As Japan’s window to the West for centuries, Nagasaki’s storied past can be seen throughout this beautiful port city. From European and Chinese architecture to historical churches, we’ll take you to the iconic landmarks in this Nagasaki travel guide.

Nagasaki night view from Mt. Inasayama Observatory

The port city of Nagasaki was one of Japan’s few windows to the rest of the world for many centuries. It played an important role in introducing western and other eastern cultures to Japan. Our family spent three days in this unique melting pot visiting the historical landmarks.

We’ll introduce Nagasaki over three posts:

  1. Nagasaki Travel Guide – covering historical sites
  2. Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park
  3. Where and What to eat in Nagasaki

Where is Nagasaki

Nagasaki is located on the west side of Kyushu Island and right on Nagasaki Bay. From Tokyo, the fastest shinkansen bullet train would take more than 7.5 hrs. A better option is to fly from Tokyo to Nagasaki Airport in Omura which takes about two hours. From Omura, it takes about 1 hour by car or bus to get to downtown Nagasaki from the airport.

What to Do in Nagasaki

Nagasaki is not a densely populated city with 400k people. However, there are plenty of things to do and see. In this travel guide, we’ll begin the journey from the southern part of the city and head up north visiting historic sites along the way. Ready? Let’s go!

Nagasaki night view from Mt. Inasayama Observatory

Sakoku – Japan’s Period of Isolation

From the 1630s to 1853, Japan had an isolation policy called sakoku (鎖国 closed country) put in place by Tokugawa Shogunate for 214 years. Nagasaki’s importance during this policy can’t be understated. It was the only port allowed to trade with the Dutch and Chinese. The relationship with the Dutch introduced new technologies and led to industrialization in the area.

Oura Church 大浦天主堂

Our tour starts at Oura Church. Built in 1864 it is one of the oldest churches in Japan. Oura Church is recognized as a National Treasure and part of UNESCO World Heritage (Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region). It was built to commemorate the Twenty-Six Martyrs of Japan who were executed in 1597.

two children on paved stone path
On Glover St leading to Oura Church

The statue of the Virgin Mary in front of the church has the inscriptions “in memory of discovered followers” below. Underground Japanese Christian came to the church and revealed their faith after it was constructed. Some of these Christians have been secretly practicing their religion for 200 years.

Ōura Church Nagasaki
Oura Roman Catholic Church

Glover Garden グラバー園

Just a few steps from the Oura Church is Glover Garden. After a long period of isolation, Japan finally opened trade with other countries in the 1860s. Even though trading flourished, foreigners were designated to certain areas of the Nagasaki. This includes the current Glover Garden site in Minamiyamate.

entrance gate at Glover Garden Nagasaki

Today, the garden contains nine historical Western buildings including the residence of Thomas Blake Glover. The Glover House is recognized as a UNSECO world heritage site (Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining).

So who is Thomas Blake Glover?

He is a Scottish businessman who had a tremendous impact on the industrialization of Nagasaki. His accolades included assisting Japanese men to go to the UK to be educated, built slip dock and coal mine, and founded Japanese Brewery Company (became today’s Kirin Brewery).

map of Glover Garden Nagasaki

The garden is located on a large sloping hill and the tour starts from the top and heads down. Luckily, there are escalators to bring visitors to the top of the hill.

covered long escalator heading up

The Glover Garden houses western colonial-style buildings which comprise residences, a school, and a dock house. Most buildings were not originally on the garden grounds. When Nagasaki tried to preserve the western buildings they were moved there.

two children in front of former Mitsubishi dock house
Mistubishi Dock House – dormitory for crewmembers

The buildings are open to visitors and the interiors are decorated based on the time period.

room with a fireplace, antique coffee table, office desk and chair with dark wooden floor
view of Nagasaki Bay from Glover Garden
View of Nagasaki Bay from Glover Garden

The buildings are along the walking path as visitors make their way down the hill.

older looking two story white building
The former official residence of the Nagasaki District Court
a carpeted room with a lounger and small table with four chairs around it
view of the former Alt House at Glover Garden
Former Alt House – served as a school and the US Consulate

Unfortunately during our visit, we didn’t get to tour the Glover House. It was going through a major restoration project that will not be completed until Nov 2021.

