Hirado Dutch Trading Post (Hirado Oranda Shokan)

**Why the Dutch left Hirado:** The museum's second floor explains the 1641 forced relocation to Dejima — the Tokugawa shogunate's suspicion of Christian influence (the Dutch were Protestant but associated with Catholic Portuguese) and desire to consolidate foreign trade control. The move destroyed Hirado's prosperity overnight. **Observation deck view:** The third-floor deck recreates the vantage point of the Dutch chief monitoring ship arrivals. The informational display identifies historical landmarks visible across the strait — the route ships took, the location of Japanese inspection stations, the anchorage points. This spatial understanding of the trade logistics is missing from Dejima's inland location. **Evening visit:** Unlike Dejima (daytime only), Hirado Trading Post is illuminated until 22:00 and visible from the harbor. The red brick glowing against the dark strait creates an atmospheric evening walk destination after dinner.