Stroll a boardwalk that winds through boiling geothermal springs known as Unzen Hell and then visit Shimabara castle, which a cruel feudal lord built in the 17th century.

Settle in for a wonderfully picturesque drive through the countryside to Unzen Hell, a natural hot springs formed by a magma reservoir at the bottom of a nearby bay. As you stroll along the boardwalk through the steaming, hissing landscape, it becomes obvious how the boiling geothermal springs acquired its name.

Unzen Hell is of geological and historical interest. Here, between 1627-1632, dozens of Christians were tortured by being thrown into the boiling waters. Matsukura Shigemasa, the first lord of Shimabara domain, ordered the execution to suppress the spread of Christianity, which had been introduced to Japan about 100 years earlier. A plaque stands at Unzen Hell to commemorate the martyrs and the Christians that later rebelled against their persecution.

Following lunch at a local restaurant, you will then visit Shimabara Castle, which Shigemasa built by raising taxes. The white-walled, five-tiered castle that stands today is a 1964 reproduction of the original, except for the stone foundation and moat.

The museum inside the castle showcases the struggles of Japan’s early Christians and details the Shimabara Rebellion that followed. You may also see arms and items from the Christian uprising. After touring the imposing castle and lovely grounds, you will return to the pier.

Delve into the culture and history of Nagasaki by visiting two museums and a park that reveal the effects of the 1945 atomic blast and the isolationist Edo period.For a different perspective of Nagasaki’s past, you will tour a historical museum on Dejima, an artificial island built hundreds of years ago to isolate Portuguese missionaries. Through enlightening documents, artwork and restored buildings, the museum shows what life was like during this cultural period. Next bring you to the Atomic Bomb Museum, a sobering reminder of the devastation from the atomic bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki in 1945. The end of World War II soon followed. As you browse the displays, you will learn about the city’s culture before the bomb struck and the aftermath of the atomic blast. You can expect to see photographs of the widespread destruction to buildings such as the Urakami Cathedral and neighborhoods that were reduced to ruins. The museum’s goal is to candidly show the devasation from the atomic bomb in hopes that nuclear weapons will eventually be abolished.It is only fitting that you will next visit the Peace Memorial Park, an urban greenspace built near Ground Zero of the atomic blast. The inspiring park and the statue at its center were constructed to represent Nagasaki’s wish for world peace and the hope that a conflict of the magnitude of World War II never repeats.

OVERVIEW

Discover how a variety of teas are grown and processed in the Nagasaki Prefecture and enjoy a similar deep dive into the world of porcelain. While walking through the vast tea fields of the region, you will learn how the tea is grown and harvested before making its way to a nearby tea factory. The intricate production process is just as fascinating, especially when you can sample the resulting teas, which will enhance your understanding of the tea culture in Japan. Hasami porcelain is revered, as well, as it has been handmade in the town for nearly 400 years. The texture is even different than that of most porcelain to give the Hasami pieces a natural, organic feel. Aesthetically, the porcelain is simple yet modern and traditional. Although the designs have changed with the times, the green celadon items have remained among the most popular, particularly the delicately engraved ones.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Become immersed in the production of tea by visiting tea fields and a tea factory.
• Savor a tasting of different teas, each with its own qualities and characteristics.
• Visit a town famed for its porcelain, which has been made there since the early Edo period.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

This tour is intended for guests who have limited mobility, rely on a cane or walker, or for guests’ companions.

Become immersed in the digital art exhibits in the Gunkanjima Museum and browse a collection of Western-style residences that foreign merchants built in the late 19th century. The museum is unlike any other in that it uses 360° projection mapping, virtual reality and experienced-based games to convey the most fascinating aspects of Gunkanjima’s history and culture. While wearing VR googles, you can “fly” over the island and see areas inaccessible any other way. You could also take a 3D stroll through Gunkanjima and use a touch panel to learn about its enigmas. Following a lunch of Nagasaki Champon – the city’s signature seafood, pork and vegetable noodle dish – you will travel to Glover Garden, an open-air museum of mansions that affluent foreigners built in the styles of their homelands. These merchants contributed greatly to Japan’s modernization and to honor them their homes were moved to a lushly landscaped site overlooking Nagasaki Harbor.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a digital museum that uses cutting-edge technology in its immersive exhibits.
• Experience the art through virtual reality, projection mapping and 3D technologies.
• Savor a lunch of Nagasaki Champon, a Chinese-influenced dish created in the early 1900s.
• Explore a collection of Western-style homes that wealthy foreign merchant built.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Guests who are fully dependent on their mobility device are eligible for this excursion and are required to bring their own wheelchair/scooter.

