Oura Catholic Church

This is a pleasant collection of relocated European style homes built for foreign traders and diplomats when Japan was opened to world after the Meiji Restoration of the mid-19th century. It also offers a great view of Nagasaki harbor.

A stately Western-style building near Nagasaki’s waterfront, this former branch of the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank dates from the early 20th century and reflects the city’s role as a major international trading port. Restored and now open as a museum, it offers exhibits on Nagasaki’s global commerce and foreign settlements during the Meiji era.

This is the only Confucius shrine the Chinese built outside of China, and was constructed in 1893. It also has a large Chinese history museum behind it. It is often neglected and overlooked by many travel books and tourists, but has a gorgeous and bright appearance that is truly worth a visit.

Gunkanjima ("Battleship Island") is a small island completely covered in the ruins of a mining city, abandoned since 1974. Once the most densely populated place on earth, it's now a ghost town, showing the decay of what society leaves behind. Gunkanjima is about 15 km away from Nagasaki and is reachable as a part of organized boat tour. It is named from looking like a battleship from a distance. The 2½-hour tour includes a 45-minute guided walk on the island. Upon return, the boat will circle allowing passengers sitting on either side to take photos. You should book and pay a few months in advance online. If you haven't, you can try you luck by putting your name on the cancelation list at the Gujankima Cruise office a couple of hours before departure. Last-minute tickets are allocated 20 min before departure. These tours may be cancelled frequently for bad weather. For those of you thinking of jumping the fence and having a free saunter, think again, as all patrons are required to sign a specific no-fence-jumping waiver. Landing may be refused if you wear high heels, stiletto heels, flip-flops, or sandals. There is a memorial to the many Korean workers who lost their lives to the mines of this island as a result of the forced labor programs during Japan's occupation of Korea. It was the inspiration for a dramatic film location for the James Bond film Skyfall (though the filming was on a set in Pinewood Studios in the UK).

Beautiful new building (featured in Architecture Week) that often has touring exhibits from around the world. Fees are required for temporary exhibits.

Japan's sole port open to Western trade for over 200 years, Dejima Island was built to keep the West out-of-contact with the local populace in order to prevent the spread of Christianity. While only a few pieces of the original building foundations remain, the buildings have been recreated according to what we know about them, and you can walk inside their warehouses, quarters, kitchen, and other rooms. Nearby Dejima Wharf was built for commemorating the exchange between Japan and Netherlands for 400 years. There are 20 shops including restaurants. You can eat lunch or dinner watching the sea.