5 Things to do in Nagasaki / Facts about Nagasaki

What to do in Nagasaki (長崎) - Where is Nagasaki

Kyushu Map with a circle around Nagasaki.

Map of Nagasaki Prefecture in Japan.

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Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan.

It became the sole port used for trade with the Portuguese and Dutch during the 16th through 19th centuries and the Hidden Christian Sites in the Nagasaki Region have been recognized and included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Part of Nagasaki was home to a major Imperial Japanese Navy base during the First Sino-Japanese War and Russo-Japanese War.

Near the end of World War II, the American atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki made Nagasaki the second and, to date, last city in the world to experience a nuclear attack.

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There are many things to see and experience in Nagasaki here is a list of 5 Activities:

1.) Visit Hashima Island on a boat.

2.) Visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.

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3.) Explore the History of Dejima!

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Check out the video of my visit to Nagasaki!

4.) Experience the Nagasaki Lantern Festival and the first Chinatown in Japan.

5.) Go on top of Mt. Inasa and enjoy the view of the city!

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 Let's go into more detail

1.) Visit Hashima Island on a boat.

Eerie sightseeing spot Hashima Island is an abandoned offshore mining facility, also known as Gunkanjima or Battleship Island.

Visitors tour its overgrown industrial sites, semi-ruined concrete workers’ quarters, and so-called “stairway to hell.”

There’s a quiet Shinto shrine at the center and views across the East China Sea from atop the perimeter wall.

The James Bond film “Skyfall” was partly set on the island.

Depending on the weather you might not be able to get on the Island so check in advance and the tours are fully in Japanese.

As a small tip if it is raining umbrellas are not allowed and the raincoats are kind of small so it is better to buy a fitting one in advance.

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2.) Visit the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum.

Jarring, horrific reminders of the devastation caused by the August 9, 1945 bombing of Nagasaki fill this historic and educational museum, which traces events preceding the bombing, the resulting destruction and the city’s restoration.

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3.) Explore the History of Dejima!

An artificial island to which Dutch workers were restricted during Japan's era of isolation, the area is now being restored and includes historical buildings, a museum and a miniature model of the former island.

Dejima (Japanese: 出島, "exit island"), in the 17th century also called Tsukishima ( 築島, "built island"),[ was an artificial island off Nagasaki, Japan that served as a trading post for the Portuguese (1570–1639) and subsequently the Dutch (1641–1854).[2] For 220 years, it was the central conduit for foreign trade and cultural exchange with Japan during the isolationist Edo period (1600–1869), and the only Japanese territory open to Westerners.

Spanning 120 m × 75 m (390 ft × 250 ft) or 9,000 m2 (2.2 acres), Dejima was created in 1636 by digging a canal through a small peninsula and linking it to the mainland with a small bridge. The island was constructed by the Tokugawa shogunate, whose isolationist policies sought to preserve the existing sociopolitical order by forbidding outsiders from entering Japan while prohibiting most Japanese from leaving. Dejima would house Portuguese merchants and separate them from Japanese society while still facilitating lucrative trade with the West.

Following a rebellion by mostly Catholic converts, all Portuguese were expelled in 1639, and the Dutch were moved to Dejima in 1641, albeit under stricter control: The open practice of Christianity was banned, and interactions between Dutch and Japanese traders were tightly regulated. Until the mid-19th century, the Dutch were the only Westerners with exclusive access to Japanese goods, and, to a lesser extent, society and culture. Dejima consequently played a key role in the Japanese movement of rangaku, (蘭學, "Dutch learning"), an organized scholarly effort to learn the Dutch language in order to understand Western science, medicine, and technology.

After the Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854, which fully opened Japan to foreign trade and diplomatic relations, Dejima was abolished and later integrated into Nagasaki city through land reclamation. In 1922, the "Dejima Dutch Trading Post" was designated a Japanese national historic site, and there are ongoing efforts in the 21st century to restore Dejima as an island.

Check out the video of my to Dojima!

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4.) Experience the Nagasaki Lantern Festival and the first Chinatown in Japan.

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown (Japanese: 長崎新地中華街) is an area located in Nagasaki, Nagasaki, Japan. Today this area is a shopping area covering many blocks.

Most of the Chinese members of Nagasaki Chinatown are of Fuzhounese descent. Nagasaki and Fuzhou established ties as sister cities in 1980 to recognize the historical connections between the two cities and Fuzhounese immigrant community.

This area was originally the location of the warehouses of Chinese merchants, who traded goods to Japan from the 15th to 19th centuries. They lived in the 'Chinese residence' (Tojin yashiki) a little to the south-east (today's Kannaimachi 館内町).

The Chinese traders came to Nagasaki because it was the only open port in Japan during the Tokugawa period. The Tokugawa government allowed only Nagasaki to stay open to Chinese and Dutch traders, closing off the rest of Japan to prevent European political influence and the spread of Christianity.

Strict rules were placed on these Chinese traders, forcing them to stay within the precincts of the Tojin yashiki at night. Anyone found outside the area during prohibited times was arrested by the local guard.

Lantern Festival

This winter event in Nagasaki is held from the 1st through the 15th of the first month of the traditional Japanese calendar.

The entire area centered on Nagasaki Chinatown is decorated with more than 15,000 vividly colored Chinese paper lanterns and various illuminated art objects both large and small.

Originally a New Year festival celebrated by Chinese residents of Nagasaki, the scale of the celebrations was expanded in 1994, and it became famous nationwide.

There are many events with a rich traditional Chinese flavor, including the dragon dances (a Chinese ritual to pray for rain), erhu ( a stringed instrument) concerts, Chinese acrobatics, Chinese mask shows, and the magnificent Emperor's Parade.

It boasts as many as 1 million visitors.

Check out the video of my visit to Nagasaki Chinatown!

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5.) Go on top of Mt. Inasa and enjoy the view of the city!

There is an observation platform that is popular with tourists as it provides extensive views of Nagasaki's "10 Million Dollar Night View" (1000万ドルの夜景, Issenmandoru no yakei).

Mount Inasa is found in the town of Inasa in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture. There is a ropeway that takes visitors to the summit, where there is an observatory offering sweeping views of the city of Nagasaki, which is known as being one of the three cities in Japan with the best night views. During the spring season, you can enjoy the cherry blossoms in bloom along with the panoramic views. Don't miss a visit to Mount Inasa during your stay in Nagasaki.

The summit can be most conveniently accessed by the ropeway. The ropeway station is located near Fuchi Shrine. Visitors can spend some quiet moments in the shrine and even pray for good weather before heading up the mountain.

Like the ropeway, the new viewing observatory was reopened in 2011 to much fanfare. The cylindrical building is encased in glass for an immersive 360-degree viewing experience. From the extended roof of the observatory, visitors are rewarded with a panorama of Nagasaki's nightscape.

The combination of beauty and serenity of Nagasaki's nightscape makes Mount Inasa a popular spot for couples. There is even a heart-shaped monument that eternalized romantic promises made by lovers who visit the observatory.
Mount Inasa also offers picturesque views in the day, especially in spring when the cherry blossoms and azalea flowers are in full bloom. Whether for romance or sightseeing, Mount Inasa is the perfect place to enjoy the essence of Nagasaki at high altitude. 

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