Glover House under repair and maintenance

Nagasaki Traditional Performing Arts Center 長崎伝統芸能館

The last stop on the Glover Garden tour is Nagasaki Traditional Performing Arts Center. Each fall, Nagasaki holds the Kunchi Festival featuring dances and performances by city districts.

boat floats used for Nagasaki Kunchi festival on display at Nagasaki Traditional Performing Arts Museum

The performances include large floats and Chinese dragon dances. The performing arts center has several of the ornate floats on display and plays a highlight reel of the festival.

boat floats used for Nagasaki Kunchi festival on display at Nagasaki Traditional Performing Arts Museum
dragon used for dragon dance in Nagasaki Kunchi festival
Dragon used for dragon dance in Nagasaki Kunchi festival

Nagasaki Koshibyo Confucius Shrine 長崎孔子廟

Just 10 min walk from the Glover Garden is the Nagasaki Koshibyo Confucius Shrine. The Qing government and the Chinese community built the shrine in 1893. It is the largest Confucius Shrine in Japan.

red entrance gate to Nagasaki Koshibyo Confucius Shrine and Historical Museum of China
Gakumon Gate
a white bridge over a small pond
Hekisui Bridge
two children in front of the temple gate at Nagasaki Koshibyo Confucius Shrine
Gimon Gate

The statues of the 72 sages lined the main courtyard. They were sculpted in China and weigh 1.8 tons each.

the courtyard lined with statues at Nagasaki Koshibyo Confucius Shrine and Historical Museum of China

In the main Taisei Hall is the seated Confucius statue.

statue of Confucius on altar
Statue of Confucius

Historical Museum of China 中国歴代博物館

The Historical Museum of China built in 1983 (90th anniversary of the shrine) is located at the back of Taisei Hall. The second flour of the museum contains national treasures provided by museums in China. The third floor exhibits historical records related to the shrine.

Chinese artifacts on display at Historical Museum of China
Chinese artifacts on display at Historical Museum of China

Hollander Slope オランダ坂

Head north by foot for 5 min from the shrine and you’ll reach Hollander Slope. This area with western style homes and buildings was another one where foreigners were allowed to reside.

stone sign for Hollander Slope on cobblestone street

The western-style house at No 13 A Higashiyamate is free for visitors to tour (closed every Monday).

a gate in front of a house at Hollander Slope

Walk 10 min northeast to visit Nagasaki Chinatown.

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown 長崎新地中華街

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown is the oldest one in Japan and it was home to Chinese traders and sailors during the period of isolation (17th – 19th century). The Chinese were not allowed to travel outside and were restricted to a few areas.

red gate for Nagasaki Chinatown

Today the Nagasaki Chinatown is home to many restaurants and gift shops. Surprisingly, despite its prominence, Nagasaki Chinatown is quite small compared to the Chinatowns in Yokohama and Kobe.

The lantern festival during the Chinese New Year is one of the most popular events in Nagasaki. Thousands of lanterns are lit to celebrate the occasion.

exterior of Chinese restaurant at Nagasaki Chinatown

Nagasaki Dejima 出島

During the period of isolation, similar travel restrictions applied to Dutch traders. They were restricted to the island of Dejima and part of it was tied to limiting the spread of Christianity.

two children on a bridge to Dejima

Starting in 1996, Dejima has undergone a major restoration to recreate the experience for visitors. The recreated buildings on site including the captain’s quarters and various warehouses. There are also restored older buildings like the former Dejima Protestant Seminary.

exterior of a building at Dejima
The former Dejima Protestant Seminary
model replica of Dejima
Model of Dejima

Stone Bridge of Nakashima River

Walk along Nakashima River next to Dejima and you will pass by a number of stone bridges. These bridges were built in the 17th century for the visitors to attend the shrines and temples in the area.

To the east of the river is Nakadori Shopping Street (Nagasaki’s oldest shopping street) and Teramachi, where a number of shrines and temples are located. Among the temples are the famous Kofukuji and Sofukuji, Chinese temples built in the 1600s.

map of Nagasaki along the canal

Meganebashi Bridge 眼鏡橋

Amid all the stone bridges, the most famous one is Meganebashi, or “Spectacles Bridge” and it’s Japan’s oldest stone arch bridge. The bridge was built by Chinese monk Mokusunyoujo of Kofukuji Temple.

stone bridge Meganebashi Bridge crossing a canal

The name Megane comes from the shape of the bridge and the reflection in the river resembling spectacles. Megane means spectacles or glasses in Japanese. Meganebashi Bridge is one of Japan’s three famous bridges along with Tokyo’s Nihonbashi Bridge and Iwakuni’s Kintaikyou Bridge.

stone bridge Meganebashi Bridge crossing a canal

We would recommend the locations we’ve covered so far as the first-day itinerary when you’re in Nagasaki.

Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture 長崎歴史文化博物館

Start your second day at the Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture. The museum is dedicated to telling Nagasaki’s role with foreign trade and relationships during Japan’s period of isolation.

entrance gate to Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture

The museum’s exhibits focus on the trade with the West and Chinese, Nagasaki’s arts and crafts, and modernization of the region with imported western technology and knowledge.

boy in front of a Sakamoto Ryōma statue
Statues of Sakamoto Ryoma

Our family enjoyed the museum very much as the information is neatly organized. It was very interesting to learn how the different cultures influenced Nagasaki over the past 400 years.

a carriage inside Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture
Palanquin of Kunchi Festival from 1976
replica of world map from 1570s in a display case
Map of the World Replica from 1570
replica copper and food in a display case
Chinese food ingredient and copper ingot
statue of Mazu - Chinese sea goddess
Statues of Mazu (deity of fishermen and sailors)
model of Chinese residential quarter
Model of Chinese residential quarter
artifacts inside display case
Nagasaki arts and crafts on display
round table with pearl inlay inside a display case
Table with pines and a hawk in mother-of-pearl inlay
kasaboko float used in Kunchi festival on display
Kasaboko float used in Kunchi festival
old photos on a wall
Reproduction of photos by Ueno Hikoma – notable Nagasaki photographer
old electric telegraph machines
Telegraph equipment

Our favorite part of the museum is the recreated Nagasaki Magistrate’s office.

reconstructed Nagasaki Magistrate's Office hallway and rooms

At the time, the magistrate’s office oversaw many government functions including trade, justice, and religion.

reconstructed Nagasaki Magistrate's Office rooms with sliding doors

The office was faithfully restored down to the smallest details.

trade goods on the floor in a traditional Japanese room
Trade goods from Europe and Asia which include animal skins and ivory

Walk 15 minutes west and head to the Museum of 26 Martyrs of Japan.

Museum of 26 Martyrs of Japan 日本二十六聖人記念館

In the late 1500s, Toyotomi Hideyoshi declared all priests should be expelled from Japan. To enforce his rule, six missionaries and twenty Japanese Christian/Catholics were executed at Nishizaka Hill in 1597.

exterior of the Museum of 26 Martyrs of Japan

The museum houses a number of exhibits on the history of Christianity in Nagasaki. You can find personal belongings of hidden Christians and an original letter of St. Francis Xavier there.

The Twenty-Six Martyrs Monument
Twenty-Six Martyrs Monument which faces the Oura Church
The Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum
The Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum

After visiting the Twenty-Six Martyrs Museum, spend the rest of day two at Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park! We’ll cover more in the next post.

Mt. Inasayama Observatory 稲佐山山頂展望台

At night, enjoy the panoramic scene from Mt. Inasayama Observatory. It is one of the three major night views of Japan (including Hakodate).

man with two children with city of Nagasaki in the background

Visitors can take the ropeway up from the Fuchi Shrine Station, drive halfway up the mountain and take the slope car, or drive all the way to the top.

Nagasaki view from Mt. Inasayama Observatory

There’s a spacious observation deck for visitors to take in the view of Nagasaki during the day or at night. Inside the observatory is Hikari Restaurant that serves classic Nagasaki dishes like champon, sara udon, and toruko rice (Turkish rice).

It was a bit hectic trying to see all the historic Nagaski sites in two and a half-day. When you visit, it’s best to spend three to four days to fully appreciate this colorful city. The next stop in Nagasaki is Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park.

Interested to see more of Kyushu Island? Head over to our Kyushu travel guides.

101 Places to Visit in Tokyo ebook

Introducing JOC Goods

JOC Goods, our new online shop, offering Japanese tableware and kitchenware, is now open. It is a natural extension of Just One Cookbook’s mission to teach home cooks how to prepare and enjoy delicious Japanese meals. We believe that beautifully plated food can bring joy and happiness to people’s lives.

Browse All Products

Subscribe
Notify of
7 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Dear Nami,

Thank you for your explanation of Huis ten Bosch mentioned in your previous travel guide of Kyushu. You mentioned Hollander Sloop where foreigners were allowed to reside. Is this because the majority of the foreigners who resided there were from Holland? Or was it just given that name because of the foreigners residing there?
Thank you for sharing the Nagasaki tour!

Very nice and beautiful travel photos. Thanks for sharing these photos.
I have never been in Nagasaki. Nice museums.
I enjoy your travelling photos. – Presentations are excellent.
I could visit many Japanese places from my laptop.

We’ve just booked to return to Japan next spring (we used to live in Osaka.) But neither of us have been to Nagasaki so we’re doing our first week in Kyushu so this guide is very useful!

Dear Nami,
Wow! Thank you for wonderful journey in Nagasaki. IAnd coincidence – a few days ago I saw a great film about Japanese dynasties on TV and one part was dedicated to the city of Nagasaki, the Dutch Quarter and so on. I really liked it, and now your article is great! I hope one day we will visit Japan, although we are quite far away – in Lithuania 🙂