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Three must‑see spots to kick off your trip.
Three essential sights in Nagasaki!
• Glover Garden & Ōura Cathedral — Western villas and a National Treasure church telling late‑Edo to Meiji history.
• Battleship Island (Hashima) — a haunting World Heritage coal‑mining island of concrete ruins.
• Huis Ten Bosch — a vast theme park recreating Dutch townscapes with seasonal flowers and illuminations.
Japan’s largest theme park with European townscapes.
Flowers by day, lights by night — a full‑day escape!
A faithful recreation of Dutch streets and canals on a Monaco‑sized site. Seasonal flower shows and one of the world’s largest illuminations brighten the evenings.
◆ Highlights: Rides, museums, shopping, and canal cruises — countless ways to spend the day.
◆ Fun fact: The name means “House in the Forest,” after a real Dutch palace.
◆ Access: Directly by JR Huis Ten Bosch Station.
Haunting offshore coal‑mining ruins (UNESCO).
A stark monument to boom and decline.
Once a thriving seabed coal mine, Hashima later became uninhabited; its concrete apartments earned the nickname “Battleship Island.” Part of the UNESCO “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution” (2015).
◆ Highlights: Guided landing tours explore designated safe zones with in‑depth commentary.
◆ Pop culture: Inspired a villain’s lair setting in a 007 film.
◆ Access: ~40 minutes by tour boat from Nagasaki Port; landings depend on weather.
Hilltop open‑air museum of Western merchant homes.
Find the heart‑shaped stones for a bit of luck!
Historic residences linked to Thomas Glover and other traders who aided Japan’s modernization. Panoramic harbor views — especially romantic at night.
◆ Highlights: Statue of opera diva Tamaki Miura (*Madama Butterfly*).
◆ Fun fact: Touch the two “heart stones” embedded in the paving for good fortune.
◆ Access: ~7 minutes’ walk from “Ōura Cathedral” tram stop.
One of the “New Three Best Night Views of the World.”
The city lights spill like stars.
At 333 m, Mount Inasa offers a deep, bowl‑shaped panorama recognized alongside Hong Kong and Monaco. Reach the summit by ropeway or slope car.
◆ Tip: The illuminated “tunnel of light” on the deck sets a romantic mood.
◆ Access: ~5 minutes via Nagasaki Ropeway; slope car available from the mid‑station car park.
A solemn space dedicated to remembrance and peace.
A place to confront history.
The Peace Statue points upward for the nuclear threat and outward for peace. The museum conveys the reality of the bombing and the value of peace.
◆ Highlights: Peace Statue, Ground Zero marker, powerful exhibits.
◆ Date to note: Peace Declaration on August 9 each year.
◆ Access: Steps from the “Peace Park” tram stop.
National Treasure & UNESCO site — Japan’s oldest surviving church.
The miracle of the “hidden Christians.”
Built in the late Edo period; soon after completion, persecuted crypto‑Christians revealed their faith here. Part of the UNESCO “Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region.”
◆ Highlights: Light through century‑old stained glass.
◆ Access: Next to Glover Garden.
A rias coast dotted with 208 islands — best by cruise.
Countless islands, countless views.
Off Sasebo, with aquarium “UmiKirara,” sightseeing cruises, and sea‑kayaking.
◆ Highlights: 50‑minute cruises aboard “Pearl Queen” or “Mirai.”
◆ Film note: The misty islands appear in the opening of The Last Samurai.
◆ Access: ~25 minutes by bus from JR Sasebo Station.
One of Japan’s three great Chinatowns — home of champon.
Snack your way through the lanterned streets.
Compact and walkable; famous for champon and sara‑udon, plus pork belly buns and hatoshi shrimp toast.
◆ Highlight: During the Lantern Festival, ~15,000 lanterns light up the town.
◆ Access: Right by the “Shinchi Chinatown” tram stop.
Billowing steam and sulfur — an otherworldly hot‑spring park.
Walk the fumaroles on a 30‑minute loop.
Once a site of Christian martyrdom, Unzen’s geothermal vents roar between boulders, perfuming the air with sulfur.
◆ Try: Onsen‑steamed eggs with a subtle sulfur aroma.
◆ Night: Guided “Unzen Hell Night Tour” offers a different mood.
◆ Access: ~5 minutes’ walk from Unzen Onsen Bus Terminal.
Magnificent Azuchi‑Momoyama‑style keep with Christian history.
Echoes of the Shimabara Rebellion.
The five‑tiered keep dominates the skyline. Exhibits cover local history and the Christian uprisings.
◆ View: Top‑floor vistas of Shimabara, Mount Unzen, and Ariake Sea.
◆ Access: ~5 minutes from Shimabara Station (Shimatetsu Railway).
Japan’s sole window to the West during Edo isolation.
A fan‑shaped island of cultural exchange.
For some 200 years it hosted the Dutch Trading Post. Reconstructed streetscapes reveal daily life and East‑West interaction. Ongoing restorations reconnect Dejima to the mainland.
◆ Highlights: Recreated Kapitan’s quarters and Japan’s oldest seminary.
◆ Access: Directly at the “Dejima” tram stop.
Japan’s first stone arch bridge — reflections form “glasses.”
Spot the heart‑shaped stones nearby!
Built in 1634 and now an Important Cultural Property. Long a city symbol that has weathered many floods.
◆ Seasonal tip: Hydrangea season is photo‑perfect.
◆ Access: ~3 minutes from “Meganebashi” tram stop.
Temples and a church share the skyline — a cultural crossroads.
