What To Do In Nagasaki A 2-Day Nagasaki Itinerary Nerd Nomads

To many of us in the west, the word Nagasaki is almost synonymous with the dropping of the second atomic bomb during World War II on the 9th of August 1945, only three days after the first bomb hit Hiroshima. The Nagasaki atomic bomb museum, memorial monuments, and peace park stand as powerful reminders of those events and are must-sees for any visitor.

But Nagasaki is more than its tragic World War II history. The city is both charming and vibrant, with a fascinating centuries-old history, beautiful European colonial areas, churches, parks, lovely canals with atmospheric bridges, colorful shrines, and temples, and a vibrant China Town.

The Nagasaki cuisine is pretty unique too, and a delicious mix of East meets West. And any visit to Nagasaki is not complete without tasting the famous Castella cake, a specialty of this area of Japan.

Nagasaki has an interesting and colorful history, as it was the only port in Japan where trade with Europe and China was allowed for two centuries from 1637. No foreigners were allowed in Japan during this period called “ Sakoku,” meaning national seclusion. The only exception was a small artificial island in the middle of Nagasaki harbor — Dejima.

Dejima Island was the only place in Japan where Europeans (mostly Dutch) traders were…