Champonちゃんぽん
Thick noodles in a milky pork and chicken broth loaded with seafood, pork and vegetables.
Kyushu
Nagasaki Travel Guide
Local tips, regional food and places off the tourist trail
A hilly harbour city shaped by centuries of foreign trade, plus hundreds of islands. See Nagasaki’s Peace Park, Glover Garden and Dejima, the Kujukushima islands near Sasebo, and the churches of the Goto Islands.
Open Nagasaki on the map40 places on the map · 8 local favourites
Local tips
- TipNagasaki city’s trams reach most central sights, but the city is steep, so expect plenty of slopes and stairs.
- Heads upGunkanjima (Hashima) landing tours are often cancelled or sail-by only when waves are high; keep a backup day.
- TipAround Chinese New Year, the Nagasaki Lantern Festival lights up the city with thousands of lanterns.
- DoMany Goto Islands churches are active places of worship; dress modestly, stay quiet, and check visiting rules in advance.
- TipReach the Goto Islands by ferry or jetfoil from Nagasaki port, or by short flight; car rental helps on the islands.
What to eat
Sara udon皿うどん
Crispy fried noodles topped with a thick seafood and vegetable sauce; locals often add Worcestershire sauce.
Sasebo burger佐世保バーガー
Big, made-to-order burgers from Sasebo, a style that grew up around the local US naval base.
Local favourites
Places mostly visited by people who live here — quieter, and often the highlight of a trip.
Kurosaki Church
黒崎教会 Sights & HistoryRed-brick church on the Sotome coast, where hidden Christians lived. The sunset over the sea from this coast is superb.
● Mostly localsHirado Kawachi Pass
川内峠 Nature & SceneryGrassy ridge with sweeping views over islands, the sea and Hirado; mostly visited by locals.
● Mostly localsHirado Tsutaya
平戸蔦屋 Local FoodVery old Hirado confectioner selling Casdoce, a castella dipped in egg and sugar, from a historic house near the harbour.
● Mostly localsNakaoyama Pottery Village
中尾山 ShoppingHillside pottery village with dozens of kilns, tall brick chimneys and small galleries.
● Mostly localsTakahama Beach
高浜海水浴場 Nature & SceneryOne of Japan's most beautiful beaches, with white sand and turquoise water on Fukue Island in the Goto archipelago.
● Mostly localsShimabara Mizuyashiki
しまばら水屋敷 Local FoodAn old merchant house café with a spring-fed garden pond, serving kanzarashi rice dumplings floating in sweet syrup.
● Mostly localsShimabara Samurai Residences
島原武家屋敷 Sights & HistoryStreet of low samurai houses with a clear spring-fed stream running down the middle.
● Mostly localsHasami Nishinohara
西の原 ShoppingLocal FoodOld ceramic factory buildings in Hasami turned into craft shops and cafés. A laid-back stop for Hasami-ware lovers.
● Mostly localsThe famous sights
The places most visitors come for. Worth it — just go early.
Glover Garden
グラバー園 Sights & HistoryHillside park of Western merchants' houses above the harbour, with gardens and sweeping views. Take the moving walkways up and walk down.
Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
長崎原爆資料館 Sights & HistoryMoving museum on the atomic bombing of Nagasaki. Combine with the Peace Park and the hypocentre monument nearby.
Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown
長崎新地中華街 Local FoodCompact Chinatown with four colourful gates, pork buns and sara-udon. The centre of the Lantern Festival.
Oura Cathedral
大浦天主堂 Sights & HistoryJapan's oldest standing church, where hidden Christians revealed themselves after centuries of persecution. Part of a World Heritage listing.
Dejima
出島 Sights & HistoryThe fan-shaped island where Dutch traders were confined during Japan's isolation, rebuilt with warehouses and living quarters you can walk through.
Megane Bridge
眼鏡橋 Sights & HistoryStone bridge whose arches reflect as a pair of spectacles. Look for the heart-shaped stones set in the riverbank wall.
Mount Inasa Night View
稲佐山 NightlifeNature & SceneryRopeway to a summit with one of Japan's most famous night views over Nagasaki's harbour and hillside lights.
Huis Ten Bosch
ハウステンボス ExperiencesDutch-themed resort town with canals, windmills and huge seasonal illuminations and flower festivals.