{"id":35483,"date":"2025-07-17T09:39:26","date_gmt":"2025-07-17T08:39:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/?p=35483"},"modified":"2025-08-28T14:02:35","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T13:02:35","slug":"the-places-in-between-nagasaki","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2025\/07\/17\/the-places-in-between-nagasaki\/","title":{"rendered":"The places in-between: Nagasaki"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4>Like this post? Help us by sharing it!<\/h4><ul class=\"wpfai-list\"><li class=\"wpfai-list-item facebook\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F35483&amp;t=\" title=\"Facebook\" class=\"wpfai-facebook wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-facebook fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item twitter\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/twitter.com\/share?text=&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F35483\" title=\"Twitter\" class=\"wpfai-twitter wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-twitter fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item pinterest\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F35483&amp;description=&amp;media=\" title=\"Pinterest\" class=\"wpfai-pinterest wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-pinterest fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item linkedin\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/linkedin.com\/shareArticle?mini=true&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F35483&amp;title=\" title=\"Linked In\" class=\"wpfai-linkedin wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-linkedin fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item envelope\">\r\n      <a href=\"mailto:?subject=&amp;body=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F35483%20-%20\" title=\"E-Mail\" class=\"wpfai-envelope wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-envelope fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item stumbleupon\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.stumbleupon.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F35483\" title=\"Stumble Upon\" class=\"wpfai-stumbleupon wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-stumbleupon fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><li class=\"wpfai-list-item reddit\">\r\n      <a href=\"http:\/\/www.reddit.com\/submit?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.insidejapantours.com%2Fblog%2Fwp-json%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fposts%2F35483\" title=\"Reddit\" class=\"wpfai-reddit wpfai-link wpfainw\">\r\n        <span class=\"fa-stack fa-lg\">\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-square fa-stack-2x\"><\/i>\r\n          <i class=\"fa fa-reddit fa-stack-1x fa-inverse\"><\/i>\r\n        <\/span>\r\n      <\/a>\r\n    <\/li><\/ul><h2>The places in-between: Nagasaki<\/h2>\n<p>For 220 years, Japan was largely closed to the outside world.<\/p>\n<p>Only those the Shogunate permitted could trade, visit or leave. All trading ports closed \u2013 except <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/nagasaki\/\">Nagasaki<\/a>. The city was one of Japan\u2019s few cultural and commercial exchange points for over two centuries.<\/p>\n<p>Today, as a result, it\u2019s one of the most culturally rich places in Japan \u2013 in a way that makes it more \u201cforeign\u201d than other cities, while still feeling deeply Japanese.<\/p>\n<p>With novel ideas, goods and trade, Nagasaki became the crucible for Japan\u2019s industrial revolution that began in the 1860s \u2013 largely down to the alliance between Scotsman Thomas Glover and the company that would become Mitsubishi. As a city, it\u2019s home to Japan\u2019s oldest asphalt road and first steam train; as a prefecture, Japan\u2019s first pasta factory (macaroni).<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s because of this history that Nagasaki is one of the most interesting and multi-cultural Japanese cities you can visit. And in the country where <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/tokyo\/\">Tokyo<\/a> is the capital, that\u2019s saying a lot.<\/p>\n<p>Walking through Nagasaki\u2019s city streets, you\u2019ll spot downtown <em>izakaya<\/em> next to bold, red Chinese temples, and catholic churches alongside Dutch boat festival floats; all characterising a city that comprises a true \u2018melting pot\u2019 of cultures.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s beautiful, too, overlooked by 360-metre-high Mount Kompira. The Nakashima and Urakami flow to join Nagasaki Bay, and you\u2019ll find rolling tea hills and views over the East China Sea. Heading up the Mount Inasa ropeway at night, you\u2019ll see one of Japan\u2019s top three-night views \u2013 the urban Nagasaki lights flicking on at twilight.<\/p>\n<p>But, beauty and vibrancy aside, most importantly, to visit Nagasaki, says InsideJapan co-founder Alastair, \u201cis to understand modern Japan and all its layers of history.\u201d<\/p>\n<h3>Nagasaki: the gateway to the West<\/h3>\n<p>Step back to 1639, and Japan\u2019s Shogunate government is getting nervous.<\/p>\n<p>Trade with Portugal has been flowing for over 60 years, and it\u2019s not just clocks and Chinese silk they\u2019re bringing ashore, but Christianity too. The ruling Shogunate fear foreign religion could disrupt Japan\u2019s fragile, newfound peace.