Nagasaki, imperial city of Japan, located on the western extremity of Shimo Island, in the province of Hizen, with a good harbor frequented by the Dutch and Chinese. It's a very large and well- populated city; it is said to be three quarters of a league in length, and roughly the same in breadth.

Foreigners live outside of the city in separate areas, where they are spied upon as if they were suspicious persons. There are approximately 62 temples, as many outside the city as in it; among them, there are 50 that honor foreign idols, whose worship was brought from overseas. These temples are used not only for devotion, but also for recreation and leisure; this is why they include gardens, paths, and apartments. Apart from the temples, the most frequented places are the houses of debauchery; there is an entire neighborhood designated for them, and which contains the most beautiful private houses, all inhabited by courtesans.

The harbor of Nagasaki begins to the north of the city; there are rarely fewer than 50 ships in the port, the majority of which are Chinese junks, not counting hundreds of fishing boats and other small craft. Anchorage is at the end of the bay, within musket range of the city. It is without a castle, without walls, without fortifications, without any defense whatsoever. Although three rivers cross it, sometimes they do not provide enough water to irrigate the rice fields, or to power a small number of windmills. See Koempfer for more details. [1] Longitude, following Koempfer again, 151; latitude, 32. 36. Longitude, following Harris, 145d, 16'. 15.", and following Father Spinola, 146. 17. 30. Latitude , following this last named, 23. 43. But I would be more willing to accept Koempfer’s estimation.

Note

1. The reference is to the German naturalist Engelbert Kaempfer who traveled to Asia in the late seventeenth century. His History of Japan , published posthumously in English in 1727, became the definitive work on that country throughout the eighteenth century. Englebert Kaempfer, The History of Japan, Together With a Description of the Kingdom of Siam, 1690-92 (New York: Macmillan, 1906). Father Charles Spinola (1565-1622) was a Spanish Jesuit and missionary to Japan. I have been unable to determine the identity of Harris.