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Impressions of NagasakiAuthor: Miyamoto Yuriko
| Original Title | 長崎の印象 |
|---|---|
| Author | 宮本 百合子 |
| Genre | Modern Short Fiction |
| Author Type | Female Author |
| Summary | A sudden rain awakens the narrator in a speeding night train, its rhythm blending with the quiet patter against the carriage roof—a moment too serene to experience alone. Thus begins a journey through Kyushu’s sunlit coasts and misty valleys, where days unfold under clear skies until Nagasaki’s arrival under a brooding drizzle. The port city greets them with eerie stillness: deserted streets, shuttered Western buildings, and a labyrinth of stone steps leading to temples where Ming-era architecture whispers of exile and longing. At the peculiar Japan Hotel, faded grandeur clashes with surreal decay—meals eaten in chromatic chaos, corridors echoing with hollow gongs—a place both unsettling and unforgettable. Days blur into explorations of rain-soaked shrines, encounters with resilient faith at candlelit cathedrals, and fleeting clashes with local mischief. Through it all lingers Nagasaki’s duality: a harbor where foreign influences seep into bloodlines, and history’s weight hangs damply in the air. Each shadowed alley and vermilion gate invites curiosity, promising layers of stories half-told—a city best savored slowly, where every downpour reveals hidden hues. |
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