The 10 Best History Museums in Nagasaki Prefecture, Kyushu-Okinawa

August 13, 2021 Tonie Szymanski

Nagasaki Prefecture (長崎県, Nagasaki-ken) is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyushu. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.
Restaurants in Nagasaki Prefecture

1. Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum

7-8 Hirano-machi, Nagasaki Nagasaki Prefecture +81 95-844-1231 http://nagasakipeace.jp/japanese/abm.html
Excellent
61%
Good
31%
Satisfactory
7%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 1,992 reviews

Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum

Jarring, horrific reminders of the devastation caused by the August 9, 1945 bombing of Nagasaki fill this historic and educational museum, which traces events preceding the bombing, the resulting destruction and the city’s restoration.

Reviewed By Rumples - Tucson, United States

A friend and I visited this moving museum on a weekday morning in early October. We had come to see how Nagasaki portrayed the effects of the Aug. 9, 1945, atomic bomb drop on the city. The curators have chosen to tell a story, presenting Nagasaki before the bomb fell; immediately after the explosion; and today. They weave explanations of historical details within the story and show what happened through photos, videos, artifacts and much more. The conclusion focuses on the need for peace and the end of nuclear weapons, made abundantly clear by the bomb's destruction of the city and the killing of at least 74,000 people. Those, who survived, would often have to endure physical ailments from the radiation and psychological trauma. As soon as I entered the exhibition hall, I felt uneasy, looking at a giant black-and- white photo of Nagasaki as it appeared before the bomb fell. That's because I knew what would be ahead for the thriving city. A recovered wall clock frozen at 11:02 a.m. soon appeared, marking the exact time that the horrors began. Displays feature English descriptions and include photos of the atomic wasteland that Nagasaki became, along with stories of that fateful day from survivors, including heroic rescue work. Artifacts damaged from the flash of heat range from a 14-year-old girl's lunch box with rice charred from the fire to six green glass bottles melted at the top and stuck together, which were found in a store's ruins. A helmet with the remains of a skull inside is one of the more grisly items. I found information on the bomb itself to be especially interesting. A life-size model of the one used on Nagasaki is displayed and called "Fat Man," because of its appearance. A video shows the military loading Fat Man and transporting it to the plane for the mission. There is also a photo taken from the plane that shows the mushroom cloud rising into the sky after the blast. We went through the relatively small museum in about 1 hour. It cost 200 Y (about $1.89 U.S.) to enter. A corridor leads from the museum to the adjacent Nagasaki National Peace Memorial Hall for the Atomic Bomb Victims. There is no fee to enter the Memorial Hall. Both are located near ground zero for the blast and the Nagasaki Peace Park. To reach the museum, we took the blue line to the Matsuyamamachi tram stop and then walked for about 4 minutes.

2. Matsuura City Archaeological Center Guidance Facility

146 Takashimacho Kozakimen, Matsuura 859-4303 Nagasaki Prefecture +81 955-48-2744 http://www.city-matsuura.jp/top/kanko_bunka/matsuurashiritsumaizobunkazaicenter/2586.html
Excellent
25%
Good
75%
Satisfactory
0%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 4 reviews

Matsuura City Archaeological Center Guidance Facility

3. 26 Martyrs Museum

7-8 Nishizaka-machi, Nagasaki 850-0051 Nagasaki Prefecture +81 95-822-6000 [email protected] http://www.26martyrs.com/
Excellent
46%
Good
37%
Satisfactory
17%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 178 reviews

26 Martyrs Museum

Reviewed By Luvingmywine

This was enlightening and educational on what happened when Christianity was banned from Japan. To maximize your experience, i recommend watching the movie "Silence" before hand to grasp an insight into the why and what happened during the persecution era. Even if you are not Catholic or Christian, it is still an interesting part of Nagasaki's history.

4. Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture

1-1-1 Tateyama, Nagasaki 850-0007 Nagasaki Prefecture +81 95-818-8366 http://www.nmhc.jp/
Excellent
41%
Good
48%
Satisfactory
10%
Poor
1%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 191 reviews

Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture

Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture is one of the few museums in Japan dedicated to the history of international exchange. The Museum holds approximately 81,000 objects in its precious collection, including historical documents, art and craftworks that tell the story of Nagasaki, the sole window open to foreign countries during the period of Japan’s national isolation. In addition, part of the Nagasaki Magistrate's Office (a local agency of the central government in the Edo period) has been faithfully reconstructed based on historical materials, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the atmosphere of feudal Japan. The exhibits are displayed to ensure an instructive and enjoyable experience. Come and spend meaningful time learning about the history and culture of Nagasaki.

Reviewed By meikemccaw

I visited the Nagasaki Museum of History and Culture during my tour with Huber Tomodachi Guide. My guides were so friendly and kind and knew a lot about Nagasaki history! They taught me a lot and brought me to this museum. Since we went on the weekend, we were able to enjoy a historical play that was free with the regular admission ticket (which is fairly priced). The play was in Japanese, yet I still found it very entertaining and educational despite my lack of Japanese language ability. The staff here work hard to help you make the most of your experience which I appreciate a lot. There is so much valuable information in this museum about Nagasaki's rich and diverse past! I highly recommend!

5. Uragashira Hikiage Peace Park and Memorial Museum

824 Hariokitamachi, Sasebo 859-3454 Nagasaki Prefecture +81 956-58-2561 http://www.nagasaki-tabinet.com/guide/262/
Excellent
60%
Good
27%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 15 reviews

Uragashira Hikiage Peace Park and Memorial Museum

6. Father De Rotz Memorial Museum

2633 Nishishitsumachi, Nagasaki 851-2322 Nagasaki Prefecture +81 959-25-1081 http://www.city.nagasaki.lg.jp/kanko/820000/828000/p000827.html
Excellent
50%
Good
38%
Satisfactory
13%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 32 reviews

Father De Rotz Memorial Museum

7. Odika Town Museum of History and Folklore

1931 Kinoshita, Fuefukigo, Odika-cho, Kitamatsura-gun Nagasaki Prefecture +81 959-56-4155 http://www.ojika.net/kankou/kn11.html
Excellent
64%
Good
18%
Satisfactory
18%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 11 reviews

Odika Town Museum of History and Folklore

8. The Confucian Temple, the Chinese Museum of Successive Generations

10-36 Ouramachi, Nagasaki 850-0918 Nagasaki Prefecture +81 95-824-4022 http://nagasaki-koushibyou.com/
Excellent
20%
Good
45%
Satisfactory
31%
Poor
4%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 196 reviews

The Confucian Temple, the Chinese Museum of Successive Generations

The Nagasaki Confucius Temple was built in 1893 (Meiji 26) cooperatively with the Chingk Government and the Chinese Overseas Chinese, and it has been rebuilt after some modification since then. It is the only authentic Chinese style mausoleum in Japan, which has magnificent traditional beauty everywhere in Nomiyama, in Shandong Province, China, in Shandong Province, China. It is also one of the venues of the Lantern Festival, and everyday events are held during the lantern festival and you can enjoy various shows. Also, in a business trip opening, various eating and drinking establishments can be opened from Nagasaki prefecture and enjoy the food of Nagasaki.

9. Sasebo City Museum of Vessel's History

289-1, Mikawachi HonmachI, Sasebo Nagasaki Prefecture +81 956-30-6565
Excellent
50%
Good
13%
Satisfactory
38%
Poor
0%
Terrible
0%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 8 reviews

Sasebo City Museum of Vessel's History

10. Matsuura Historical Museum

12 Kagamigawacho, Hirado 859-5152 Nagasaki Prefecture +81 950-22-2236 http://www.matsura.or.jp
Excellent
33%
Good
43%
Satisfactory
23%
Poor
0%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.0 based on 60 reviews

Matsuura Historical Museum

ThingsTodoPost © 2018 - 2024 All rights reserved.