We went to visit on the final weekend that wrapped up the annual Lantern Festival in Nagasaki’s Chinatown. Who knew there would be a Chinatown in Japan?! During the day it’s nice to see the huge displays, but it’s in the evening where everything comes alive.
Nagasaki Lantern Festival
To celebrate Chinese New Year, the district is covered with traditional Chinese style lanterns, and other artistic creations. It all looked really nice, very inspiring.
(aka. Monkey God)
Nagasaki Holland Village
Not far away from Chinatown, we took the streetcar to the Nagasaki Holland Village. Very cute cobble stone roads, brick walls, and Dutch merchant houses & buildings. During the Edo period, Nagasaki was the only port open to foreign trade while the rest of Japan was closed. Frequent foreign visits and influence came the formation of Chinatown and Dutch village. Buildings in the Holland Village are restored to commemorate the historical Dutch relationship.
Part of Nagasaki Holland Village
Certain areas can be a bit steep to walk down.
But it’s all lovely 🙂
Dutch-style church.
Sasebo Burger
Nagasaki’s three infamous eats:
1) Champon. Noodle dish, can be served either stirfry or in a soup.
2) Castella. It’s a kind of cake, and it comes in a variety of flavors.
3) Sasebo Burger. This Sasebo Burger is pretty good for what you can get in Japan, a non-burger-eating society. My photo might make it seem small, but it’s a pretty big burger. My recommendation: save your stomach space for this. Eat the Sasebo Burger first, then have all other snacks and festival foods after.
Certain venues may have special Sasebo Burger versions, there’s also the option of original. I tried the venue’s “Special Sasebo Burger”…because they were sold out of the original??…
sasebo burger. Burger with patty, two eggs, bacon, tomato, lettuce.
Sauces: light wasabi mayo & okonomikayi sauce…(from what I tasted)
BC Roll in Japan 