Well typhoon was over, trains running and I had train to catch to Nagasaki. As it takes time and concert has set time I needed to be up and early. Train from Tokushima to Takamatsu, switch to marine liner to Okayama and then hop on to bullet train headed toward Hakata in Kyushu. So far so good and I was relaxing reading book and looking at sceneries. It was beautiful summer day.
However at Hakata things took turn for worse. There had been some sort of accident(nothing typhoon related as I found out by asking from staff) which caused about 2 hour delay to the train toward Nagasaki. Super rare. This is like 2nd or 3rd time I have ever had train be delayed by even afew minutes in Japan. Well technically for me this meant sooner to destination as the delayed train toward Nagasaki left sooner than my original train. What this did mean though was that the train was filled with several train's worth of people...I realized this would be and considered waiting for later but with no idea how the delays affect schedules etc and no time to ask just bited the bullet and hopped to the train.
Let's just say I have been to Shinjuku morning rush hour train which is infamously packed and this was good match for that in terms of being jammed like sardines. However this was WORSE for me than the Shinjuku trains as for one I had the 10kg or so backbag, the conic hat and pilgrim staff with me(I left posting too late and then post offices were closed already) and the train would take good 2 hours almost all of which train was ridiculously packed up. I had no way to do anything but stand there shoulder to shoulder. Let me tell you 2 hours goes veeeeery slowly like that....
Eventually reached the Nagasaki which felt instantly familiar. Almost 4 years but damn felt like I had just left this place. My hotel was fairly close to the station. I couldn't do proper check in yet as it was too early but hotel had agreed to let me leave my gear there(and would carry them to the room for me as well) so I left most of my stuff there which at least made things more bearable.
With this it was time to head for the concert venue to see if I can even get the ticket so quick ride in the tram and I was within walking distance of the venue. Well it was fairly close anyway but mid noon heat made me take the short tram ride. The trams in Nagasaki works fairly simply. Flat 150 yen fee regardless of where you go. Only issue is making sure you have coins to spare. I also noticed in couple days station names will be renamed a LOT. Some will be simply shortened from like 8 kanji combinations to much shorter and clearer ones while others are completely new often related to nearby tourism spots like the atomic bomb related park. Guess that should make it easier for tourists! Rather than whatever it was before(forgot the name) just go to station "peace park".
Anyway arriving to the concert venue was told on-day ticket sale would be later. It wasn't that much long so popped into nearby konbini for lunch and waited for until the time.
Let's just say I have been to Shinjuku morning rush hour train which is infamously packed and this was good match for that in terms of being jammed like sardines. However this was WORSE for me than the Shinjuku trains as for one I had the 10kg or so backbag, the conic hat and pilgrim staff with me(I left posting too late and then post offices were closed already) and the train would take good 2 hours almost all of which train was ridiculously packed up. I had no way to do anything but stand there shoulder to shoulder. Let me tell you 2 hours goes veeeeery slowly like that....
Eventually reached the Nagasaki which felt instantly familiar. Almost 4 years but damn felt like I had just left this place. My hotel was fairly close to the station. I couldn't do proper check in yet as it was too early but hotel had agreed to let me leave my gear there(and would carry them to the room for me as well) so I left most of my stuff there which at least made things more bearable.
With this it was time to head for the concert venue to see if I can even get the ticket so quick ride in the tram and I was within walking distance of the venue. Well it was fairly close anyway but mid noon heat made me take the short tram ride. The trams in Nagasaki works fairly simply. Flat 150 yen fee regardless of where you go. Only issue is making sure you have coins to spare. I also noticed in couple days station names will be renamed a LOT. Some will be simply shortened from like 8 kanji combinations to much shorter and clearer ones while others are completely new often related to nearby tourism spots like the atomic bomb related park. Guess that should make it easier for tourists! Rather than whatever it was before(forgot the name) just go to station "peace park".
Anyway arriving to the concert venue was told on-day ticket sale would be later. It wasn't that much long so popped into nearby konbini for lunch and waited for until the time.
Not sure what this was but good anyway. Anyway after getting my hands on ticket for concert I still had plenty of time to kill so rather than sit there bored I went for a walk noticing on google map couple temples and shrines to visit.
Through narrow streets of Nagasaki.
First port of call was this shrine. However unlike Buddhist temples I don't know much about shrines so find them much less of interest for me. And unlike the pilgrimage temples while during pilgrimage I definitely feel like out of place there so I rarely stop by in shrines and never linger that long time around.
