Nagasaki Kunchi is a vibrant, energetic festival, celebrating the local deity worshipped at Suwa Shrine, with a history stretching back some 370 years.Nagasaki Kunchi is a lively and dynamic festival that celebrates the local deity worshipped at Suwa Shrine. It has a history that spans 370 years.

The performances at this event have been designated as Important Intangible Folk Cultural Properties of Japan. They include not only Japanese folk dances but also evidence of Nagasaki's longstanding intercultural exchange. This includes Chinese-influenced dragon dances, Western elements such as the Dutch Ship and the Dutch Comedies, and many more. This Nagasaki festival is truly unique!

Hashima is also known as "Gunkanjima" (Battleship Island) because of its distinctive silhouette.

Hashima thrived as a coal mining community from 1890. When the coal mine closed in 1974, the island was abandoned.

Today, Hashima is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its historical significance. The island gained international attention after being featured as the "Dead City" in the James Bond movie "Skyfall" (2013) and serving as a filming location for "Attack on Titan" (2015). Boat tours are now available for visitors to explore Hashima.

The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum presents the historical event in the form of a compelling narrative.

It starts with the devastating attack, covering the events leading to the dropping of the atomic bomb, the reconstruction of Nagasaki to the present day, the history of nuclear weapons development, and the hope for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons.

After the atomic bombing of the city, it was said that grass and trees would not grow in this spot for 75 years.

The Peace Statue was created by sculptor Seibo Kitamura, a native of Nagasaki. The raised right hand pointing to the sky depicts the threat of the atomic bomb. The left hand stretching horizontally symbolizes eternal world peace, while the slightly closed eyes express a prayer asking that the victims' souls may find rest.

In addition, a poem is carved into a memorial plate in front of the park’s fountain, written by a child who suffered from thirst in the immediate aftermath of the bombing. The fountain, brimming with water, is an offering to all those who lost their strength before they could drink a single drop. Every year, a Peace Memorial Ceremony is conducted in front of this statue.

This memorial hall was established to honor the victims of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, including those who died from resulting injuries or illnesses.

It serves as a prayer hall for world peace. Visitors are encouraged to leave messages of peace, which are carefully maintained by the hall and can be viewed by others.

During the atomic bombing of Nagasaki City, one of the torii gates of Sanno Shrine was cut in half by the blast.

The gate still stands today on a single column, symbolizing Nagasaki City and its people's resilience in the face of adversity. The shrine's camphor trees were also damaged in the explosion but with time, they began to grow again and are still growing today. Small pieces of broken glass and debris from the atomic blast can still be seen inside the hollow of one of the trees.

Tatsunoshima Island seems to float upon the vivid blue ocean. View the uniquely eroded stacks, caves, and arches, as well as “Snake Valley,” named for the narrow gorge that snakes between 50-meter cliffs.

Thrill-seekers can walk along the top of the cliff. With its fine white sand and calm crystal-clear waters, the island's beach is the perfect place to relax.

Huis Ten Bosch is a premier theme park in Japan, replicating the ambiance of a European town and captivating visitors with stunning light displays and vibrant arrays of thousands of colorful flowers that can be admired year-round.

Located on the edge of scenic Omura Bay, the expansive grounds of Huis Ten Bosch feature stately brick buildings and canals that flow throughout the resort, as well as restaurants, shops, and even hotels and museums.

Begun as a celebration of the Chinese New Year primarily by the Chinese merchants resident in Nagasaki, the Nagasaki Lantern Festival has become a staple winter event in the city, and the largest of its kind in all of Japan.

Over 15,000 colorful lanterns and large art objects decorate the entire city, from Chinatown and Minato Park to Chuo Park, Meganebashi, Kanko-dori Arcade in Hamanomachi, and many other locations throughout the city. Chinese circus performances and dragon dancing add to the excitement.

The view of Nagasaki at night should not be missed. With Nagasaki Port at the center, mountains loom on three sides.

Homes and city lights populate the slopes, their lights mingling with the twinkling stars in the sky. Nagasaki’s splendid night view can be enjoyed from many parts of the city, but the best way to enjoy the view is to take the glass-paneled gondola ropeway up to Mt. Inasa.

