| Nagasaki Pop. 426 thousand |
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Explanation of Signs- Scenic tourist destination: the number
of star (from 1 to 4 ) corresponds
to the
degree of excellence of the location.- Tourist destination with historic heritages
and/or cultural assets: the number
of star
(from 1 to 4) corresponds to the importance
of respective location. - Grade of YH facility. 3-star is for the
standard grade, and 4-star is for the
highest
grade. |
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 Nagasaki is a port city, where a combination
of complicated 'saw-toothed coastlines' and
hilly slopes that rise directly from the
sea forms a three-dimensional beauty. The
city's history as an international seaport
had begun back in the 17th century when Japan
started out trading with the European countries.
During the Edo period (17c - 19c) when Japan
had been closing its door to foreign countries,
Nagasaki was the only port open to the outside
world, and hence, the entities such as China
Town or Dutch Merchants' Houses (restored)
had been set up in this locality. Nagasaki
is also known as a place where innumerable
Christians had been put to martyrdom under
the Prohibition Against Christianity issued
in the Edo era. Being one of the two-only
cities that suffered the tragedies caused
by American atomic bombs during World War
II, Nagasaki, the Peace City, is appealing
to the world for the ban of nuclear weapons.
A night view of the city is notably beautiful.
The major tourist attractions include: European-style
houses built in the Meiji period, hilly living
quarters, churches and the A- Bomb Museum.[Access from major cities] Train / - Hakata St. (Fukuoka) <JR, limited express> 2hr.  Nagasaki St.- Hiroshima St. <Shinkansen, Hikari> 1hr25min. (281k) Hakata St.- Shin Osaka St. <Hikari> 3hr20min. (622km) Hakata St. - Tokyo St. <Hikari> 6hr15min. (1175km) Hakata St.- Ltd. express sleeping cars are operated between Kyoto and Tokyo. Airplane / - Itami Apt (Osaka). 1hr20min. Nagasaki Apt. - Haneda Apt (Tokyo). 1hr55min. Nagasaki Apt. - Nagasaki Apt. <bus> 55min. Nagasaki St.Long distance bus / - Hakata St. Kotsu Center <bus> 2hr35min. Nagasaki St. - Hiroshima Bus Center <bus> 8hr30min. (night bus) Nagasaki St.- Osaka (Umeda) < bus> 10hr10min. (night bus) Nagasaki St.[Food] A lunch at "Shinchi" China Town is recommendable. Specialties are: "Champon" (noodles with soup), "Sara Udon (fried noodles)" and "Shippoku " (Chinese cuisine in Nagasaki style, which is relatively expensive). Seafood is fresh and delicious. [Festival] Peron (boat racing): end of July. Memorial Service for the A-Bomb Victims: Aug 9. Bon -Shoryo-nagashi: Aug 15. Nagasaki Kunchi: Oct 7-9. [YH in the area] Nagasaki YH tel 095-823-5032Nagasaki EbisuYH tel 095-824-3823[Tips on sightseeing] A half-day or one full day shall be necessary for visiting important tourist attractions in the city. Organized tours on sightseeing buses are available on a regular basis (8-10 courses). One-day passes which give access either to the city bus or to the tram network, are both reasonably priced at Yen 500. |
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| Main Route from Nagasaki to Hakata (Fukuoka) | ||
| Unzen Mt Unzens is an active volcano of which massive eruption in 1990 and the pyroclastic flow that followed caused numerous damages and casualties. On a plateau near the mountaintop, there is Unzen-onsen (spa resort) as well as the area called Jigokudani (valley of hell), where the boiling water that springs out from older craters can be observed. This particular place had been used for suppressing Christians in former times. [Access] One-day trip from Nagasaki is feasible. - Nagasaki St. <JR, ltd. express> 20min. Isahaya St. <private, Shimabara Tetsudo>
1hr25min. Shimabara Gaiko St. <bus> 40min. Unzen-koen. - Nagasaki St. <bus> 2hr20min. Unzen Koen.- There is also a tour bus that goes to Unzen after visiting major tourist attractions in Nagasaki (total hours required: 5hr10min.) [YH in the area] Shimabara YH tel 0957-62-4451[Access to Aso from Unzen] Shimabara Gaiko <ferry> 30min. or 1hr Kumamoto-ko <bus> 25min. Kumamoto St. <JR, ordinary> 1hr30min.
