Back in October, I visited Nagasaki. I mentioned my trip a little on Ginkanjima and West Kyushu Shinkansen thread. I also posted over at Hilton about my stay at Hilton Nagasaki. Following are places I visited during my trip to Nagasaki back in October.

Oura Church
Up the hill on the Glover Street is Oura Church. The church was built in 1864 and opened its door in 1865 by french priests this church is designated as a national treasure by the Japanese government. No photography inside of the church, hence only pictures are from outside.










Glover Garden
A former resident of Scottish merchant Thomas Glover. Thomas Glover came to Nagasaki in 1859 and established Glover Company, trading silk and tea and went on to do various things including mining. Thomas Glover was part of first ever stream locomotive run in Japan, it was a demonstration and not a passenger carrying service. Thomas Glover was also involved in establishing Kirin Beer, In later years Thomas Glover lived in Tokyo and in 1908 he received Gold and Silver Star of the Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese government for his contribution to Japan. Thomas Glover was also credited for introducing fly fishing in Japan at his vacation home in Nikko.












Nagasaki Kunchi Festival
Kunchi Festival is an annual autumn festival by Suwa Shrine in Nagasaki. Kunchi Festival started in 1634 and is on Oct. 7, 8, and 9. I just missed the Kunchin Festival but next to Glover Garden is the display of the Kunchin Festival which has a Chinese influence. These run around the street of Nagasaki during the Kunchi Festival.








Oranda Zaka (Holland Hill)
After the Glover Garden, I made it to Oranda Zaka on foot. Oranda Zaka is the area affluent foreigners (non-Japanese) lived during the Meiji era. Some houses with European architectural influence from that time still remain. Only one part of Oranda Zaka is popular with tourists, but I strolled around the entire Oranda Zaka. I did not capture old European style houses in pictures that well.








This is the area of Oranza Zaka popular with tourists. Sign of Oranda Zaka in Japanese.






Megane Bridge
This bridge is the oldest stone arch bridge in Japan, constructed in 1634. This bridge is designated as a significantly important cultural property by the Japanese government. However, this bridge is often listed as one of the "most disappointing tourist sites in Japan" by Japanese media.






Inasayama (Mt. Inasa)
Inasayama is not the tallest mountain around the city of Nagasaki. But the top of Inasayama has the most unobstructed view of the city of Nagasaki, hence chosen as a location for the radio TV tower serving the city of Nagasaki. Most unobstructed view of the city means you can see Inasayama from pretty much anywhere in the city of Nagasaki.

The view of Inasayama from my hotel room at Hilton Nagasaki,


The view of Inasayama from Nagasaki station.


The view of Inasayama from Dejima Wharf.


The view of Inasayama from right next to Dejima.


The view of Inasayama from Nagasaki Peace Park.


The view of Inasayama from Glover Garden.


The view of Inasayama from Nagasaki bay.


I went up to Inasayama during the night. During clear daytime, Gunkanjima can be seen from the top of Inasayama.

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park
I don't want to go OMNI/PR out of this. What hit me was what is going on with Ukraine currently and what Putin is saying about his option of using a nuclear weapon, then the statement at the A-Bomb Museums said: "We hope Nagasaki to remain the last place nuclear weapons were used."















Dejima
Dejima is a small man-made island constructed in 1636 and until 1859 this was the only place European merchants can live at Nagasaki. During 1639 and 1854 Dejima was the only place open to Europe and trade with Europe existed. Today Dejima is recreated at the exact same location Dejima was located.










Did not know that Dejima was connected all the way to Boston.


Nagasaki Chinatown
Due to its geographical location, Nagasaki has had a tie with China for long as anybody can remember. Some archeological finding suggests that Nagasaki had cultural interaction with China way back in B.C. It is obvious that Nagasaki has Chinatown.










Dejima Wharf
This is no cultural or historical site, This is a shopping/restaurant facility right by the bay. It was a nice clear sunny day in Nagasaki. I just sat at the outside table at one of the restaurants and had coffee and spent an hour just relaxing and enjoying the view. I was not planning to go to Dejima Wharf initially but it turned out to be a pleasant time at Dejima Wharf.