Become immersed in the digital art exhibits in the Gunkanjima Museum and browse a collection of Western-style residences that foreign merchants built in the late 19th century. The museum is unlike any other in that it uses 360° projection mapping, virtual reality and experienced-based games to convey the most fascinating aspects of Gunkanjima’s history and culture. While wearing VR googles, you can “fly” over the island and see areas inaccessible any other way. You could also take a 3D stroll through Gunkanjima and use a touch panel to learn about its enigmas. Following a lunch of Nagasaki Champon – the city’s signature seafood, pork and vegetable noodle dish – you will travel to Glover Garden, an open-air museum of mansions that affluent foreigners built in the styles of their homelands. These merchants contributed greatly to Japan’s modernization and to honor them their homes were moved to a lushly landscaped site overlooking Nagasaki Harbor.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Browse a digital museum that uses cutting-edge technology in its immersive exhibits.
• Experience the art through virtual reality, projection mapping and 3D technologies.
• Savor a lunch of Nagasaki Champon, a Chinese-influenced dish created in the early 1900s.
• Explore a collection of Western-style homes that wealthy foreign merchant built

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

This full day excursion will take you to Arita, a scenic two-hour drive from Nagasaki and known throughout the world as the birthplace of magnificent Japanese ceramics. In 1604, Japanese warlords from the Arita area invaded Korea, bringing back something quite precious: Korean potters skilled in creating fine white porcelain. The pottery FUKAGAWA-SEIJI has approximate 120 years history, and has been sticking to hand techniques for all porcelain productions. The almost transparent white porcelain produced by only being baked at high temperature and Unique design fascinate porcelain lovers all over the world. FUKAGAWA-SEIJI was appointed as Japanese Imperial Household Agency with high evaluation, not only Japan but also Europe. Many suitable items are assorted as souvenir. After you enjoy your visit to China On The Park. Following the porcelain, you will visit Sueyama Shrine, which protects Arita, a town of pottery. You need to walk 250m from the parking lot to the shrine, and there are about 150 steps in the precincts. In the precincts, which is also called the open-air museum, there are porcelain torii gates, and guardian dogs which are very rare in Japan. After that, enjoy a set menu of Japanese traditional lunch at a local restaurant and take a bus back to Nagasaki city. Back in Nagasaki, you’ll visit the beautifully serene Nagasaki Peace Park, located a few minutes’ walk from the epicenter of the atomic bomb blast of August 1945.

Visit two of the must see spots in Nagasaki with vivid reminders of the continuous threat of nuclear destruction.

Shaped like an amphitheater, with crooked streets and tiered houses clinging to the hillsides, Nagasaki is one of Japans most charming cities. Nagasaki natural beauty includes tempting hot spring resorts and the astounding presence of active volcanoes. At first glance, the city appears to be very modern, having been rebuilt since 1945. However, your drive through the city will reveal a number of areas where old buildings, secluded gardens and temples remain.

Visit Nagasaki’s Peace Park, commemorating the city’s destruction by the plutonium bomb dropped on August 9, 1945. Although Fat Man, the name given to the second bomb dropped on Japan, missed its target by over a mile and a half, it leveled nearly half the city. The park’s main attraction is its collection of statues and sculptures donated by countries and groups all over the world. This includes the massive Peace Memorial Statue depicting a man with his right arm pointing to the sky to indicate the continued threat of nuclear destruction.

You’ll also visit the Atomic Bomb Museum, with over 900 artifacts indicative of the city’s devastation, as well as displays on modern nuclear technology and concerns. As you browse the displays, you will learn about the city’s culture before the bomb struck and the aftermath of the atomic blast. You can expect to see photographs of the widespread destruction to buildings such as the Urakami Cathedral and neighborhoods that were reduced to ruins. The museum’s goal is to candidly show the devastation from the atomic bomb in hopes that nuclear weapons will eventually be abolished.

Get a spectacular panoramic view of the city from Inasayama Hill; visit Nagasaki Peace Park, dedicated to world peace; and Dejima, a former island and trading post during the Edo period. Begin with a scenic drive to Inasayama Slope car station, then take a slopecar to the Inasayama look out point, located on Inasayama hill. Here, you’ll get a spectacular panoramic view of the city. Your scenic drive continues to the Nagasaki Peace Park, dedicated to world peace. The park is 35,000 square meters in size and contains a large fountain and different statues and sculptures donated in the name of peace from various countries and artists around the world. You’ll also stop at the Urakami Cathedral, which was the largest cathedral in the East until it was destroyed by the atomic bomb blast. Visit Dejima, once an artificial island in the port of Nagasaki. Today is not an island anymore, as the surrounding area has been reclaimed during the 20th century. Dejima played an important role in the development of culture, industry, and science in Japan by serving as a gateway to the West. A number of Dejima's historical structures have been restored to its 19th century state during the Edo period and are part of Dejima Historical Museum. Other exhibitions including the history of Dejima and Western learning and a miniature Dejima, provide visitors with a sense of everyday life on the island.