(49.9km) Aso St. <bus> 40min. Aso-zan Nishi(west).Saikaibashi / Oranda - mura 'Oranda-Mura (Holland Village) Theme Park' (admission fee: Yen 1600) and 'Nagasaki Bio Park' (zoological & botanical garden, admission fee Yen 1600) are located on the way to Saikaibashi Bridge. The bridge that stretches across the strait is known as an observation spot for major whirlpools created by ebb and flow of the tide. Sasebo is a town with dockyards and naval port, which is the home of U.S Navy. [Access] Nagasaki St. <bus> 1hr15min. Saikaibashi Nishiguchi <bus> 45min.
Sasebo Bus Center.Haustenvos
[Access] - Nagasaki St. <JR, rapid> 1hr25min. Haustenvos St. - Sasebo St. <JR, rapid> 20min. Haustenvos St.- There are buses that run between Nagasaki/Sasebo and Haustenvos. - Ferry service is available from Nagasaki Apt. (50min.) Kujukushima A view of complicated "saw-toothed" coastlines with countless islets floating off the shore is superb. There is a treasure boat that cruises among the islets (50 min.). Sightseeing bus departs from Sasebo station (3hr50min.). [Access to Pier for pleasure boat] Sasebo St. <bus> 25min. R Kashimae-sanbashi Hirado Hirado is a peaceful castle town facing the straits. It is also a port town where foreign trade with Portuguese, Dutch and British had taken place during the 16th and 17th centuries. The port had also been the home of "wako", the Japanese pirates. As the trade with China had also flourished in the former days, remnants of the time are being displayed in the 'Hirado Museum' and 'Matsuura Museum of History' (a former residential palace of the Matsuura clan). A view of coastline that runs from Tabira-hiradoguchi to Matsuura is breathtakingly beautiful. After visiting Hirado, travelers can get back on the trunk line from Imari, a historic shipping port of porcelain, by way of Narita. A 15 minute-bus-ride from Imari will take you to the Okawachiyama pottery village. A railway line that goes in the direction of Fukuoka via Karatsu is also available from Imari. Niji-no-matsubara boasts a splendid view of the coastline of white sand and pine trees that stretches out over miles. This route, again, provides tourists with pic-turesque view of the coastlines. [Access] - Sasebo St. <private, Matsuura Tetsudo, local> 1hr25min Tabira-hiradoguchi St. <bus> 12min.
Hirado. - Sasebo St. <bus> 1hr 25min. Hirado.[YH in the area] Tabira-hiradoguchi YH tel 0950-57-0099Arita The place is the home of the Japanese chinaware. On almost every street corner of the town, there is a chinaware store. 'The Porcelain Museum of Narita' is the biggest pottery museum that exists in Japan. One of the tourist attractions in Arita, which should not to be missed by the visitors, is 'Kakiemon Museum', where the finest pieces of Kakiemon, master in Arita ware, are exhibited. [Access] - Sasebo St. <JR, local> 30min. Arita St.- Nagasaki St. <JR, rapid> 1hr 30min. Haiki St. <JR, ordinary> 13min. Arita St.[YH in the area] Takeo Onsen YH tel 0954-22-2490Yoshinogari The town holds the massive remains of the Yayoi period (BC 4-3c.) of extreme historic importance. Here, the ancient village site of the time when Japan had made the first contact with countries on the Asian continent is preserved. Tosu is a hub station to Southern Kyushu, Kumamoto and Kagoshima. Yanagawa is a place full of peculiar features, surrounded by historic fosses and canals. [Access] - Nagasaki St. <JR, ltd. express> 1hr15min. Saga St. <JR, local> 8min. Kanzaki St. <bus> 6min. Yoshinogari. - Hakata St. <JR ltd. express> 25min. Tosu St. <JR, local> 20min. Kanzaki St. <bus> 6min. Yoshinogari.[YH in the area] YH Sagaken Seinen-kaikan tel 0952-31-2328[Access from Tosu to Kagoshima] - Tosu St. <JR, ltd. express> 20min. (25.4km) Setaka St. <bus> 18min. Yanagawa. - Tosu St. <JR, ltd.express> 1hr10min. (89.8km) Kumamoto St. <JR, ltd. express> 25min.
(35.7km) Yatushiro St. <JR, ltd. express> 40min.
(49.6km) Minamato St. <JR, ltd. express> 1hr30min.
(113.4km) Nishi Kagoshima St. |
