Nagasaki
District Guide

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The best and easiest way to travel around the beautiful bay city of Nagasaki is by tram. The logical place to begin in central Nagasaki, is the station area, Daikoku-machi. Although cluttered and busy, it contains dozens of shops and restaurants of interest, as well as a handful of popular and convenient hotels. In addition, extra travel information is available nearby at the Nagasaki Tourist Information Centre. After getting some maps and advice, the 26 Martyrs Memorial, in Nishizaka-machi, and Honren-ji in Chikugo-machi are both popular tourist attractions. However, make sure to allow plenty of time to see all the sites, as Nagasaki's plentiful hills and steep inclines, wear out even the fittest of tourists.

Should you continue south, you will soon be at the Ohato tram stop. Reaching out into the bay to the west is Motofuna-machi, where, besides a few hotels with good views of the bay, you will find the Nagasaki Terminal and port area. From here, boats run tours of the bay and carry passengers to such destinations as Iojima. Pass over the Nakashima River, and you have arrived in Dejima-machi, an area of considerable world fame. Dejima was an artificial island built in 1636 in Nagasaki Bay for foreign traders, as foreigners were barred from the country. Here you will find a park and Dejima museum dedicated to the former Dutch outpost of the same name.

From this point, the tram veers west toward Shinchi-machi, an area more colloquially known as China Town. The place is similar to other Chinatown's worldwide, with excellent Chinese restaurants and a few specialty shops. From Tsuki-machi, the nearest tram stop, you can then head south, toward the Glover Gardens. Glover Gardens are considered an "important cultural asset" by the Japanese government, because it is the oldest wooden building of western design in Japan. The gardens are a relaxing and tranquil place to have lunch, or visit the nearby historical buildings, such as Oura Cathedral and the famed Dutch Slope. The slope is composed of irregular-sized stone slabs or bricks, lined by ivy-covered stone and concrete walls.

Trams north of Tsuki-machi arrive in one of the livelier parts of the city. The first stop is Hamanomachi where Nagasaki's largest and most famous arcade is located. Follow the tram a little further east, past the Kanko-dori stop, and you have arrived in Nagasaki's entertainment district, Shianbashi Gourmet Street . In this area the action only begins to wind down well after midnight.

From the west end of the Hamanomachi arcade, a tram line continues north and gradually begins to veer northeast. At your first tram stop, Migiwai-bashi, you may want to step down to visit the Spectacles Bridge, just a block or so to your west. Another couple of blocks beyond, you will find Temple Row. You could continue on the tram line northeast, but if you have the strength and time, the road along Temple Row runs parallel, and provides quite a scenic stroll. Either way, you will eventually arrive in Shindaiku-machi. Not far from this residential shopping district is Suwa-jinja, another frequent destination on Nagasaki itineraries. Travel due east and you will arrive back at the Nagasaki Station area, ready to explore what lies north.

Northern Nagasaki is perhaps the most frequented part of the city, due in no small part to its Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum. Even though a flood of visitors pass through Heiwa-machi everyday, there area is quiet calm, and is very relaxing. No doubt, the educational institutions and residential districts affects this to some extent. Just west of the Peace Park also lies Urakami Cathedral, from whose name the general area and local JR station draw their own names.

Two final areas of Nagasaki deserve your attention. One is the Mount Inasa, located to the west, across the Urakami River from the Nagasaki Station area. This peak provides arguably the best views of the city, not to mention some of the finest hotels. A few kilometers in the other direction, to the east, there is another elevation, on which the Kazagashira Park is located. While the views from this residential area are not as spectacular as those on Inasa-yama, it is certainly more intimate and peaceful. Here, it is quite possible to enjoy a stunning sunset on Nagasaki Bay--a perfect way to end a visit to this lovely and exciting city.