One-Day Nagasaki Tour: Historic City Center and Hidden Local Gems
Joined 2024
This is a walking tour that takes you through the city center of Nagasaki, covering both iconic landmarks and hidden gems you wouldn't discover without a guide. The city center of Nagasaki is compact, making it perfect for exploring on foot. Of course, if you get tired, we can always take a taxi or tram!
This tour does not include a visit to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum. If you would like to visit, please check out my other tour, "One-Day Nagasaki Tour: Peace Memorials and Hidden Gems."
Itinerary
This itinerary can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Send me a message with your requests!
Meeting Point
Somewhere in the city center
- If it is in the city center, I will come to pick you up (e.g., your hotel, JR Nagasaki Station, or the Nagasaki International Cruise Ship Terminal). * It costs approximately 1,500 to 2,000 yen per taxi to get to Suwa Shrine or the Tateyama District from a location in the city center.
(Optional) Tateyama District
Nagasaki is known as "the city of slopes"! Let's start exploring local areas by walking down the slopes! Enjoy the great views of Nagasaki’s sloping areas and catch a glimpse of local life.
Note:
There are a few stairs to climb (just a little) and (mostly) descend in this area, so if you’re not confident in your legs, feel free to skip this part.
Suwa Shrine
Suwa Shrine is the most famous shrine in Nagasaki. It is very beautiful and photogenic, offering a wonderful opportunity to capture memorable photos.
Admission: Free (*Donations are appreciated via the offering box.)
*As of December 1, 2024. Please refer to the official website for more details.
Shindaiku-machi shopping street
A super local shopping street where you can truly experience everyday life in Nagasaki. It's located near Suwa Shrine.
(Optional) The Observation Deck on the 19th Floor of Nagasaki City Hall
From this observation deck, you can enjoy a panoramic view of Nagasaki. The scenery before you vividly showcases Nagasaki as both a "port city" and a "city of slopes."
Admission: Free
*As of December 1, 2024. Please refer to the official website for more details.
(Optional) Teramachi Street
Teramachi Street, as the name suggests ("teramachi" means "temple town"), is a street lined with many temples, hosting 14 temples and 2 shrines. Among them, the Chinese style Kofukuji Temple, well-known for its vermilion gate, comes highly recommended.
(Optional) Kofukuji Temple
Kofukuji Temple is famous for its Chinese-style architecture and its striking vermilion gate. Admission fee is 300 yen per person.
Admission Fees:
- Adults: ¥300
- Junior High and High School Students: ¥200
- Elementary School Students: ¥100
*As of December 1, 2024. Please refer to the official website for more details.
Naka-dori shopping street / Hamanomachi shopping street
Nakadori Shopping Street is the oldest shopping street in Nagasaki, with a history of 400 years. It is lined with unique and local shops such as Japanese sweets stores, tea shops, fruit vendors, and more. Enjoy strolling and shopping around!
Lunch at Local restaurant
Let's enjoy lunch at a local restaurant!
Lunch is approximately ¥1,000 to ¥2,000.
Shianbashi / Doza area
The Shianbashi (Doza) area is Nagasaki's largest bar district. The bars may be closed during the day, but it’s the perfect time to take a stroll through this unique area! Let me guide you through this ultra-local spot with its distinct atmosphere—an experience that’s hard to find without a local guide.
Nagasaki China Town
Nagasaki China Town, one of Japan's three major Chinatowns, is a lively area filled with Chinese restaurants, shops, and temples. Famous for dishes like champon, it showcases the city's multicultural heritage.
From around chinatown, it costs approximately 1,000 yen per car to take a taxi back to the cruise ship terminal.
（Optional）Nagasaki Seaside Park
Nagasaki Seaside Park is a spacious urban park along Nagasaki Harbor. It features lush green lawns and walking paths, making it perfect for picnics and strolls. Visitors can relax while enjoying harbor views.
(Optional) Local coffee shop
I'll take you to my favorite coffee shop. (Don't worry if you can't drink coffee; there are other drinks on the menu as well.) Let's enjoy some relaxed time.
The former Nagasaki Foreign Settlement
The former Nagasaki Foreign Settlement is a historic area showcasing 19th-century Western influence. Key sites include Oura Church, Japan's oldest surviving Christian church, and Glover Garden, a picturesque collection of Western-style homes and gardens that reflect the lives of foreign residents of the era.
Glover Garden Admission Fees:
- Adults: ¥620
- High School Students: ¥310
- Elementary and Junior High School Students: ¥180
*As of December 1, 2024. Please refer to the official website for more details.
Admission Fees:
- Adults: ¥1,000
- Junior High and High School Students: ¥400
- Elementary School Students: ¥300
*As of December 1, 2024. Please refer to the official website for more details.
Ending Point
Somewhere in the city center (I will take you to your desired destination.)
Want to personalize this tour?
This tour can be customized to meet your needs and preferences. Click below to send me a message with your requests.
Inclusions & Exclusions
- Guide Fee
- Pick up Fee
- Taxi fare (Guide & Customers)
- Public transportation fees (Guide & Customers)
- Admission fees to facilities (Guide & Customers)
- Lunch (Guide & Customers)
Tour Important Information
*In Japan, taxis typically accommodate a maximum of four passengers. Therefore, for tours with four guests, the group size becomes five including the guide, requiring the use of two taxis.
