Kofukuji Temple
This temple in Nagasaki is unique because it was built for Chinese people residing in Nagasaki. It is one of the kara-dera in Nagasaki. Therefore, the temple does not look like ordinary Japanese temples. You can see Chinese features here and there. The color red is used in many places. It belongs to the Oubaku sect, founded by Master Ingen.
Kara-dera (唐寺) literally means “Chinese Temple.” It refers specifically to the temples built in Nagasaki by and for the Chinese residents during the Edo period.
Master Ingen was a renowned Chinese Buddhist monk who came to Japan in the mid-17th century (1654). He founded the Ōbaku school of Zen Buddhism. His legacy also remains in the name of ingen-mame (green beans), which he is said to have introduced to Japan.
Sofukuji Temple
This temple was built for the Chinese community from Fujian Province. It is one of the Kara-dera (Chinese-style temples) in Nagasaki, and its architecture reflects a distinctly Chinese style. The main hall and the first gate are designated as National Treasures of Japan.
China Town
This is the third-largest Chinatown in Japan, after those in Yokohama and Kobe. Centered around a single crossroads, the district is compact—each of its main streets can be walked from end to end within about five minutes. The area is lined with Chinese restaurants and souvenir shops, decorated prominently in red (红色, hóngsè) and yellow (黄色, huángsè). In Chinese culture, red symbolizes luck and vitality, while yellow represents royalty and imperial heritage.
“福” Upside Down：This is a lucky charm paper with one kanji character written upside-down.
- The character is 福 (fú), meaning “blessing” or “good fortune.”
- Placing it upside-down is a common pun.
- The phrase “upside-down” (倒, dào) sounds like “to arrive” (到, dào).
- So, an “upside-down 福” (倒福) sounds like “blessing arrives” (到福).
It is indeed a widespread tradition, not unique to Nagasaki, seen in many Chinese communities and restaurants as a symbol of inviting good fortune.
