This Confucian Shrine is the world's only example built outside China itself and was completed in 1893 by Chinese residents of Nagasaki. Even now, the land upon which it stands is Chinese territory and is directly controlled by the Chinese Embassy in Tokyo. Luckily visas are waived in return for 500 yen (about 1 beer) and you may then enter a gaudy sanctuary of gold and red and much peace and quiet. Visitors attain the kind of silent, contemplative serenity only experienced by those standing outside the headmaster's office or VD Clinic (allegedly). The original was pretty much destroyed by the a-bomb, with the lovingly rebuilt replacement being completed in 1967 and undergoing a total refurbishment in 1982. The shrine area itself is well worth visiting on its own, however, the annexe containing items loaned by the Chinese National Museum of History, and the Palace Museum in Beijing, is the prime reason for bunking over the wall. It contains some beautiful treasures and artifacts chronicling the history of China and its people, including a horse and warriors from the awesome Terracotta Army.

Confucian shrine garden	Contemplative reflections

They watch you when you walk by

Chinese oasis nestling in a Japanese valley