Signature scene of Wa‑Ka‑Ran culture.
Japan’s first Nanban trade port. Climb the stone lanes for rare vistas where temple roofs and a Gothic steeple align.
◆ Highlights: Recreated Hirado Dutch Trading Post.
◆ Taste: Ramen with flying‑fish (ago) broth.
◆ Access: ~90 minutes by bus from JR Sasebo; Hirado Pier is the hub.
Pristine seas and church heritage across 150+ islands (UNESCO).
Coastlines, churches, and quiet time.
Dotted with churches tied to the Hidden Christian story; some assets form part of the UNESCO listing.
◆ Highlights: Ōsezaki Lighthouse on sheer cliffs (featured in the film Villain).
◆ Access: Ferries/jetfoils from Nagasaki Port; flights from Nagasaki/Fukuoka.
Island of the gods — quirky rock formations and sacred sites.
Myth and sea breezes.
Appearing in the Kojiki and Records of the Three Kingdoms, Iki brims with spiritual places: Saruiwa cliff, Kogoshima Shrine’s tidal path, and sea‑bound Hara‑hoge Jizō statues.
◆ Highlights: 150+ shrines and roadside altars.
◆ Local taste: Barley shōchū, sea urchin, and Iki beef.
◆ Access: ~1 hr jetfoil from Hakata; ~30 min flight from Nagasaki.
Home to 9 of the world’s 18 penguin species.
Waddle and wonder.
Known for keeping the most penguin species worldwide. A 4 m‑deep tank lets you watch them “fly” underwater.
◆ Event: Weekend “Penguin Parade.”
◆ First in the world: A beach where penguins swim in the sea.
◆ Access: ~30 minutes by bus from JR Nagasaki Station.
Founded in 1624 — a long‑loved name in Nagasaki castella.
Crunchy sugar crystals at the base — the signature!
Handmade without mixers, the traditional method yields a moist crumb with zarame sugar crystals on the base.
◆ Spot: The historic flagship; multiple branches in the city.
◆ Trivia: The zarame base is a Japanese twist on a Portuguese import.
◆ Access: ~3 minutes from “Shianbashi” tram stop.
Japan’s longest footbath (105 m) with sunset views.
Yes — it’s really 105 meters long!
Named after the 105°C source temperature, this seaside footbath offers classic, walking, and even pet footbaths.
◆ Nearby: Steam eggs/seafood in the “mushigama” steam boxes.
◆ Access: ~1 hour by bus from JR Isahaya Station.
Built with materials from China — vivid and ornate.
Feels like stepping into China.
Established in the Meiji era with support from Qing officials and Chinese residents; Japan’s only authentic Confucian temple of this kind.
◆ Highlights: 72 statues of Confucius’s disciples; each face unique.
◆ Access: Walkable from Ōura Cathedral and Glover Garden.
Winter nights glow with around 15,000 lanterns city‑wide.
The whole city becomes a sea of light.
Expanded from a local Spring Festival into a city‑wide event featuring dragon dances and the Mazu procession.
◆ Highlights: Giant zodiac displays at Minato Park; Emperor’s Parade.
◆ Access: Central Nagasaki — trams are convenient.
High‑tech exhibits recreate restricted zones and past life.
When seas are rough, this is your plan B.
Near the tour boat pier; huge screens, projection mapping, and VR portray life during the mining era — including off‑limits areas.
◆ Tip: Combo tickets with landing tours; a comfort when tours are canceled.
◆ Access: Close to Glover Garden/Ōura Cathedral and the boat pier.
Made to order — a local classic shaped by U.S. Navy influence.
Grab it with both hands.
Recipes vary by shop — patties, sauces, toppings all differ, so sampling is part of the fun.
◆ Tip: Look for certified shops across Sasebo.
◆ Access: Many options near JR Sasebo Station and around the city.
One hearty plate: cutlet, pilaf, and spaghetti with demi‑glace.
Why “Turkish”? The origin is a mystery.
A Nagasaki comfort food with many variations — compare sauces and cutlets shop to shop.
◆ Nickname: “A grown‑up kids’ meal.”
◆ Access: Served at many Western‑style cafés around the city.
Stone‑paved slope in the former foreign settlement.
Stroll among Meiji‑era villas.
Foreign residents once walked this lane; rain‑washed stones look especially atmospheric. Nearby stand historic villas like the Important Cultural Property “Higashi‑Yamate 12‑bankan.”
◆ Trivia: Several slopes are called “Oranda‑zaka;” this one is the most famous.
◆ Access: ~5 minutes from “Medical Center” tram stop.
Edo‑period samurai quarter with a central watercourse.
Step back to a simpler samurai life.
West of Shimabara Castle, lower‑rank samurai homes line a 400 m street; the central stream once supplied daily water.
◆ Open houses: Yamamoto, Shinozuka, and Morota residences are free to enter.
◆ Access: Walking distance from Shimabara Castle.
White lighthouse on 100 m cliffs at the island’s north tip.
Sunsets sink into the East China Sea.
Drive across the photogenic Ikitsuki Bridge to dramatic coastal viewpoints.
◆ Access: ~40 minutes by car from central Hirado.
Classic drive stop over Tachibana Bay — try the “Jaga‑chan.”
Best rest stop on the Unzen drive.
On National Route 57 with sweeping views of the Chijiwa Fault and the bay; fine days reveal the Nagasaki Peninsula.
◆ Must‑eat: Jaga‑chan (deep‑fried local potatoes) — an addictive B‑grade treat.
◆ Access: Along Route 57 en route to Unzen Onsen.