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Kyushu region - Nagasaki city

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Surrounded on three sides by mountains, the capital of Nagasaki Prefecture sits facing westward at the end of a beautiful five-kilometer long bay. Most of Nagasaki's major sights are accessible on foot or by means of the city's excellent and reasonably-priced streetcar system.

The European Legacy

Oura Tenshu-do (Oura Catholic Church)

Glover Park

A ten-minute walk from Oura Church is Graba-en (Glover Park,) the home of several Meiji-period Western residences. Foremost among them is Glover House, built by Scotsman Thomas Glover in 1863. Also in the park are the Alt House and Ringer House. The park also affords a fine view of Nagasaki's stunning harbor.

Nijuroku Seijin Junkyochi (Twenty-Six Martyrs Memorial)

Located in front of the JR Nagasaki Station, this monument pays tribute to twenty-six Christians crucified in Nagasaki in 1596.

The Chinese Legacy

Kofuku-ji

The oldest Obaku Zen sect temple in Japan, Kofuku-ji was founded in 1620 and patronized by Nanjing Chinese. The main hall, or Daiyuho-den, was rebuilt in 1893 by carpenters from southern China.

Sofuku-ji

Another Obaku Zen sect temple, Sofuku-ji was founded in 1629. It is famous for its San-mon and Ippo-mon gates, fine examples of late Ming Dynasty architecture.The latter was built in China and reassembled in Japan.

Shinchimachi

Nagasaki's Chinatown, Shinchimachi has been a center for Nagasaki's Chinese residents since 1698. Today many Chinese restaurants can be found here.

Other sights

Suwa Shrine

Constructed in 1555 as the guardian shrine of Nagasaki, Suwa Shrine oversees the Okunchi Matsuri, Nagasaki's most famous festival. A 73 stone-step stairway takes one to the shrine precincts, which offer a panoramic view of the city and port.

Urakami District

Heiwa Koen (Peace Park)

At 11:02 am on August 9, 1945, the Nagasaki bomb, missing its intended target of the Mitsubishi Shipyards, exploded over Urakami. Nearly 150,000 people were killed by the blast and its after-effects. A black stone column marks the blast's epicenter, while the 9.7 meter-tall Peace Statue, his right arm pointing to heaven and his left arm stretching out over the ground, warns of the menace of nuclear weapons and eloquently pleas for peace. The park is also the home of the recently opened Atomic Bomb Museum, a corner of which contains permanent exhibitions documenting the destruction wrought by the August 9th explosion. A noteworthy attempt has been made to place the bombing in the wider context of the events leading up to World War II, as well as to alert visitors to the horror of nuclear weapons in general. The museum also has a library, video room, and lecture hall to help educate about the devastating effects of nuclear war.

Urakami Tenshu-do

Completed in 1925, this cathedral was built to serve Urakami's large Christian community. It was destroyed by the bomb and rebuilt in 1958. Headless, blackened stone statues of saints line the path to the church.

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