<\/p>\n<p>So, they shut the gates and tighten their grip on who, and what, comes in and out of the country.<\/p>\n<p>The period is known as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/24\/sakoku-220-years-of-self-isolation\/\"><em>sakoku<\/em><\/a>, widely known as Japan\u2019s period of isolation between 1639 and 1853. Although complete isolation isn\u2019t quite correct.<\/p>\n<p>Under strict Shogunate government control, hundreds of Korean delegates shared intellectual and cultural knowledge on diplomatic visits and select Chinese and Dutch traders could trade.<\/p>\n<p>While other ports closed, Nagasaki remained open, with the Dutch only permitted to live and work on Nagasaki\u2019s \u201cexit island\u201d \u2013 Dejima. Their legacy? Introducing Japan to chocolate and coffee, which today pack the country\u2019s 4 million vending machines.<\/p>\n<p><em>Sakoku<\/em> came to an abrupt end in 1853, when Commodore Matthew C. Perry arrived in Japan with four U.S. warships, demanding that Japan open to U.S. trade. Once again technology, people and ideas flowed through Nagasaki, and a certain Scotsman that would supercharge Japan\u2019s industry arrived by ship.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-35535 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10.jpg\" alt=\"Nagasaki Bay with cherry blossoms - view from Glover Garden\" width=\"819\" height=\"614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10.jpg 2400w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-900x675.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-720x540.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-1440x1080.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-390x293.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-780x585.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/2014-03-26-07.31.10-510x383.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Thomas Glover \u2013 the Scottish samurai<\/h3>\n<p>Thomas Glover came to Japan as a merchant in 1859. Helping to establish the shipbuilding company that would become Mitsubishi, he introduced the country\u2019s first steam train \u2013 and was heavily involved in selling weapons to, and supporting the education of, young samurai. For this, he earned the nickname the \u201cScottish samurai\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>Today, Glover\u2019s legacy isn\u2019t just steel and swords. His house and gardens form part of any first-timer&#8217;s itinerary in Nagasaki. Alongside the froth of hydrangea blooms and flashes of orange koi in Glover Garden, you\u2019ll find an architectural mix: Japanese tile roofing, British chimneys and mahogany woodwork.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPicture a classically Japanese garden and what you imagine won\u2019t be Glover Garden, but that doesn\u2019t stop it from being utterly, uniquely Japanese,\u201d says InsideJapan\u2019s Tessa, a recent visitor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAn escalator bypasses the steep stone stairs up to shady benches. Carefully curated waterfalls line preserved homes of a 19th century expat community. Squint, and you can feel a distinct moment in time: cultural exchange between industrious westerners and entrepreneurial samurais.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt&#8217;s beautiful, and remarkable, too, to think of the impact this place and these people had on shaping the future of Japan. And I can think of no better representation of the cultural exchange infused throughout Nagasaki than tasting a slice of the city\u2019s most famous cake \u2013 <em>castella<\/em>, like Portuguese madeira cake, in the gardens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-35520 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-300x169.jpg\" alt=\"Marjolien and Matsu in the tea fields of Nagasaki Ikedoki Tea. The sea is behind them, with tea planted on either side of them. Their hand are in the air.\" width=\"819\" height=\"461\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-900x506.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-720x405.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-1440x810.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-390x219.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-780x439.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends-510x287.jpg 510w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/tea-friends.jpg 1706w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Where foreign flavours become Japanese<\/h3>\n<p>From <em>castella<\/em> cake in Glover Garden to Chinese inspired <em>sara udon<\/em> in central <em>izakaya<\/em> bars, \u201ctaking something outside of Japan and forming it into something Japanese is an inherent part of the country\u2019s culture,\u201d says Japan specialist Tim. \u201cNagasaki excels at this, especially when it comes to food.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAsk anyone for Nagasaki\u2019s signature dish, and people will say <em>champon<\/em>, a classically Chinese soup with pork, seafood and vegetables. Its name draws on <em>shanpon<\/em>, a Chinese word for cooked rice (despite this dish having none), and the Portuguese word for mixing or stirring.