It is filled with spots of different cultures, such as Dejima, where overseas trade was allowed in the Edo period, and the residence of arms dealer Thomas Glover. There are also many local delicacies such as chanpon and Sara-udon.
Nagasaki City is home to tourist attractions such as Kagetsu, Kofukuji Temple, and Ioujima; sightseeing events such as the Gion Festival, Nagasaki Kunchi, and Nagasaki Seirei Nagashi; and local delicacies such as Chinese food, karasumi (dried mullet roe), and Nagasaki chanpon.
Nagasaki City has prospered as a hub of international trade since the Warring States Period. Especially during the period of national isolation, Dejima Island in this area was the only window for overseas trade. A plan is underway to restore Dejima as it was in the early 19th century, taking advantage of its unique characteristics.
Walking around the area, you will feel as if you have stepped back in time, visiting the main gate "Suimon" in front of the Nagasaki Electric Railway's Dejima Tram Station, the "Kapitan Room," a Western-style tatami-matted building, and the "Old Dejima Seminary," a wooden Western-style building.
If you go up to the higher ground, you will find an exotic sightseeing area with cobblestone streets lined with Western-style buildings and churches. The mountain is accessible by tram or car, but you can reach the summit in a single trip by using the "Graber Sky Road," Japan's first slope elevator.
The area is also home to the Oura Tenshudo, designed by French Father Petitjean in 1864, the Higashiyamate Western-style residential area with a mix of Japanese and Western-style buildings, and the oriental atmosphere of the Confucius Temple and the Museum of Chinese History.
Of these, Glover Garden is a must-see. The park features a number of unique Western-style residences, including the former Glover Residence, which is designated as a National Important Cultural Property, the former Alt Residence, and the former Ringer Residence. The view of the city of Nagasaki from the former Mitsubishi No. 2 Dog House at the top of the park is truly breathtaking.
The former Ryotei, Japan's first authentic Western restaurant, has also been relocated and is now a coffee shop where visitors can enjoy tea and cakes at reasonable prices. The park is filled with flowers from season to season, and especially during rose season, the atmosphere is as if you are in a foreign country.
To conclude your historical tour, you should not miss the Peace Memorial Park. At the Nagasaki Peace Memorial Museum, visitors can learn about the devastation of the atomic bombing and pray for world peace. The Nagai Takashi Memorial Museum, which traces the steps of the doctor who continued to send out messages of peace while on his sickbed, is also recommended.
There is also a wide variety of local delicacies to fill the stomachs of travelers. You will have a hard time deciding which to try: dim sum at Shinchi Chinatown, one of the three major Chinatowns in Japan; fukyu cuisine at a prestigious ryotei restaurant, a mix of Japanese, Chinese, and Western cuisine; champon noodles; or Sara udon noodles.
The observatory at the top of 333-meter-high Mt. Inasa offers a 10-million-dollar night view.The entire city can be seen and a 360-degree panoramic view can be enjoyed. Along with Mount Hakodate in Hakodate and Mount Maya in Kobe, this is one of the three most beautiful nightscapes in Japan.Along w...»
Hashima Island, commonly known as "Gunkanjima," was the site of coal mining operations from the 1800s.The island prospered to the extent that a movie theater, hospital, and other facilities were built on the island, as well as reinforced concrete apartments for the workers. However, excavation work ...»
The bronze statue was completed in 1955 by the citizens of Nagasaki, who experienced firsthand the devastation of the atomic bombing, as a symbol to pray for lasting peace in the world under the slogan, "Peace comes from Nagasaki", over a period of five years and with donations of 30 million yen. T...»
The Nagasaki Lantern Festival is a major winter coloring event in Nagasaki. About 15,000 lanterns are displayed in the center of the city, including Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown, and the lantern festival is held from the first to the 15th day of the first lunar month. The festival is held from Januar...»
Inasa is a 333-meter-high mountain with a panoramic view of Nagasaki City from the observatory at the summit. It is one of the three most famous nightscapes in Japan, along with Mount Hakodate in Hakodate and Mount Maya in Kobe.Along with Monaco and Hong Kong, it has been recognized as one of the w...»
National Treasure and the oldest Catholic church in JapanThe oldest existing Catholic church in Japan, this Gothic-style chalk building was built in 1864.It was built in 1864 and opened to the public the following year.The light from the stained glass windows is divine....»
The former residence of Thomas Glover, an English-phrase Scottish trader.Completed in 1863, it is a fashionable one-story Western-style building in the colonial style (bungalow style). When viewed from above, it is shaped like a four-leaf clover leaf.It has a reception room, bedrooms, and office sp...»
Along the cobblestone Holland Slope in Minamiyamate and Higashiyamate in the southern part of Nagasaki City, the former British Consulate and Glover Garden are lined with exotic scenery....»
The only remaining building in Japan designed by Kikutaro Shimoda, an architect active from the Meiji Era to the early Showa Era. 1904, it is one of the largest Western-style stone buildings in Nagasaki City....»
Kofukuji Temple was founded by the Chinese monk Shin'en. The main hall, Daeung-ho-den, is a national important cultural property. The exotic temple area is a prefectural historic site. Also known as "Akadera," the temple was founded in 1620....»
The aquarium breeds 9 of the 18 species of penguins that live in the world. The aquarium has successfully bred six of these species, making it the number one in Japan in terms of the number of penguin species kept and bred. In the virtual theater, visitors can view live-action and computer graphics...»
Comprehensive park that includes the Monument Area, the Atomic Bomb Dropping Center Area, and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum Area in the East District, and the "Sports Zone" and "Plaza Zone" in the West District....»
Deep fried thin noodles are toped with a thick sauce full of fresh ingredients. In Nagasaki, people are known to add vinegar or Worcestershire sauce....»
A noodle soup dish full of pork, seafood and vegetables. In the mid19th Century, Chinese restaurant owner Heijyun Ching developed this dish for Chinese people in Nagasaki, as something nutritious and affordable. The dish is based on a noodle soup that he grew up with in his native Hokkien province. ...»
Shippoku means table, and shippoku-ryori indicates the food on the table. Seated at a round table with no head or foot enjoying food made with local seasonable vegetables. This style of eating is distinctive to Nagasaki, a place where people gather from around the country and world....»
For mirin dried fish, syrup, mirin, sugar, MSG and salt, along with other ingredients are mixed together to form a marinade for the fish. The fish are split open and air dried before marinating. Grill the marinated fish for a smoky and highly appetizing flavor. When in Nagasaki prefecture, try the m...»
The name refers to pork belly stewed in a Chinese style and is a must-have in the Shippoku style cooking of Nagasaki. Pork belly is stewed until very tender, and is named after the Chinese poet Touba who is said to have loved this dish very much. It is tender, sweet and very unctuous. Shippoku cooki...»