Architecture wise though shrines and temples are VERY similar. Indeed apart from the torii gate to enter through I can't really separate the two...
Moving onward there were two temples I saw on google map but was only able to find one of them. Mr. "I can't navigate anywhere" at it again!
This sure looks familiar for some reason... All in all very unusual design for temple in Japan but then again this isn't Japanese architechture! This is infact of Chinese architechture. Long ago Japan restricted trade to foreign countries to Nagasaki which is why strong community of Chinese ended up living here and asked for temple for themselves which is how this was built after rest of Nagasaki's population(christians by then) had destroyed buddhist temples. Both inner gate and Buddha hall were infact built in China, transported here and reassembled. The Buddha hall is claimed to be oldest building in Nagasaki.
Sure feels familiar...
Later having returned to Finland I found out why this felt so familiar. I had been here before! On my 2014 trip seems I had indeed visited this same temple. Ah well. At least got better photos this time.
With this time was starting to come to close so back to concert venue. Got myself some souvenirs before entrance started. Familiar routine with all having groups in which they would be let in so first come closest to stage. Unsurprisingly on-day tickets were in last group so I would be at the rear but the good thing about these small club houses is even at the back you are still reasonably close to the stage so it's not like you need binoculars to see! And it's times like this it pays off to be waaaay taller than the people ahead of you :D Apart from times somebody was jumping ahead I had unobsctructed view to the front!
So on to the concert. As it's been so long not much details but set list at least is correct. For clothes at the start they had white dresses with black dots. Actually below clip has same clothin except this day no blue coat at top.
Ashita tenki ni naare(Tomorrow will be beautiful day(though in impreative. Almost as if you were ORDERING tomorrow to have fine weather!). Song from their previous single(new one was coming up soon and indeed if you pre-ordered new single cd you would have got into handshake event. As single would be released AFTER I would return to Finland there would be no way for me to pick up the cd so I would be paying ~13 euros for handshake event with the girls...Umm I might be fan but I'm not THAT big of a fan!
Incidentally above video clip the girl on front of picture is my favourite girl, Hamaura Ayano, and frankly while she was on stage(few times she was not) this was Hamaura show for me.
GO TO THE TOP!! This one comes from their 1st album(where's the 2nd one? Been a while). While the group had paired members part of the choreography involved half the girls playing air guitar with leg of other half. With now 5 girls(which has led to more singing parts for Hamaura so not complaining about members leaving) one was just dancing standing and this one is the Hamaura.
Chotto Guchoku ni! Chototsumoushin(A Little Simply! Recklessly) comes from their early singles from 2016 spring I think.
Then came MC part though can't recall what they spoke about this except for standard "welcome to the concert" and "let's have great time" and self-introductions. they then stated they would be singing one of the songs from the upcoming new single which was...
Kitto Watashi wa(Certainly I...). Hamaura was having quite a lot of lines here compared to usual which was great.
After this part of the members left and cover songs of old groups and old songs started. Almost none which I recognized.
Summer night town. Very old(2nd single) of Morning Musume from 1998. In this concert it was performed by Hirose Ayaka, Nomuna Minami and Inoue Re.
Kousui. Another cover from some group called Melon kinenbi(never heard) in 2002. However today it was performed by Wada Sakurako and my Oshime(favourite member) Hamaura Ayano.
And one more cover, this time by Berryz Kobo(whose concerts I went in 2013 and 2014 before they disbanded). BOMB BOMB JUMP. This one I had yet to hear on live.
Then it was MC once more. I think here they randomly drew out numbers for lottery. If you bought sufficiently fan goods you got coupons(the more you bought, the more you got). I had one as well but as it is didn't get any of the signed goods with personalized message/picture they drew. And well...Maybe good I didn't get it! They asked name and I have always hard time getting people understand my name :D I can imagine trying to get them write my name correctly! :D I don't know what's with "ti" sound that is so hard for them to get it right. Well apart from not appearing in native Japanese.
I think it was around this time(or maybe later) they changed clothing as well for above style(surprise surprise picture of Hamaura). Not best of pictures but it's REAL hard to get good picture out of video. Something about that doesn't lend well to screencaptures.
Osu! Kobushi Tamashii(Yo! Kobushi Soul). I was actually bit peeved off when I later learned they had later(2nd september) performed Survivor instead of this song. That I would have liked to hear live.
After that yet another cover from Berryz Kobo. Aa, Yo ga Akeru. And another I had yet to hear live from the original group.
