The giant cantilever crane stands over the Nagasaki shipyard like a tall green arm, and it was installed in 1909 to lift heavy machinery, boilers and engines into ships being fitted out at the quay. It is among the oldest cranes of its kind in Japan, electric, enormous, and built with the confidence of a country that wanted to build its own steamers. The Mitsubishi yard it served grew into one of the great shipbuilders of Asia, and warships and liners both took form here. The crane is now part of the Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution and is visible, in outline at least, from the water and from some of the roads around the harbour. The yard is still working, so access to the area is limited.
Nagasaki sits at the head of a long narrow bay, with steep green hills on either side and the city crammed into every fold. That shape is why the port is so well sheltered and why the roads are so tight. Riding here is a mix of coastal route, bridge and hill lane. Route 202 follows the bay out to the north and offers good views, and the flat shipyard roads are ordinary city streets with trams and port traffic. If you are on a large bike, prepare to ride slowly and to use the elevated expressway when it helps.
The yard has a dark side, and anyone looking at Nagasaki honestly should know it. The Mitsubishi works were a major target in the bombing of August 1945, and the survivors' accounts of that morning are told in the city's museum and the Peace Park, both a short ride away. The contrast between the cheerful hills and what happened here sits with you for a while.
For a break, head across the harbour to the Dejima reconstruction or walk the Chinese quarter, where the markets sell dumplings and sweet buns. Fuel stops are easy in the suburbs, particularly toward Obita. The best light on the crane is in the evening, when it catches the low sun and turns warm against the water.