Parallel to Teramachi, the Nakashima-gawa is crossed by a picturesque collection of 17th-century stone bridges. At one time each bridge was the distinct entrance to a separate temple. Best known is the double-arched Megane-bashi. Six of the 10 bridges, including Megane-bashi, were washed away by flooding in 1982 but later restored using the recovered stones.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
2.17 MILES
A still, serene and deeply moving place, Nagasaki's Peace Park commemorates the atomic bombing of the city on August 9, 1945, which reduced the…
1.95 MILES
On 9 August 1945, the world's second nuclear weapon detonated over Nagasaki, and this sombre place recounts the city's destruction and loss of life…
Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims
1.97 MILES
Adjacent to the Atomic Bomb Museum and completed in 2003, this minimalist memorial by Kuryū Akira is a profoundly moving place. It's best approached by…
0.59 MILES
In 1641 the Tokugawa shogunate banished all foreigners from Japan, with one exception: Dejima, a fan-shaped, artificial island in Nagasaki harbour. From…
1.15 MILES
This hilltop church, Japan's oldest (1864), is dedicated to the 26 Christians who were crucified in Nagasaki in 1597. The former seminary and bishop's…
29.71 MILES
About 15 minutes on foot from Arita Station, this large, hilltop operation is the most comprehensive ceramics museum in the region. The Shibata Collection…
11.77 MILES
From afar, the Unesco World Heritage island of Hashima resembles a battleship, hence its nickname Gunkanjima ('battleship island'). Up close, this long…
28.42 MILES
This hilltop castle was ruled mostly by the Matsudaira clan from the 1660s and played a part in the Shimabara Rebellion. It was rebuilt in 1964. As well…
Nearby Nagasaki attractions
The best known of several bridges that cross the Nakashima-gawa, the Spectacles Bridge is so called because the reflection of the arches in the water…
0.16 MILES
This temple in Teramachi dates from the 1620s and is noted for the Ming architecture of the main hall. Like Sōfuku-ji, it is an Ōbaku Zen temple – and the…
0.41 MILES
In Teramachi, this Ōbaku temple (Ōbaku is the third-largest Zen sect after Rinzai and Sōtō) was built in 1629 by Chinese monk Chaonian. Its red entrance…
4. Nagasaki Museum of History & Culture
0.41 MILES
This large museum with attractive displays focuses on Nagasaki's proud history of international exchange. Additionally, there's a fabulous, detailed…
0.41 MILES
This temple, surrounded by serene gardens, is not to be confused with Sōfuku-ji (in Teramachi). It contains an arched stone gate dating from 1657. The…
0.44 MILES
Situated on a forested hilltop and reached via multiple staircases with nearly 200 steps, this enormous shrine was established in 1625. Around the grounds…
0.45 MILES
This temple takes the form of a huge turtle carrying an 18m-high figure of the goddess Kannon on its back. Inside, a Foucault pendulum (demonstrating the…
0.57 MILES
During Japan's long period of seclusion, Chinese traders were theoretically just as restricted as the Dutch, but in practice they were relatively free…