* This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
* Please let me know in advance if you have difficulty walking, use a wheelchair, or have similar needs.
* Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies or other dietary restrictions.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Joined 2024
About Tour Guide Shonosuke S.
Hi! I'm Sho! I live in the center of Nagasaki city and work as a YouTuber, podcaster, and tour guide specializing in sharing the charms of Nagasaki.
Actually, I was born and raised in Yokohama, near Tokyo, and worked for about 5 years in Tokyo. However, I fell in love with the culture and history of Nagasaki and moved here in 2020.
Nagasaki has a rich history of international exchange and friendship, established about 450 years ago as an international trading port in Japan. Since then, many people from all over the world with diverse cultures and values have visited this city. I love these stories and histories of Nagasaki.
Nagasaki is often associated with the sad history of the atomic bomb, which is, of course, an important part of this city's history, but Nagasaki has much more than that. I'm looking forward to introducing you to the many charms of Nagasaki!
Reviews
Charmayne H.
“Loved our day in Nagasaki with Sho! ”
We did a cruise around Japan and preferred to find local guides for each port instead of big group tours. I'm so happy we found Sho and booked his tour in Nagasaki. He was such an excellent host and ambassador for the city. We saw a great mix of important historical sites and also a glimpse into everyday life in the city. Sho even took us around his own neighbourhood and a favourite place for lunch. It was honestly like meeting up with a good friend for the day! Sho, if you ever visit Canada, send us an email - we'd love to be your "guides" and I promise there will be a big meal of fresh lobster from our area!
Shonosuke S.
Hi Charmayne! Thank you so much for your wonderful review—and for visiting Nagasaki, a city I truly love! I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed the tour (and a glimpse into my daily life!), and I hope it became one of the special memories from your time in Japan. Someday, I’d love to visit Canada and eat lobster until I’m full… :D See you again!!
Mack M.
“A Truly Excellent Nagasaki City Tour Guide”
What a wonderful full-day tour of Nagasaki! Shonosuke created a custom tour for us that highlighted Nagasaki's historic role as Japan's chief entrepot with the rest of the world. During our tours of Dejima and the other early foreign trading settlements of Nagasaki, Shonosuke explained how Nagasaki made early contact with Western and Chinese traders in the 16th century who introduced Western products and ideas into Japan and Japanese products and ideas to the rest of the world thus creating a uniquely Japanese cosmopolitan society. We later toured the more modern Western settlements in and around the restored buildings of the Glover Garden estates. There we and learned how in the early 1860s, Western settlers' technology and capital combined with Japanese capital and innovation to spark a political and cultural revolution that restored the Japanese emperor's political power and began Japan's rapid industrial development leading to the modern Japan we know today. Throughout our tour Shonosuke (or "Sho" as we came to know him) displayed an outstanding knowledge of Nagasaki's history as well as its current local city sights and developments. His kindness, courteouness, and flexibility made our time with him truly delightful, and his excitement about the many unique aspects of Nagasaki continually sparked our interest. Shonosuke also has a unique ability of escorting you throughout the city effortlessly and comfortably while always getting you to each sight of interest at exactly the right time. We never felt rushed and always had time to talk with him about all the events related to the sights we viewed. If you want a stimulating, interesting, and comfotable introduction to Nagasaki, Sho is the guide for you!
Shonosuke S.
Hi Mack and Shelley! Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a wonderful review—and for visiting Nagasaki, a city I truly love. I couldn’t be more grateful. What I love most about Nagasaki’s history is its legacy of international exchange and multicultural coexistence, so I was really happy that you were interested in—and enjoyed—that part of the story. I had such a great time myself, and I hope it became a special memory from your time in Japan! Also, thank you so much for the lovely gifts from Louisiana! (The postcard is absolutely adorable!) I really loved them, and now I feel a special connection to Louisiana :) I imagine you might be somewhere around Kagoshima now—wishing you a continued amazing journey around Japan! See you again!
Sue F.
“Great comprehensive tour of Nagasaki with Sho ”
We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Sho. He was very organized and knowledgeable about Nagasaki. We covered a lot of territory seeing many of the important sights. We saw some “hidden gems “ that were amazing! I can’t say what they were, you need to go on this tour to experience them ! Sho picked the perfect lunch spot for us. If you are visiting Nagasaki, I would highly recommend Sho.
Shonosuke S.
Hi Sue and Lee! Thank you so much for your lovely review! I'm so glad you enjoyed the tour—especially the hidden gems of Nagasaki! I also had such a great time spending the day with you both. Next time, let’s try "the best burger" and "the best ice cream" in Nagasaki! XD. Have an amazing trip!
$373/ per group
More tours by Shonosuke S.
One-Day Nagasaki Tour: Peace Memorials and Hidden Gems
One-Day Nagasaki Tour: Peace Memorials and Hidden Gems
Dive into Local! / Half-Day Nagasaki Walking Tour
Dive into Local! / Half-Day Nagasaki Walking Tour
