In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Nagasaki
長崎
Give Nagasaki 2 nights: the peace sites, Glover Garden and Dejima fill a full day, and Gunkanjima or Inasayama need a second.
Nagasaki is a compact port city on Kyushu where the atomic bomb site, 19th-century foreign settlements and Japan's oldest Chinatown sit within a few tram stops of each other. It is hillier and slower than Hiroshima, and the tram does most of the work. Two nights covers the core; add a third for Gunkanjima or a day trip.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 長崎
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jun–Jul (rainy season), Aug (hot and humid), Golden Week
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥7,000–11,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥11,000–18,000 excl. bed · High ¥18,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | ¥400–700 |
| Champon or sara udon | ¥800–1,300 |
| Castella slice | ¥200–500 |
| Tram ride | ¥140 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | ¥1,800–2,400 |
| Museum entry (Atomic Bomb Museum, Glover Garden, Dejima) | ¥200–1,100 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | ¥2,000–4,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGS · Nagasaki Airport
- Limousine bus to JR Nagasaki Station, about 45 min, ¥1,400, cash only on the platform
- FUK · Fukuoka Airport
- Highway bus to Nagasaki 1–2 times per hour, about 2 h 20 min, ¥2,620
Typical fares
- NGS → Nagasaki Station, limousine bus
- about ¥1,400, about 45 min
- Tram single ride / one-day pass
- ¥140 / ¥500
- Hakata → Nagasaki, Kamome with transfer at Takeo-Onsen
- about ¥6,050 reserved, about 1 h 30 min
Get around
Trams (lines 1 and 3, red and blue) link the station, downtown, Dejima and the Oura slopes every 10–15 min; a single ride is ¥140 and a one-day pass is ¥500. Buses fill the gaps to Inasayama and the Penguin Aquarium. Trams stop around 23:00.Trams (lines 1 and 3, red and blue) link the station, downtown, Dejima and the Oura slopes every 10–15 min; a single ride is ¥140 and a one-day pass is ¥500. Buses fill the gaps to Inasayama and the Penguin Aquarium. Trams stop around 11:00 PM.
See and do
Known for
- Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park
- Glover Garden and the Oura foreign settlement
- Dejima, the former Dutch trading post
- Gunkanjima (Hashima Island)
- Champon and castella
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Gunkanjima (Hashima Island) | Tram line 5 to Ourakaigan-dori, then a cruise from Tokiwa Terminal | About 3–4 h including the boat |
| Unzen | Bus from Nagasaki Station, about 1 h 40 min | About 2 h |
| Shimabara | Bus or ferry via Isahaya, about 2 h | About 2–2.5 h |
| Sasebo | JR Kamome and local trains, about 1 h 30 min | About 1.5–2 h |
| Ikeshima | Ferry from Nagasaki Port, about 1 h | About 3 h |
| Tsushima | Flight or ferry from Nagasaki | Half a day |
Sleep
- JR Nagasaki Station area
- Shinkansen, airport bus and tram lines 1 and 3; best for a short stay with bags.
- Shianbashi and Hamamachi
- Downtown eating and nightlife; tram to the station, but service stops around 23:00.Downtown eating and nightlife; tram to the station, but service stops around 11:00 PM.
- Oura and Dejima waterfront
- Glover Garden, Oura Church and Dejima on foot; quieter, fewer late options.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| This one, please | これをくださいkore o kudasai |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Trams and most buses stop around 23:00; a night in Shianbashi can mean a taxi or waiting for the first tram.
- Gunkanjima cruises are weather-dependent and landings are often cancelled; book a morning slot and keep a backup plan.
- The city is built on hills and stairs: expect steep walks between the Oura slopes and the waterfront.
- Some smaller temples and museums take cash only.
Nagasaki is a calm, safe city; the real risks are steep hills, trams stopping around 23:00, and Gunkanjima cruises cancelled by sea state.Nagasaki is a calm, safe city; the real risks are steep hills, trams stopping around 11:00 PM, and Gunkanjima cruises cancelled by sea state.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nagasaki yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park
- Glover Garden and the Oura foreign settlement
- Dejima, the former Dutch trading post
- Gunkanjima (Hashima Island)
- Champon and castella
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Nagasaki City official site: www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/
- Nagasaki Airport: nagasaki-airport.jp/en/
- JR Kyushu — Nishi-Kyushu Shinkansen Kamome: www.jrkyushu.co.jp/english/train/shinkansen_kamome.html
- Discover Nagasaki (prefectural tourism): www.discover-nagasaki.com/en/
- Gunkanjima cruise: www.gunkanjima-cruise.jp/en/
- Dejima: nagasakidejima.jp/english/
- Glover Garden: glover-garden.jp/
- Wikivoyage: Nagasaki, revision 5297888 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5297888
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/nagasaki). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.