Nagasaki

Nagasaki is one of those places that quietly stays with you. Situated on the western coast of Kyushu, this port city has long served as a cultural crossroads. During Japan’s period of isolation, it was the only place open to limited foreign trade, primarily through the Dutch and Chinese at Dejima. Today, Nagasaki wears its complicated past with dignity and offers a moving balance of remembrance, resilience, and natural beauty.

August 2023 Visit

My first time in Nagasaki was powerful and sobering. I began at the Site of the Former Dutch Trading Post on Dejima, where restored buildings and exhibits help you picture what life was like when Japan cautiously opened its doors to the outside world. From there, I made my way to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. No matter how much you’ve read or seen, nothing really prepares you for being in that space. It was surreal to walk through the exhibits and then continue into Hypocenter Park, where a single black monolith marks the exact point of detonation. The surrounding sculptures and ruins are both haunting and serene. I finished that leg of the journey with a walk through Peace Park, where the towering Peace Statue stands with one hand raised toward the sky.

To reset emotionally, I grabbed lunch at Koyotei. The views over Nagasaki were stunning and offered a perfect way to pause and reflect.

Spring 2025 Return

On my return visit, I decided to keep things simple. I wandered solo through Nagasaki’s vibrant Chinatown, which feels compact but lively. From there, I strolled into the Hamamachi covered shopping arcade to do some window shopping and people-watching. Eventually, I found myself at Nagasaki Seaside Park, and as luck would have it, the cherry blossoms were in peak bloom. Watching the petals fall over the harbor made for a quiet, beautiful moment to just appreciate being there.