Visiting Hirado Xavier Memorial Church

After visiting Kawachi Pass observatory, we headed to the nearest spot, Hirado Xavier Memorial Church⛪, a Roman catholic church built on a hill in central Hirado. The magnificent Gothic style church was built in 1931 and factures of a good design that uses a sense of movement. 

We parked a car in front of Hirado Port ferry⛴ terminal. We want to see the scenic view of Xavier church and Buddhist temples along the street so we walk up the stairs😓

The statue of Virgin Mary. She loves you very much😃

Views from Kawachi Pass observatory, Hirado, Nagasaki

After visiting the Koxinga Memorial Museum, we went up to Kawachi Pass observatory in Hirado. Kawachi Pass is a scenic spot in Saikai National Park where you can see the various islands floating in Hirado Channel🌊

I tried to take a close-up picture of the North-West area. The sea seen in the back is Furue Bay, and beyond that is the Ikitsuki Island. 

Visiting Koxinga Memorial Museum, Hirado

Yesterday we had decided to take a drive🚙 to Koxinga Memorial Museum in Hirado, Nagasaki. Koxinga, famous for the puppet play The Battles of Koxinga by Chikamatsu Monzaemon, was born on Hirado Island and grew up there until the age of seven. 

The site of his birthplace is a prefectural historic site, and the Hirado City Koxinga Memorial Museum stands there.

In Taiwan, Koxinga is considered one of the spiritual pillars of the country as the founding father of its development. 

About Koxinga

Zheng Chenggong (鄭成功) was born on July 14, 1624 in Hirado to his father, Zheng Zhilong, a Chinese merchant who was based in Hirado, and his mother, Tagawa Matsu from Kawachi district. His childhood name was Fukumatsu (福松). Zheng crossed the East China Sea alone at the age of seven, and at the age of 21, he was given the Ming dynasty's surname "Zhu" (朱) by the emperor Longwu, so people called him 国姓爺 (Guoxingye). Later, during the battle against the Qing dynasty, his father Zhilong surrendered to the Qing, but Koxinga raised the banner of Anti-Qing and Restoration of the Ming and, in the midst of the battle, invaded Taiwan and expelled the Dutch who were occupying it. After that, he established a government, enacted laws, developed the country, provided for the people, and made great effects to turn things around, but he eventually died of illness in 1662 at the age of 39.

When I took a picture in front of the mausoleum of Koxinga, a kindly old man told us about history of Zheng Chenggong👲 He's a great guide, he explained us in more detail. And he showed us the house Zheng was born is now a museum. 

The statue of Koxinga and his mother🤶

Now, let's go inside😊

A replica of Koxinga's portrait hangs on the wall.

The Mazu goddess alter statues from Taiwan: The one on the top row was sent from Tianhou Temple in Tainan, and the other one is from Lugang in Changhua County.

Armor used in the film titled the Sino-Dutch War 1661 starred Vincent Zhao as Koxinga.