Nagasaki

Nagasaki is a beautiful town of parks and gardens. It differs from the other towns in part mainly from the Chinese and Dutch presence in the past. You can see such influence in their architecture.

Quick Tips:

Stop by the tourist information booth just to the right of the turnstill at the JR train station and get the map of the town free. English is spoken so communication will not be a problem.

Try their local specialities like the Castilla cake (Dutch influenced pound cake), Champon noodles (Chinese-influenced)from Chinatown.

Best Way To Get Around:

In Nagasaki, we bought a one-day streetcar/tram pass since most major sights are located within walking distance from the streetcar stops.

You can find the Nagasaki Peace Statue completed in 1955, 10 years after the explosion. The sculpture was designed by Seibo Kitamura. The raised arm points to the threat of nuclear arms while the outstretched arm symbolises peace.

The easiest way to view the garden is to take the travellator (yes, it has travellators, similiar to those found in airports) all the way up and to follow the arrows, moving downhill.

Be sure to look out for Madam Butterfly on the way down, she is a Japanese singer Miura Tamaki, often known as Madam Butterfly from the opera by Puccini and the little garden across the statue. Most of the shrubs are planted by singers who had won the Madam Butterfly contest.

From the top of the garden, it offers a beautiful view of the city.

Near the foot of the hill is Oura Catholic church, the oldest gothic structure in Japan. It is designated as a national treasure of Japan and has beautiful stained glass windows.