At the World Night View Summit in 2012, Nagasaki was recognized as one of the 3 cities with the most spectacular night views in the world.

Home to about 180 penguins of nine different species, the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium is the place to go for nature lovers wishing to get up close to these popular birds.

Visitors can watch the penguins swimming in enormous, glass-walled habitats and can even interact with the penguins and feed them. The aquarium is also home to the oldest penguin living in captivity in the world, a king penguin named Gin-Kichi.

The Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture is one of Japan’s leading museums covering the story of international exchange.

It has many exhibitions of precious historical materials from Nagasaki’s modern history, works of art, and ancient writings. It also shows a part of the restored Tateyama branch of the Edo-period Nagasaki magistrate’s office, where visitors can enjoy a short drama performance. In addition, the craft center offers hands-on classes of Nagasaki’s traditional crafts.

On February 5, 1597, twenty-six Catholics were executed here under the orders of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, marking the beginning of a two-century-long period of harsh Christian persecution in Japan.

Today, this spot on Nishizaka Hill has been designated a Japanese National Sanctuary. Pope St. John Paul II visited this site on February 26, 1981, as a pilgrim for the martyrs.

The origins of Nagasaki’s Suwa Shrine can be traced back to the 1500s.

Originally located at present-day Teramachi Dori (temple street), this shrine, together with other Buddhist and Shinto relics, was destroyed by the Christians. To revive the Shinto faith, Suwa Shrine was rebuilt in 1625 and relocated to its present location in 1648. The Nagasaki Kunchi Festival, with over 380 years of history, takes place here October 7–9 annually and is one of the largest festivals in Japan.

These mountains are famous for their azaleas in the spring, green colors in the summer, autumn leaves in the fall, and frosty fog in the winter.

Enjoy the cable-car ride up to the top for breathtaking views. A trekking path allows hikers to enjoy the mountain flowers and wild birds, as well as stunning close-up views of Heisei Shinzan, the peak newly formed by the 1990s Fugendake eruption.

At Glover Garden, you can visit beautiful traditional homes built for British merchants, including the oldest wooden Western-style residence in Japan, a home built by the Scottish merchant Thomas Glover, who greatly influenced the industrialization of Japan.

The Former Glover Residence was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site List in 2015 under "Sites of Japan's Meiji Restoration: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining."

The garden is decorated with flowers and has a stunning view of Nagasaki Port. The night-time light displays and seasonal 3D projection mapping also attract many visitors.

At the mention of Nagasaki, many people immediately think of champon, a dish loved by both tourists and locals.

It's said that during the Meiji period, a local Chinese restaurant invented the dish to provide students from China with a filling and nutritious meal. Toaku, an ingredient unique to Nagasaki, is used in the noodles to give them a springy texture.

This delicious dish also includes fried vegetables and seafood, brought together with the noodles in a rich soup. Sara udon is another famous dish representative of Nagasaki; one can choose crispy, thin noodles or thick champon noodles.

Castella is a sweet, moist sponge cake. Based on a recipe originally introduced by Portuguese missionaries in the mid-16th century and then developed by the people of Nagasaki, it is now a popular item.

Momo Castella, a peach-shaped version of Castella, is another popular Nagasaki cake. It reflects the Chinese belief that peaches bring good luck. It is just one of a range of delicious Nagasaki sweets that combine the best of Japan, the West, and China.

During Japan's long period of national seclusion (1641-1859), Dejima was the only door open to Europe and gave Nagasaki the status of Japan’s sole international trading port.

Dejima played an important role in the development of culture, industry, and science in Japan by serving as a gateway to the West.

As part of the ongoing process to restore Dejima to its 19th-century state, foundation stones, stone walls, and many other remains were excavated, and some are exhibited inside the carefully reconstructed buildings.

Other exhibitions, including the history of Dejima and Western learning, provide visitors with a sense of everyday life on Dejima.

Oura Cathedral is the oldest wooden church of gothic architecture existing in Japan. It was built in 1864 by a French missionary and was thus known by the people of Nagasaki at the time as the “French Temple.”

This church was dedicated to the 26 martyrs who had been executed on Nishizaka Hill; the bronze statues in Oura Cathedral and on Nishizaka were built to face each other.