Sofukuji is a Chinese temple built by the residents of the city that belonged to the Fujian Province in China in 1629. The temple is the oldest known structure in the city that houses important cultural assets depicting Zen Buddhism. The temple was constructed in a rather contemporary Ming architecture style and comprises Buddha Hall which is decorated with Chinese lanterns. The statue of Sakyamuni Buddha is housed inside the hall and is revered all across the city. The brightly painted gates of the temple and the giant cauldron built by a priest are among its main features.
Hashima Island also known as Gunkanjima or Battleship Island is among the many islands of the Nagasaki Prefecture that is uninhabited. But that was not the case of this place earlier. It was a coal mining hub from the 19th century till 1974 and was owned by Mitsubishi till 2002. During its peak, the island was among the most heavily populated in the world. The site retains archaic remnants of Japan's one of the most memorable periods in history. It was also notorious for its slave-labor population of Korean and Chinese prisoners of war, after the World War II. The first building made concrete in Japan - Nikkyu Flats is spread across 9 floors and was built for the workers. Stairway to Hell is a passage connecting all the apartment blocks of the housing complex. AS you explore this isle, its like walking through a ghost island and reliving a story that is waiting to be told.
If you've already seen Hashima Island, the Gunkanjima Digital Museum represents the spine-chilling history with a new perspective. 'Gunkanjima' literally means The Battleship Island. All of the island's history, buildings, conditions of the past and the present have been digitally recreated to be displayed on high resolution screens inside the museum. It is amazing to watch the proposed World Heritage Site of Hashima digitally, as the screens are equipped with touch panels, and there are also 3D screens for an amazing experience.
There are a number of small bridges arching over the Nakajima River, all of which used to act as separate entrances to temples along the parallel Temple Row. This one is the only famous one to speak of. When the water is at the right height, the reflection of the double arches on the water gives the appearance of spectacles. The original bridge was built in 1634, but this one is a replica (and a good one at that). All the bridges on Nakajima River were destroyed in typhoon floods in 1982.
This monument, located within a few minutes of Nagasaki station, is dedicated to 26 Christians who were executed in 1597. The monument is a long wall with the sculpted figures of the martyrs (including children) mounted on it. The lights at night give it an eerie effect, but even without that, there is something a little unsettling about it until you realize what it is. Do not let the positioning of their feet escape your notice. Note that there is also a memorial museum whose admission is JPY250. You can access the monument, however, at all hours.
On August 9, 1945, at 11:02am, the second atomic bomb fell toward Japan and exploded 500 meters over this site. What stands here now is a single, black, stone column. Around the base, you can expect to see flowers, and around the perimeter, colorful origami in the shape of folded paper cranes. Although the monument to the epicenter is located within the Peace Park grounds, many people consider it separate and may refer to it as the "Hypocenter Park."