First-time visitors to Dejima, Nagasaki's historic artificial island, are usually puzzled on arrival. Looking around for water, they find only a kitsch scale model of the island and several oldish buildings. Although Dejima's front sea wall looks authentic enough, landfills have gradually enclosed the site, and the original contours of the island have disappeared. Even the last glimpses of harbor have been blocked by ugly urban developments.
Now an immense three-stage renaissance project is carving Dejima back into a semblance of its original shape, and the fabulous result of the first stage will be unveiled April 1.
Dejima deserves no less. The site was the only place where Western ships were received and their crews accommodated, and where foreign commercial and cultural exchanges carried out during Japan's period of national seclusion (1639-1854).