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This fusion approach extends even to tea, something so often seen as quintessentially Japanese. While tea ceremonies in Kyoto and Kanazawa, where geisha and <em>maiko<\/em> sip from finely painted porcelain, feel deeply traditional, tea was actually first introduced by Buddhist monks from China in the 8th century.<\/p>\n<p>Now, more than a thousand years later, Nagasaki prefecture is reinforcing tea\u2019s status as an internationally recognised Japanese product.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe tea fields of Nagasaki produce 670 tonnes of tea leaves every year,\u201d explains Dutch-born tea sommelier Marjolien, who works with Nagasaki Ikedoki Tea. \u201cThat\u2019s just 1% of Japan\u2019s total output \u2013 but the goal is to grow more, and to bring in Western tourism alongside.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Leading that charge is Yasuharu Matsumoto, known as \u201cMatsu\u201d, who moved from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/kyoto\/\">Kyoto<\/a> to Nagasaki to merge personal dreams with professional purpose. \u201cMy ultimate wish is to integrate English-speaking tea tourism, and help farmers reach international markets,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd, I\u2019ve always wanted to live by the sea\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>As enthusiasts like Matsu blend traditional and foreign influence, with a clear drive forward for the region, it\u2019s evident that Nagasaki\u2019s culinary identity continues to evolve. And visitors can taste it in their morning cup of <em>ocha<\/em> or their evening meal in Chinatown.<\/p>\n<h3>Dragons, Dutch boats and double cheese fries<\/h3>\n<p>The transformation of foreign ideas into something joyfully local isn\u2019t limited to what\u2019s on your plate or in your teacup \u2013 it\u2019s alive in the rhythm of drums, the swirl of dragon dancers, and the clash of cultures that come together in celebration.<\/p>\n<p>In the past, religion and foreign ideas were a source of perceived danger and persecution \u2013 and every import was searched for biblical literature and symbols. Today, Nagasaki\u2019s fusion of cultures comes together at high volume and in full colour during festivals.<\/p>\n<p><em>Kunchi<\/em> is Nagasaki\u2019s biggest festival. Every autumn, articulated dragon puppets dance, Dutch boat floats parade through the street, and men dressed in Japanese <em>yukata<\/em> throw floats into the air in jubilant celebration. It\u2019s a mix of the Dutch, Chinese and Japanese art, colour and traditions that characterise Nagasaki today. As you\u2019d expect, the food is a celebration of east and west too \u2013 Chinese steamed buns and double cheese fries are firm local favourites. <em>Kunchi<\/em> is such a fanfare of festivities that even the Dutch on Dejima were brought ashore each year during <em>sakoku<\/em> \u2013 proof that Japan&#8217;s isolation still made exceptions for a good party.<\/p>\n<h3><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29936 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur.jpg\" alt=\"Nagasaki Peace Statue\" width=\"819\" height=\"546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-564x376.jpg 564w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-900x600.jpg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-720x480.jpg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-1440x960.jpg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-390x260.jpg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-780x520.jpg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/Peace-Statue-Nagasaki-by-Kevin-Mineur-510x340.jpg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/h3>\n<h3>A city for peace and progress<\/h3>\n<p>Today, Nagasaki\u2019s celebratory cultural blending is a big part of its personality. But there\u2019s an all-important piece of its recent history that is a tragically core part of Japan\u2019s story.<\/p>\n<p>On the 9th August 1945, 40,000 people were killed when the atomic bomb hit Nagasaki. The city lost 20% of its population.<\/p>\n<p>And that\u2019s something the people of Nagasaki are committed to remembering.<\/p>\n<p>Each day, at 11:02, the time the bomb fell, the Nagasaki Peace Bell rings to remember those who died. While both citizens and visitors can never forget the devastation, Nagasaki\u2019s people have used its tragic past as a catalyst for peace. The Hibakusha (bomb survivors) have been instrumental to the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) \u2013 which only entered into force in 2021. In this way, Nagasaki\u2019s impact on peace and progress is stretching into the 21st century \u2013 and beyond the country\u2019s borders.<\/p>\n<h3>Nagasaki today<\/h3>\n<p>From a city hit by tragedy to one defined by resilience, Nagasaki today is embracing peace not only in principle but also in practice, as it grows into a thriving, inclusive modern city.