And this time cover from C-ute songs(whose concerts I have also visited 2013 and 2014 plus saw in Hello Project summer tour 2015 along others). Adam to Eve no dilemma. Here Hamaura Ayano had lots of solo lines which suited me just fine.
Then came the second song from upcoming new single. Naseba naru(When there is will there is way)
And another MC after which they said they would be doing Acapella song. Had no idea what it was(turns out it's singing without instruments for sound. At it's strictest it's JUST singing without music, sometimes like here some of the performers actually do role of instruments with their own sounds)
Nen ni wa Nen(Acapella Version)(guess that could be translated as "make doubly sure"). Their debut song. Not sure does linking get to right part as the song in question is around midway.
Here most of the solo lines were by Hamaura Ayano so, being that she's my favourite member, was just great.
Ramen Daisuki Koizumi-san no Uta (Song of Ramen loving Ms. Koizumi). One of the weirdest songs from them lyric wise. Start has bit of playing with words(grabbing properly wet you I move my lips closer. Plus couple references to soft body and body lines) but as the song title is repeated right away it's already clear it's ramen and not human it's refering.
Kore kara da! ((Start) is from now on! Or "It starts now!"). Another song from their previous single.
After this the girls left the stage and the standard "encore shouting" began. Cue in waiting in darkness stretching a bit(standing for about 2h after having spent 2h sitting in that train and not having rest for about 12h now). Eventually though girls came back for the encore.
Samba! Kobushi Janeiro. Based on name not surprising it's themed around the 2016 Brazil olympics.
After this looooong time spent talking and looking back at the concert and appealing for fans to come to see them live again all standard in these idol concerts.
And final song was the Kame ni Nare! (become a turtle? Weird name for song!) From their 1st album I think.
Again at 2.9 there was song I would have preferred to hear live. The Kobushi Hana. Drat.
After this they announced of handshake event which had surprised me at start(but knew by now as we had been given plastic bags for this reason pre concert). I thought only one was the one for pre-orders but turned out there was free one after concert included in the concert ticket. Well this was already 3rd time for me so knew the routine. All the stuff we had with us were to go to the plastic bags. And literally everything. They are strict on what you have with you so even your wrist watch has to go there. I can only presume they are really careful about there not being ANY source of potential injury to the girls even in quick handshake. Though I'm unsure how wristwatch could do that but...Well anyway all the stuff into bag and line up. Luckily the good side about having come to the end was that in return I was among first to go out! The girls appeared from side moving outside to the place where they would be waiting and then it started. I think audience was probably like 100-200 people at most(these club house performances tend to be small ones) so we moved in line and coming to door staff member takes your bag and walks along you(and makes sure you don't linger too long) while you walk across the girls shaking hands. And unlike first time I was in these in 2014 and more similar to last year(where was same girls) this pace was at least more relaxed so you actually get to shake hand rather than slightly touch fingers like first time.
And just like before impression was same. They are TINY. Japanese females are so short! According to google they are about average height so it's not that they were under averages but they are tiiiiny.
And my personal amusement with these is watching the girls reaction when I show up. Generally they can hide their reactions but one girl in particular reacted rather strongly seeing me. For a brief moment she even forgot to offer her hand for the shake! That kind of reaction(happened last year also) is always amusing. Guess big foreigner is not typical visitor for these concerts ;-) Not a fat chance she would have remembered me from last year so that's not the reason for the very strong reaction.
Anyway that one was over quickly so back to hotel to drop off all the unneccessary things and then head out again! I still had two things I wanted to do in Nagasaki. Luckily both of them can be done in darkness and indeed second one could be do ONLY in dark. First one: Dinner. Chanpon. Nagasaki speciality.
Basically seafood noodle soup. If I come to Nagasaki might just as well eat their local speciality. After this tasty dinner it was time to go and see the Nagasaki night view from nearby observatory tower top of hill. The Nagasaki night view was voted to top 3 night views in 2012 and well worth the praise. Last time photos had ended up less than stellar but with new improved camera was curious how they would come out.
On the way to top of mountain in cable car.
Out of cable car and it was already this nice. However observatory tower was still bit off.
For comparison here's photo from my last trip. Pretty much exact same spot aimed.
But eventually had to rush back before last cable car went down. Got into 2nd to last so no need to walk down the mountain in darkness! Would be simple asphalt road down but still not pleasant idea and would add time and I wanted to go to sleep early as I had early wake tomorrow to get back to Tokushima. Damn typhoon made trip shorter than intended.
