Nagasaki, a city of slopes
Nagasaki is known as a city of numerous slopes. The city is surrounded by mountains, and there are many private homes on the sides of these mountains. From 1858 when the country was opened during the end of the Edo Era, many people from Europe and America came to live in Nagasaki, with the Higashi-Yamate and Minami-Yamate areas of Oura Ward and Dejima becoming residential zones representing self-governing regions for foreign residents with extraterritorial rights.
The origin of Dutch Slope
Famous even within the former residential area of Dutch Slope is Higashi-Yamate. Japan’s first Protestant Anglican Church assembly hall was established there in 1862, and since the citizens of Nagasaki at that time came to call all Western residents “Dutch-san”, the inclines where all of the foreigners traversed to go to Sunday service came to be called Dutch Slope or “Oranda-zaka”. Along Dutch Slope, there is Kwassui High School for female students which was built by Americans in 1879; the Higashi-Yamate Juniban-kan Mansion that was used as the Russian consulate and is now serving as the Historical Museum for Private Schools; the 7 Western-style residences of Higashi-Yamate; the atmospheric pavements, walls and ditches made of stone; and brick walls, all remaining from those days. We recommend strolling along those streets with that exotic feeling.