<\/p>\n<p>In a sign that visitor numbers are increasing, for both business and leisure, there has been a recent hotel renaissance. New hotels are opening their doors, from boutique, three-room traditional inn, Tototei, with its cobbled entrance-way and Meiji-era architecture, to sleek, modern brands, like Marriot, which opened its first Nagasaki hotel in 2024. Similarly, tour provider Glide Japan recently launched new city tours and are developing day trips around the nearby volcanic spot of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/japanese-destinations\/unzen\/\">Unzen<\/a>: \u201cFor us, Nagasaki is an urban hub that not many foreign visitors explore \u2013 but they should. It has huge potential for tourists: a unique history, diverse communities and crucially, a distinct personality that makes telling its story that much more fun. It\u2019s why we love our jobs so much.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And the Glide Japan team have plans that extend beyond tourism and into the local community, too. In 2023, they opened <a href=\"https:\/\/space-beppu.jp\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Space Beppu <\/a>(in the eponymous hot spring capital, Beppu) designed to welcome community members of any age, race or gender. They\u2019re hoping to take a similar approach in Nagasaki soon.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSpace Beppu is a place where anyone can come to meet, shop, learn languages or anything else the building\u2019s walls can hold. We want to create a space that welcomes creativity and supports a sense of community both for the city residents and for those who visit \u2013 and Nagasaki feels like the perfect fit for that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-35526 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu.jpeg\" alt=\"Five people are standing outside Space Beppu - a black painted building.\" width=\"819\" height=\"614\" srcset=\"https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu.jpeg 2400w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-300x225.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-1024x768.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-1200x900.jpeg 1200w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-900x675.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-720x540.jpeg 720w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-1440x1080.jpeg 1440w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-390x293.jpeg 390w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-780x585.jpeg 780w, https:\/\/insidejapan.ams3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/Space_Beppu-510x383.jpeg 510w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Nagasaki: The place where modern Japan started<\/h3>\n<p>At surface level, Nagasaki is a great place to visit. In just one day, you can soak in an outdoor <em>rotenburo<\/em> on the mountainside, ride the 1950s tramway and eat <em>kakuni<\/em> soy braised pork in Chinatown.<\/p>\n<p>But what will make your visit stay with you, says Alastair, is the knowledge that without Nagasaki, Japan wouldn\u2019t be the country it is today:<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFor me, it\u2019s the place where modern Japan started. You simply cannot comprehend Japan\u2019s development without visiting Nagasaki and understanding it for yourself.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe clearest way to explain it is that Nagasaki is a reminder that Japan isn\u2019t just Japanese.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cLike any other country, it\u2019s a mosaic of history, cultures, religions and fused experience. Its shared history runs through its communities, food and festivals in a way that isn\u2019t contrived, or overly obvious.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe longer your stay in Nagasaki, the deeper your understanding can go. Customers often tell us they wish they had more time there, and personally, I am always sad to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n<h4>Like this post? 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Help us by sharing it! The places in-between: Nagasaki For 220 years, Japan was largely closed to the outside world. Only those the Shogunate permitted could trade, visit or leave. All trading ports closed \u2013 except Nagasaki. The city was one of Japan\u2019s few cultural and commercial exchange points for over two [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":174,"featured_media":35532,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_sitemap_exclude":false,"_sitemap_priority":"","_sitemap_frequency":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2355,2366,2367],"tags":[1910],"class_list":["post-35483","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-first-trip-to-japan","category-japanese-food-and-drink","category-japanese-culture-and-history","tag-nagasaki"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35483","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/174"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35483"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35483\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35580,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35483\/revisions\/35580"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35532"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35483"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35483"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.insidejapantours.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35483"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}