famous house beside the lone pine on the Minamiyamate
hillside. (Below) The same site about ten years later, when the foreign settlement was
developing into a thriving community.
before the reclamation of flat land from the harbor and the development of the hillsides into
residential districts. Myogyoji, the Buddhist temple where the first British consulate in
Japan was established the same year, is visible center-left. In 1863, British merchant
Thomas Glover would build his famous house beside the lone pine on the Minamiyamate
hillside. (Below) The same site about ten years later, when the foreign settlement was
developing into a thriving community.
(Above) The Oura district in 1859, with Myogyoji Temple center-right. The British consulate
flagpole is visible to the left of the temple's main hall.
flagpole is visible to the left of the temple's main hall.
(Below) The Oura District around 1867, after the construction of the Bund and buildings.
The large building in the foreground to the right is the Belle Vue Hotel.
The large building in the foreground to the right is the Belle Vue Hotel.
Originally a stretch of mud flats, the mouth of the Oura River was filled in on two sides to
create property for the construction of the foreign settlement. The flat areas beside the
river and along the Bund (waterfront street) were broken into lots for businesses and
hotels, etc., while the hillsides to the left and right were developed into residential districts.
create property for the construction of the foreign settlement. The flat areas beside the
river and along the Bund (waterfront street) were broken into lots for businesses and
hotels, etc., while the hillsides to the left and right were developed into residential districts.
Cut-out from an old photograph showing a rear view of the large Western-style houses on
the Bund, with the artificial island of Dejima in the background ca. 1885. The area around
the island has still not been reclaimed from the harbor.
the Bund, with the artificial island of Dejima in the background ca. 1885. The area around
the island has still not been reclaimed from the harbor.
View of Nagasaki Harbor looking over the rooftops of Minamiyamate and the Oura district,
ca. 1895. The main hall at Myogyoji Temple and the side of Oura Church are visible in the
lower right and left corners, respectively. The building with roofs surrounding a square
courtyard (center-left) is the Belle Vue Hotel. The area around Dejima (distant right) has
still not been reclaimed from the sea.
ca. 1895. The main hall at Myogyoji Temple and the side of Oura Church are visible in the
lower right and left corners, respectively. The building with roofs surrounding a square
courtyard (center-left) is the Belle Vue Hotel. The area around Dejima (distant right) has
still not been reclaimed from the sea.
The Oura River and surrounding neighborhoods seen from a nearby hillside. The
juxtaposition of Myogyoji Temple (amid trees in the center) and Oura Catholic Church
(white steeple visible above the trees to the left) symbolized the peaceful coexistence of
the Japanese community and the foreign settlement in the late 19th century.
juxtaposition of Myogyoji Temple (amid trees in the center) and Oura Catholic Church
(white steeple visible above the trees to the left) symbolized the peaceful coexistence of
the Japanese community and the foreign settlement in the late 19th century.
The Oura "Bund" (from an Anglo-Indian word meaning "embankment") served as the main
street of the foreign settlement and the "face" of Nagasaki that greeted people arriving in
the port by ship. This postcard shows the street in the 1920s, after the installment of
streetcar tracks and telephone poles. The British Consulate is visible to the right (brick
building) with the U.S. Consulate beyond it. The white building to the left is the No.4
Customs Station where visitors came ashore before the completion of Dejima Wharf in
1924. Today the harbor to the left has been filled in to make way for a busy thoroughfare.
Click on the photograph for a view of the former British Consulate building, which remains
to this day.
street of the foreign settlement and the "face" of Nagasaki that greeted people arriving in
the port by ship. This postcard shows the street in the 1920s, after the installment of
streetcar tracks and telephone poles. The British Consulate is visible to the right (brick
building) with the U.S. Consulate beyond it. The white building to the left is the No.4
Customs Station where visitors came ashore before the completion of Dejima Wharf in
1924. Today the harbor to the left has been filled in to make way for a busy thoroughfare.
Click on the photograph for a view of the former British Consulate building, which remains
to this day.
Other Photographs
