The first stop was the Clover Garden in Nagasaki. This open-air museum exhibits the mansions of several of the city’s former foreign residents and related buildings. It is located on the hill where Western merchants settled after the end of Japan’s era of seclusion in the second half of the 19th century. The main attraction of the garden is the Former Glover House, the oldest wooden Western-style building in Japan. Thomas Glover was a Scottish merchant active in various industries, including shipbuilding and mining.

Oura Catholic church is considered the oldest standing Catholic church in Japan. Built by a French missionary in 1864. Oura church is dedicated to the memory of the 26 Christians who were executed in the city in 1597. Nearby, there is a children’s library.

Lunch was a sit-down and a multi-course affair featuring Nagasaki Champon – a hearty broth, thick noodles, and a variety of seafood and vegetables.

An hour bus ride brought us to Okawachiyama Village, a secluded pottery village outside of Imari. It was a major porcelain producer of high-quality pottery for the imperial court, shogunate, and various lords.  So, we splurged, getting a serving plate and a Saki set.

We spent the night in Fukuoka with a street food dinner with the locals, then a splurge for dessert.