Twenty Six Martyrs Museum
This memorial and the museum is not far from Nagasaki station, within walking distance. The location where 26 Catholics were assassinated in 1597 by the order of the Bakufu (Japanese government).

Nice. Interesting that the 26 martyrs are at St. Paul's in Macau. Just behind and down behind the main facade.

Food, food, and food!
When I travel I tend to concentrate on local flavor when it comes to food.

Nagasaki Champon
This ramen looking dish was invented in Nagasaki in 1899 by the first chef/owner of the Chinese restaurant Shikairou, Chen Pingshun (陳 平順). Chen was born in Fuzhou, China, and came to Nagasaki in 1892. Chen opened a Chinese restaurant in Nagasaki and he came up with a noodle dish based on a shredded pork noodle soup dish from Fuzhou, 湯肉絲麺. Chen used seafood which was abundant in Nagasaki instead of pork.




Whale Meat
Yes, I had whale meat while I was in Nagasaki. Whale katsu.


Whale sashimi


Shippoku Cuisine
Local Nagasaki cuisine. it is mix of Japanese, Chinese and Dutch. At a restaurant setting typically served Chinese style, round table with a rotating stand in the middle.


Local Fish
I asked for an izakaya recommendation around the Nagasaki station area at the hotel. That izakaya was booked solid with the reservation that night. I just walked around the area and had a small independent mom-and-pop type izakaya. Had fish from local Ariyaka bay.




Sara Udon and Turkish Rice
I forgot to take pictures of these two. These are also local Nagasaki flavors. Sara Udon is more like Champon but the noodle is fried. Turkish Rice, where I have no idea why it is "Turkish" but I found a picture of Turkish Rice on the web. I had Turkish Rice at a restaurant Tsuru Chan.

Extra, not specific to Nagasaki but Nagasaki related. As a train geek, I have posted about West Kyushu Shinkansen. To get to Hakata, need to transfer to regular limited express at Takeo Onsen. 885 Series train used to run as a limited express between Nagasaki and Hakata, now run between Takeo Onsen and Hakata. It is an interesting train, JR Kyushu has some interesting trains running.












I flew back to Tokyo from Fukuoka on brand new JAL A350. But before leaving Fukuoka I had Fukuoka's local dish Mizutaki, a hot pot chicken dish.

Thanks for a nice writeup � we are looking at visiting Nagasaki in April and these are very helpful!

As an aside, there are some interesting Japanese artifacts at the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem that date back to that era.

Another Chinese-related event in Nagasaki, the Lantern Festival, is about to get underway, starting on Feb. 5 and ending on Feb. 19.
https://ohmatsuri.com/en/articles/na...ntern-festival

Another lantern festival that reminds me of Nagasaki is Shoro Nagashi which is conducted in August during Obon. The use of firecrackers during Shoro Nagashi is believed to come from Chinese influence. Shoro Nagashi became famous thanks to the '70s folk music duo group Grape. A member of Grape, Masashi Sada, is from Nagasaki and he wrote the song Shoro Nagashi. I think this is the way many Japanese came to know Shoro Nagashi

Beautiful pictures. I did not know this was such a charming town.

Interestingly that as Fuzhou native I have never heard of 湯肉絲麺 this dish, but somehow a person from Fuzhou opened a restaurant in Japan with it...

Great review here:
Nagoya Marriott Associa Hotel, Japan [Master Thread]

That's a thread about a Marriott property in Nagoya.

Thanks for the photos, wonderful.

I'll be in Nagasaki twice next June (back-to-back cruises from Shanghai) so this gives good ideas about what to do. I've been to Nagasaki a couple of times before but have only done the superficial touristy things.

Are there any festivals / special events in the latter part of June?

So for 2024 the venue will be held Feb 10 to Feb 25?
Love Festivals in Japan. Might bookmark this one.

There are not many "special events" in June other than the festival linked to below, which in the past was held from May 25 to June 16. Nevertheless, the major sightseeing spots are open year-round so you'll have plenty to do and see in June.
https://travelers.whg-hotels.jp/en/post/2756/

Apparently so.
https://jw-webmagazine.com/nagasaki-...-bc34ac208515/