Nagasaki

Nagasaki is the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan, in the Pacific Ocean.

Glover Gardens are a collection of Western style buildings with stunning views over Nagasaki harbour.

The Atomic Bomb Museum is located north of the city centre, about 2 miles from the cruise ship dock.

In the museum, photos show the city before its destruction, as well as footage of the bomb being dropped, photographed from the air. Story panels and videos tell survivors' stories and depict the relief and rescue efforts. In the adjacent Peace Park, you'll find a sculpture of a man with his right hand pointing to the sky from whence the bomb came and left hand outstretched, asking for help.

The Dejima Museum recalls the life and influence of the Dutch island colony that existed for some 200 years during Japan's isolation period.

A collection of small temples are located just north of the city centre - Sofuku-ji, with a large 17th century bell and old cauldron, Daiko-ji, reached by steep steps, was spared from any damage during the atomic bomb drop and Hosshin-ji, down the hill and to the right and Daion-ji.

The 26 Martyrs Memorial is a 5 minute walk from the port on Nishi-Zaka.

A visit to the Nagasaki Penguin Aquarium gives you a chance to observe eight species of penguins from around the world. There is a sandy beach adjacent to the aquarium.

There is also a nice beach on Hirado Island (Neskiko Beach), which is less than 20 miles west of Nagasaki.

Japanese cotton and silk patterns are beautiful. Popular items include scarves, shawls and bathrobes. Ready made Japanese clothing sizes tend to be small. Prints, lacquerware, pottery and Mikimoto artificial pearls also made good gifts. Best areas for shopping are along the long, narrow Hamanomachi arcade.

The popular banquet-style shippoku-ryori is a meal which samples Japanese, Chinese and Portuguese dishes, perhaps accompanied by Japanese beer, sake (rice wine) and green tea. Other Nagasaki specialities include 'champon' (soup with pork, octopus, squid, vegetables and noodles), sushi (cold rice and raw fish or vegetables with soy and other sauces) and tempura (deep-fried seafood and vegetables).

Cruise ships dock at the Matsugae-Pier terminal, not too far from the they city centre.

Visitors can easily walk to the tram 5 stop, which is just outside the wharf precinct and to the left. The waterfront promenade or nearby Glover Gardens are also easy walks from the terminal.

Most of Nagasaki's tourist attractions are within a 20 minute walk of the port.

There are plenty of taxis available and all are metered. Note: if you don't speak Japanese, it is advisable to have a written address of your destination as addresses can be confusing, even for taxi drivers. Taxi left rear doors are closed automatically by the driver.