Japan is the first place I ever traveled independently, and I devoted a significant portion of my life to the study of the place. I have lived in the country on three non-consecutive occasions, in and around the major tourist meccas of Kyoto, Nara, and Osaka. And while I’ll be the first to admit that I’ve neglected Tokyo in my various Japanese travels, I am fairly well versed of everything South and West of it .
So I am here to share an insider secret with you. Nagasaki is where it’s at.
Nagasaki is located on a relatively isolated peninsula on the island of Kyushu, and is best known for the unfortunate events of August 9, 1945, when American planes dropped an atomic bomb on the city – leveling it and ending World War 2.
And while visiting the site of the bombing is reason enough to visit the sleepy town – Nagasaki is only home to half a million people, practically a backwater in Japanese terms – it is host to a great number of other sights and communities that make it well worth the trip from Hiroshima, Kyoto, Tokyo, or wherever else you may be visiting while in the island nation.
In no particular order, here are my top reasons to visit the city and it’s home prefecture (also Nagasaki):
1. It is home to one of the largest Chinatowns in the entire country. Japan has a troubled past with its interactions with other nations in East Asia. Though it is perhaps more famous for its mistreatment of Koreans in the years leading up to WW2, China isn’t far behind. During the annexation of various parts of China, the Japanese empire “imported” quite a bit of labor from its colonies – China being no exception. Many ended up in Nagasaki, as it was generally the first stop for ships coming in from foreign ports across Asia. The result is an incredibly rich Chinese population. I recommend visiting during the Chinese Lantern Festival or exploring any of the cities many Chinese style temples. The Chinese food isn’t bad either!
2. For two hundred years it was Japan’s only connection to the outside world. From 1636 through 1868 (or the Senkoku Period – essentially Japan’s experimentation with the feudal system), foreigners were essentially banned from entering Japan. That is, except, through the carefully regulated port of Dejima (or “Exit Island”). At Dejima, Dutch and Portuguese traders were allowed to sell and trade goods from the different trade routes they operated throughout the world, primarily via the Dutch East India Company. The remains of the port are carefully maintained and are no longer a separate island, and are fascinating to explore.
3. It is home to Hashima, or Gunkanjima, an urban industrial site recently inducted into UNESCO’s world heritage list. I’ve written about Gunkanjima before, and though I haven’t personally visited (it only opened to tourists in 2009 – my time in Nagasaki was before this, unfortunately), it remains as Japan’s Urbex mecca. Featured in James Bond’s “Skyfall” as well as the somewhat unfortunate follow up to the Japanese classic “Battle Royale,” it’s only a matter of time before the tour boats start pulling up.
4. Karatsu and Shimabara, both about two hours away from the city limits, are homes to killer Japanese castles – without the crowds of Himeji or Kumamoto. Though many of Japan’s original castles from the feudal period were leveled during allied bombings in World War 2, the reconstructions at Karatsu and Shimabara are both well worth visiting. Both are on train lines that lead directly to Nagasaki’s main station (Karatsu to the northwest – transfer at Saga, and Shimabara to the south – via Isahaya), and offer charming towns with traditional ryokan that are almost never booked. My intel is a bit out of date, but Karatsu in 2004 was host to an amazing reggae bar, complete with a sandy floor and rastafari Japanese dudes.
I know I’ve talked down about Japan in the past – but that is not to say that it’s not worth visiting. Quite the contrary, Japan is a fascinating country, and well worth visiting. And while I wouldn’t choose to live there again in the future, I am excited to travel there later in life (when I’ve ticked off a few more necessary nations off my ever expanding wanderlist) – and I know for sure that when I do return, Nagasaki will be one of the places I go first.
The bullet train runs to Fukuoka (Hakata Station), the largest city on the island of Kyushu, after which you can catch an express train to Nagasaki – it takes about 90 minutes from Fukuoka. The train station is in downtown Nagasaki. The city has a convenient streetcar system that can take you to the main sights, including Dejima, the Atomic Bomb Memorial, and Chinatown.
To get to Karatsu or Shimabara, you can take the main JR line out of Nagasaki Station. For Karatsu, you’ll have to transfer at Saga, for Shimabara, transfer at Isahaya.
