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Nagasaki, Japan
Nagasaki's dramatic hillside setting, wedged between mountains and harbor, creates a walking experience full of slopes and viewpoints. The Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum provide a moving account of the 1945 bombing and its aftermath. The Glover Garden, perched on a hill overlooking the harbor, preserves Western-style mansions built by foreign merchants during the Meiji era and is the setting associated with Puccini's Madama Butterfly. The Dejima area reconstructs the artificial island where Dutch traders were confined during Japan's two centuries of isolation. Nagasaki's Chinatown, the oldest in Japan, serves excellent champon noodles and sara-udon. The Oura Church, the oldest surviving church in Japan, speaks to the hidden Christian communities that survived centuries of persecution. Mount Inasa offers spectacular night views over the harbor, and the city's tram system makes getting between walking areas easy.
explore by interest
Nagasaki is very hilly — the slopes can be steep but the views reward the effort. Use the streetcar to travel between areas and save your energy for exploring on foot within each district.
March through May for pleasant temperatures and cherry blossoms, or October through November for autumn color. The Lantern Festival in February (Chinese New Year) fills the city with thousands of colorful lanterns.