Nagasaki
Fusion and fire in Japan's international gateway
Looking out east, Nagasaki Prefecture has long been the gateway between the outside world and Japan.
A flourishing port of international exchange in the 16th and 17th centuries, Nagasaki prefecture on the southern island of Kyushu was the only place in Japan to continue to welcome foreign trade during the country’s 200 year period of isolation.
As a result, Nagasaki became a keyhole to the world’s modernization and has played an important role in Japan’s cultural and economic development ever since.
Nagasaki City features eye-catching structures that remain from that time like the downtown Meganebashi and Spectacle Bridge.
Nagasaki Peace Park
The Peace Memorial is a bronze statue inside Heiwa (peace) Park.
Made in memory of the victims of the atomic bomb that devastated the city, Nagasaki Peace Park also houses the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum and the Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall. One of the most notable features of the park is the nearly ten-meter tall Peace Statue sculpted by Seibo Kitamura.
A stroll around the park and its different zones will lead to other installations that illustrate the experiences of the victims of the bombing like the Fountain of Peace which describes the immense thirst for water after the tragedy.
Gunkanjima (Hashima Island)
“Battleship Island” is registered as a World Heritage Site.
Hashima Island goes by many names. The locals refer to the island as Gunkanjima, or “Battleship Island” because of its resemblance to a floating fortress.
For tourists who are looking to step foot on the island, there are tours that allow visitors to view the building ruins from three vantage points. To learn more about the history of the island, spend an afternoon at the Gunkanjima Digital Museum.
Huis Ten Bosch
Stroll through a dreamy European landscape surrounded by tulips.
One of the most famous attractions in Nagasaki is Huis Ten Bosch, a theme park in Sasebo city that was made to channel a European landscape. Notable areas of the park are the multiple gardens filled with different flowers that change through the seasons. A popular time to visit the park is when the tulips and roses bloom.
For those who aren’t so keen on going just for the flowers, the theme park offers “The Kingdom of Light” which is a light showcase best enjoyed after sunset.
Plan your trip to Nagasaki with the links below!
