Nagasaki is a port city on Japan's Kyushu island with a uniquely layered history — centuries of trade with China, Portugal, and the Netherlands left behind temples, cathedrals, and Western-style mansions, while August 9, 1945 marked it as the second city struck by an atomic bomb. Today Nagasaki blends solemn peace memorials with lively Chinatown streets, hillside tram rides, and some of Japan's most distinctive cuisine.
Historical timeline
Key moments that shaped Nagasaki.
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1
Francis Xavier arrives in Japan; Catholic mission in Nagasaki begins
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2
26 Christians crucified at Nishizaka Hill by order of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
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3
Megane-bashi (Spectacles Bridge) constructed — Japan's oldest stone arch bridge
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4
Dutch trading post Dejima established; Japan's sole official contact with Western world
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5
Japan opens ports after Commodore Perry's visits; Western merchants settle in Minami-Yamate
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6
Oura Cathedral completed — first Western-style church in Japan, later designated national treasure
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7
Urakami Christians emerge after 250 years of secret faith; mass deportation and persecution begins
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8
Urakami Christians returned to Nagasaki following international diplomatic pressure; the 250-year suppression of Japanese Catholicism formally ends under Meiji government
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9
Tsuru-chan Café opens — Nagasaki's oldest café, birthplace of Toruko rice
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10
August 9, 11:02AM — atomic bomb detonates above Urakami; 70,000-80,000 die instantly
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11
Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum opens in its original form
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12
New Atomic Bomb Museum opens with expanded exhibits and survivor testimonies
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13
Hashima Island and 22 other Meiji industrial sites inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage
Historical sites
Places where Nagasaki's past comes alive.
Atomic Bomb Museum
Dejima Museum (within Dejima)
26 Martyrs Museum
Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture
Hashima Island (Battleship Island / Gunkanjima)
Where: Nagasaki Harbour
Admission: Adult: ¥4,500-5,500 ($29-36) including ferry and landing | Child: ¥2,500-3,000 ($16-20)
Oura Cathedral (Oura Tenshudo)
Where: Minami-Yamate
Admission: Adult: ¥1,000 ($6.50) | Child: ¥400 ($2.60)
Museums
Curated collections that tell Nagasaki's story.
Atomic Bomb Museum
Specialty: WWII atomic bombing; survivor testimonies; disarmament advocacy
26 Martyrs Museum
Specialty: Christian martyrdom in Japan; 400 years of Catholic history
Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture
Specialty: Nagasaki's trade history; Dutch, Chinese, and Portuguese influence; Edo-period artifacts
Dejima Museum (within Dejima)
Specialty: Japan's only Western trading outpost during Sakoku (isolation) period 1641-1853