Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [551]
Adjacent to JR Nagasaki Station, Amu Plaza (Map) has a good restaurant arcade, Gourmet World, located on the 5th floor. Sushi Katsu (808-1501; 5th fl, Amu Plaza; sushi plates from ¥200) has a fresh sushi train – look for the white lanterns out the front. Daichi no Table (818-2388; 5th fl, Amu Plaza; lunch/dinner ¥1200/1500; lunch & dinner; ) is a bustling, all-you-can-eat buffet featuring sashimi, champon, soups, and a variety of healthy vegetable dishes and salads. Kōjōkō has a huge selection of moreish Cantonese delicacies. If you’re craving something from home, Dragon Deli (Basement, Amu Plaza) is an import-grocery shop selling goodies from across Asia and the West.
Drinking
Nagasaki isn’t the bustling town it ought to be after dark, but there’s still some interesting nightlife around the narrow lanes of Hamano-machi.
Country Road (Map; 827-2090; 7-34 Maruyama-machi; drinks from ¥400; 6pm-midnight) This cosy family-run country-music bar oozes Americana with a Japanese twist. You’ll feel welcome here and the tasty Western bar snacks are likely to tempt.
Vingt et Un (Map; 828-1234; 1st fl, Holiday Inn Nagasaki, 6-24 Dōza-machi; drinks from ¥400; 10am-11.30pm, happy hour 6-8pm) More than just a hotel bar, this cafe by day/bar by night is known to locals and expats for its friendly atmosphere and nightly happy hour. Used to a changing crowd, the professional Japanese staff make great cocktails while dispersing local knowledge.
Hotel New Tanda Beer Garden (Map; 827-6121; Rooftop, Hotel New Tanda, 2-24 Tokiwa-machi; 6-9pm May-Sep) Everybody loves a rooftop beer garden overlooking the bay! Extremely popular with local Japanese and complete with wonderful views, this is a great way to spend a hot summer’s afternoon; ¥3800 buys you two hours of all-you-can-drink draught beer, chuhai (alcoholic soda), and soft drinks and a diverse buffet of well-matched, moreish morsels.
Entertainment
Panic Paradise (Map;824-6167; Basement, Nagatoshokai Bldg, 5-33 Yorozuya-machi; drinks from ¥600; 9pm-late) Cool but friendly, this dark basement bar is a bit of a local icon, cluttered with rock memorabilia. There’s a huge collection of tunes, cosy booths with dim lamps and the staff has pride in the environment. You’ll have a good time here.
Ayer’s Rock (Map; 828-0505; basement, Hananoki Bldg, 6-17 Marya-machi; admission Fri & Sat ¥1500; 8pm-late) Another basement bar, thumping with DJs, bongos and beer. Popular with local musos, it’s a good place to scope out the scene, but starts late.
International Club Sparkle (Map; 824-2676; 2nd fl, NK Kagomachi Bldg, 9-31 Kagomachi; drinks from ¥600; 9pm-late) Tricky to find the first time, it’s worth the effort to visit this massive new club if you’re in the mood to party. The cool concrete interior is minimalist, but has a pool table, low sofas, high stools and space to shake your thang. The music is predominantly hip-hop and R&B.
Shopping
Some local crafts and products are around and opposite JR Nagasaki Station, as well as in lots of shops along busy Hamano-machi shopping arcade. Do your best to ignore Nagasaki’s tortoiseshell crafts: turtles actually need their shells. AMU Plaza at the station is nice and easy.
Opened in October 2008, Mirai Cocowalk Nagasaki (Map; 848-5599; www.cocowalk.jp, in Japanese; 1-55 Morimachi; 10am-9pm), a massive shopping and entertainment complex, has Nagasaki’s first permanent Ferris wheel with its apex a whopping 70m above ground. The rotation takes about 11 minutes and will cost you ¥500. Otherwise, state-of-the-art cinemas and a few hundred speciality shops and restaurants will tempt you indoors. The closest tram stop is Mori-machi and JR Urakami Station is just around the corner. You can’t miss the place.
Getting There & Away
There are flights between Nagasaki and Tokyo (Haneda airport; ¥38,900), Osaka (Itami airport; ¥25,700), Okinawa (¥28,500) and Nagoya (¥31,900).
From the Kenei bus station opposite JR Nagasaki Station,