Meeting Point

Meeting Point

Suwa Shinto Shrine

Suwa-san is the main Shinto shrine of Nagasaki. It is also the home of the Kunchi Festival in October, one of the three most important festivals in Japan.

Nagasaki History Museum

Experience a quick and illuminating introduction to the history of Nagasaki.

26 Martyrs Site and Museum

The 1597 execution of Japanese and foreign priests remains one of the more significant martyrdoms in the history of the Catholic Church. We probably will not have time to take in the museum, unless it is of special interest to you. In that case I suggest cutting out the visit to the Hypocenter.

Lunch

Peace Park

Located high on a hill overlooking the city, this portion of the Peace area is the brightest part. At the center is the famous Nagasaki Peace Statue, noting the prosperity that peace can bring and warning against the use of nuclear weapons in the future. Around the sides are statues from various nations around the world offering their hope for a more peaceful world.

Atomic Bomb Hypocenter Park

This solemn park surrounds the haunting black stone monolith that marks the hypocenter of the plutonium atomic bomb explosion 500 meters above.

Atomic bomb Museum

The displays lay out the story of the atomic bombing, the city before and after, especially emphasizing the effects on ordinary people and everyday objects on this far-from-everyday event. Displays also encourage visitors to contemplate the current state of issues surrounding war and peace.

One-legged Torii

The two-legged torii gate, a typical entryway to a Shinto shrine, was blown in half by the shockwave, but astoundingly half of the gate still stands. It is a testament to the capriciousness of this indiscriminate kind of weapon.

Dejima Museum

The merchants of Nagasaki created a man-made island in the bay to house (and virtually imprison) foreign traders. It was home to the members of the Dutch East Indies Trading Company for over 200 years while Japan was closed off to the outside world. The island has had the sea filled in around it, but on the original site many of the original structures have been reconstructed and cleverly display exhibits on the life of the inhabitants, trade, and intercultural encounters.

Return to the original meeting point

Ending Point

Return to the meeting place or any other reasonable location.