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Nagasaki Travel Guide: 150 reviews and 446 photos

Paper cranes the symbol of long life - Nagasaki

A day trip to Nagasaki

On our recent visit to Kyushu we were based in Fukuoka but bought a three day Northern Kyushu rail pass for 7000 yen and visited Nagasaki for the day.

Nagasaki has a long and interesting history. It was one of the first areas of Japan to open up to foreigners. Some of its earliest visitors were Spanish and Portuguese sailors. Later the Japanese authorities became worried that these foreigners were spreading Catholicism in Japan and started persecuting them. There is a shrine on a hill near Nagasaki Station to the 26 Catholic martyrs the authorities crucified there.

Following the clampdown the Portuguese and Spanish left Japan but Dutch Protestants were seen as less of a threat and allowed to stay. I would have liked to visit Dejima Island where the Dutch were allowed to stay and Glover Gardens with its old colonial houses set in a park, but we concentrated on Nagasaki's more famous history as the city on which the Americand dropped the second atomic bomb and brought about an end to World War 11. To see all Nagasaki has to offer I would recommend 2 days here unless you like to see things in a bit of a rush.

Nagasaki Day trip

Nagasaki tram

We travelled to Nagasaki from Fukuoka by train - a journey of around 2 hours. The scenery on the way was lovely especially near the end of the trip when the train travelled along the coast. To get around Nagasaki we used the trams. Trams 1 and 3 will take you to Ukrami where the atomic bomb fell. Tram 5 will take you to Glover Gardens - you must transfer onto line five at Tsuki-machi station. Ask for a transfer ticket when you get off the first tram so you don't pay twice. Trams cost 120 yen a trip.

The bomb

Peace Park.

On the 9th of August 1945 at 11:02 in the morning a US Air Force B-29 bomber Bock's Car dropped Fat Man atomic bomb on Nagasaki killing 75000 people mainly women, children and the elderly. an estimated 1300 Korean conscripted labourers and 200 allied POWs were also killed. Another 75000 people were injured. many later died from the results of radiation. A third of Nagasaki was wiped out in the ensuing fires.

We returned to Nagasaki in October 2011. This time we wanted to concentrate on the historic areas where foreigners had once lived and on some of the other sights we missed on our first visit. We had a fantastic visit, but guess what. We still could not finish all there was to see. Roll on visit 3 and 4.

Just completed visit number 3. This time we stayed overnight here. Managed to visit Deijima and take the cable car up Mount Inasa, eat dinner in Chinatown and revisit the Peace Park and hypocentre areas. Would still happily go back for more.

Pros and Cons

Pros:A beautiful city with a fascinating history and many sights

Last visit to Nagasaki: Oct 2012
Intro Updated Oct 27, 2012
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Reviews (16)

Chinese Restaurant Restaurants (1)

Wandered around Chinatown in the evening when it was beautifully lit up and chose a restaurant from one of the ones with... more travel advice

Mount Inasa Cable Car. Things to Do (15)

We got to Mount Inasa Cable Car (or ropeway as the Japanese translate it) by taking a tram to Takara Machi, walking... more travel advice

Deijima visited properlly. Things to Do (15)

On our recent return to Nagasaki we visited Deijima properly. Get here by taking tram 1 from Nagasaki Station. Entry fee... more travel advice

China Town Things to Do (15)

Get here by taking the tram to Tsukimachi Station. We visited at night when the streets were all lit up. There were... more travel advice

Comments (3)

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Jim_Eliason Apr 25, 2012 at 7:32 PM

Great tips!
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ranger49 Nov 7, 2011 at 5:04 AM

What a fascinating, colourful, tragic and optimistic account of your visit. Beautifully photographed and described.
Wondered if I might meet Madam Butterfly and was pleased to spot her as I strolled through Glover Gardens.
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taigaa001 Apr 23, 2011 at 3:42 AM

Excellent. Makes me want to go there.