{"id":6310,"date":"2025-09-01T08:30:49","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T06:30:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/warmcheaptrips.com\/?p=6310"},"modified":"2025-08-31T12:18:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-31T10:18:19","slug":"visit-nagasaki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/warmcheaptrips.com\/en\/visit-nagasaki\/","title":{"rendered":"Visit Nagasaki, the bridge between Japan and the West"},"content":{"rendered":"

I admit it, Nagasaki was never at the top of my list of Japanese destinations to visit, but once there, I discovered a truly unique city, with a strong international influence despite the small number of foreign tourists, and with incredibly kind people eager to chat.<\/p>\n

Undoubtedly, the first thing we associate with Nagasaki is Hiroshima and that terrible fate that linked the two cities<\/strong>: the dropping of the two atomic bombs eighty years ago, at the end of World War II.<\/p>\n

I have visited both cities, but I still haven\u2019t been able to write about Hiroshima, because the weight of that terrible day feels like a punch to the stomach every time I sit down to write\u2014it\u2019s always there, an invisible weight that permeates the entire city. Nagasaki, however, has a different atmosphere. Despite the more than 80,000 victims of that day, it welcomes you by telling you that its history goes far beyond that tragic moment.<\/strong><\/p>\n

A port city, a crossroads of trade and markets, the only port to remain partially open during Sakoku<\/em>, Japan\u2019s isolationist period. In addition to shrines and temples\u2014including Chinese ones\u2014you\u2019ll also find churches here. Towering modern buildings stand beside Western-style villas, traditional Japanese houses, and roofs in Chinese style. Even the food is a mix of foreign influences, especially Chinese and Portuguese.<\/p>\n

Since the 1500s, Nagasaki has been a hub of trade between Japan and the West<\/strong>, particularly with the Portuguese, who also brought Jesuit missionaries such as Francis Xavier. They introduced Christianity to Japan<\/strong>, which is why you\u2019ll find several Christian churches not only in Nagasaki city but throughout the prefecture. Initially tolerated, Christianity was later deemed dangerous, and persecution began. The peak was on February 5, 1597, when 26 Christians (six Western bishops and 20 Japanese converts) were executed in Nagasaki by being pierced with spears. Near the station, you\u2019ll find a monument dedicated to the 26 martyrs, and religious tourism in this area has been steadily growing.<\/p>\n

In the 1600s, during Japan\u2019s isolationist period, Nagasaki was the only port allowed to trade with the outside world\u2014though under strict surveillance and very rigid conditions imposed on the foreigners who lived here. In the 1800s, many merchants and businessmen, such as Thomas Blake Glover, built their villas here to manage trade with the West.<\/p>\n

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I loved strolling through Nagasaki\u2019s streets. It cannot be described as beautiful or elegant like, for instance, Kanazawa<\/a><\/span><\/strong>, but it has a certain charm, perhaps a bit desolate, that makes it unique. Despite having several sights worth visiting, I never found it crowded. Tourism here is mostly domestic, with very few foreign visitors\u2014both Westerners and Asians\u2014while other Kyushu cities like Fukuoka are literally invaded.<\/p>\n

What to See in Nagasaki<\/h2>\n

To visit Nagasaki, a couple of days is enough<\/strong>, which can easily be included in a trip to Kyushu island. I invite you to request a consultation or my travel design service to help you best integrate it into your Japan itinerary<\/a><\/strong><\/span>. The city is easy to get around by tram and bus, but it\u2019s also very pleasant to explore on foot, despite the constant ups and downs of this port town surrounded by hills. A car is not necessary in the city, though it might be useful if you plan to visit nearby Unzen or the Shimabara Peninsula<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

In any case, there is no shortage of things to see in Nagasaki, and by visiting, you\u2019ll be able to walk through its history, recognizing the different eras, tragedies, and foreign influences that shaped the city. Below I list what to see in Nagasaki in geographical order, from north to south, so that you can easily replicate the itinerary over two days.<\/p>\n

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Nagasaki Peace Museum and Peace Park<\/h3>\n

Nagasaki was not supposed to be hit by the atomic bomb.<\/strong> The designated target was Kokura, in northern Kyushu, since it was the main shipbuilding port for war vessels. But bad weather made the drop impossible, so the mission turned to Nagasaki, where Mitsubishi\u2019s shipyards were located.<\/p>\n

Due to Nagasaki\u2019s geography, the effects of the atomic bomb dropped on August 9, 1945, were \u201climited\u201d to the northern part of the city, where today you\u2019ll find the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park.<\/strong> Both are smaller in scale compared to Hiroshima\u2019s, and in some ways different.<\/p>\n

The museum<\/strong> is definitely smaller and less harrowing than Hiroshima\u2019s, but the chills of horror at what mankind was capable of will grip you here as well. Leaving the museum and heading towards the park, you encounter a huge black monolith<\/strong> marking the exact hypocenter where the \u201cFat Boy\u201d bomb exploded on August 9, 1945.<\/p>\n

Peace Park<\/strong> is a rectangular area that once held Nagasaki\u2019s prison, remnants of which can still be seen. Today it is a green space filled with art and water features, culminating in the great Peace Statue<\/strong>. Its right hand points to the sky, symbolizing the threat of nuclear weapons; the left hand stretches outward to represent tranquility and world peace; and its closed eyes express a prayer for the souls of all war victims. The impact is truly overwhelming.<\/p>\n

Hours: Daily, 10:00\u201317:30<\/em><\/strong>

\nAdmission: 200 JPY<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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