For stunning landscapes including volcanic peaks and a vast coastline, visit Nagasaki, a hotspot for outdoor adventures. Explore one of Japan’s 47 administrative districts known as prefectures. Discover how this prefecture was once part of an important trading route with Europe, especially during the Sakoku period between the 17th and 19th centuries. This was the only place in Japan allowing access to the outside world.
On the southwest coast the metropolis of Nagasaki was partly destroyed in 1945 by an atomic bomb. Visit heritage monuments such as the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum to explore how the city has been rebuilt over the years. Other important attractions include the Suwa Shrine and the Glover Garden, site of the country’s oldest Western-style wooden house.
Elsewhere within Nagasaki prefecture, find numerous areas of outstanding natural beauty. The region is particularly popular for its hot springs (onsens), as well as numerous beach resorts around Tachibana Bay. A handful of idyllic islands are just off the coast of Nagasaki. Go to the former British and Dutch trading post of Hirado and visit the reconstructed 18th-century Hirado Castle.
Nagasaki’s culture has been strongly influenced by Europe since the 16th century, in part due to the arrival of Catholic missionaries from Portugal and other countries. Admire churches including the Oura Catholic Cathedral in Nagasaki city and discover various UNESCO World Heritage Christian monuments in the hilltop city of Shimabara and elsewhere in the prefecture. Enjoy a shore excursion from the Port of Nagasaki, a major stop on many international cruise routes and the gateway for international visitors for decades.
In springtime gaze at the famed cherry blossoms at Peace Park in Nagasaki city. Head to the national park at Mount Unzen during the winter to indulge in thermal spa treatments and view trees crystallized with frost.
Fly directly to Nagasaki Airport from numerous cities in Asia. The region is also accessible by Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
