[Dejima Travel Guide] A One-of-a-Kind Spot Where Edo and Western Cultures Blend

Dejima Omotemon Bridge was built in 2017 as a new bridge connecting Nagasaki and Dejima.
It was designed with a modern look so it would not be mistaken for a restoration of historical Dejima, while also preserving the surrounding scenery.
As a result, the visually unique and attractive Dejima Omotemon Bridge was completed.
It also won the Good Design Award in 2018.

“Kapitan” refers to the Dutch trading post chief, and the Kapitan Room was his residence.
The first floor was used for storage and other purposes, while the second floor served as both living quarters and an office, and was also used for entertaining guests.
The highlight of the Kapitan Room is its interior.
The walls are covered with wallpaper featuring traditional Japanese patterns, creating a harmonious space that blends Western-style interiors with Japanese-style wallpaper.
This unique setting has also made it a popular photo spot.

The Former Dejima Seminary is the oldest surviving Christian seminary building in Japan.
Here, “Christian” refers specifically to Protestant Christians.
It was used both to spread Christianity in Japan and to train pastors.
With its strong foreign atmosphere, it has the distinctive charm that perfectly suits Dejima’s exotic character.
Next to the Former Dejima Seminary is a miniature called “Mini Dejima,” which recreates Dejima at one-fifteenth of its original size.

Warehouse No. 14 was a storage building where imported sugar was kept.
There were many warehouses in Dejima used to store sugar, showing that sugar was one of Dejima’s main imports.
Warehouse No. 14 was restored in 2016, and its appearance gives a glimpse of the high level of restoration craftsmanship behind its period look.
Today, the building houses exhibits about the construction of Dejima and Dejima Bridge.

Hetor referred to a person ranked just below the trading post chief, in other words, the second-in-command. Like Kapitan, it is also a Portuguese term.
At the time, the Hetor Room was used as a residence.
Today, you can buy Dejima goods at the museum shop on the first floor, and enjoy special exhibitions on the second floor.
It is a place where you can learn about daily life and culture of the time through hands-on experiences.

The Hairei Hissha Oranda-jin Room (Rangakukan) was used as the residence of the chief clerk and secretary of the Dutch trading post.
Today, it is a valuable facility where you can see exhibits related to Rangaku, the study of knowledge learned from the Dutch.
Items such as microscopes and pillar clocks used in the Edo period are on display, allowing you to feel the history of exchange with Western culture firsthand.

At this restaurant, housed in the historic Meiji-era building of the former Nagasaki Naigai Club, you can enjoy Western-style dishes and sweets connected to Nagasaki.
The classical building is a British-style Western building from the Meiji period, built in 1903.
At the time, the Nagasaki Naigai Club was established as a place where foreigners living in Nagasaki and Japanese people could interact.

Shinchi Chinatown is one of Japan’s three major Chinatowns, along with those in Kobe and Yokohama.
Though small and compact, about 40 shops line a cross-shaped area stretching Approx. 250 meters east to west and north to south, selling Chinese food, Chinese sweets, and Chinese goods.
Along with trying champon and sara udon, it is also fun to snack as you walk on local favorites such as hatoshi, a fried shrimp paste sandwich, and kakuni manju, a bun filled with melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly.

One of Nagasaki’s best-known sightseeing spots, Dutch Slope refers to the stone-paved slopes that remain in the hillside district where the foreign settlement once stood.
The best-known Dutch Slope areas are the slope below Kwassui Gakuin, Katsuizaka, and the slope in front of Jokoin Temple.
The slope below Kwassui Gakuin was cut through when the settlement was developed, and if you walk up it, you will see a stone monument marking Dutch Slope. The slope continuing beyond that is Katsuizaka, also used as a school route for Kwassui Gakuin.

This nationally designated Important Cultural Property stands in one corner of the Higashiyamate area, where the former foreign settlement was developed from the late Edo period to the early Meiji period.
It is a representative example of early Western-style architecture in Japan, and you can see several highly original architectural styles in one building.
On the front side is a main building with a wide veranda, and its dignified appearance is fitting for a structure that was once used as a consulate.

In front of the two-story building stretches a 150-meter deck with panoramic views of Nagasaki Port, including ferries and cruise ships entering and leaving the terminal, as well as yachts moored in the harbor.
The observation deck connecting the two buildings is also a scenic spot with views of Mount Inasa and Megami Bridge.
The port at night is also a must-see, when the harbor and sailing ships are illuminated and the atmosphere turns romantic.

Nagasaki Wagyu Yakiniku Pure is a yakiniku specialty restaurant located near Shinchi Chinatown. It is just a short walk from the Nagasaki Electric Tramway’s Shinchi Chinatown stop.
It is operated by JA Zen-Noh Nagasaki and has deep ties to local agriculture and livestock products. It is recognized both inside and outside the prefecture as a base for promoting the quality of Nagasaki Wagyu, and has long been used by local residents as well.
The menu centers on Nagasaki Wagyu, known for its well-balanced meat quality with both lean meat and marbling.

Kaisen Ichiba Nagasakiko Dejima Wharf Main Store is a seafood izakaya located inside Nagasaki Dejima Wharf.
Facing Nagasaki Port, it serves fresh local seafood and is known as a place where you can enjoy seafood from Nagasaki.
The menu mainly features seafood from Nagasaki, and sometimes includes tuna, sea urchin, and salmon roe shipped directly from Tokyo’s Tsukiji.

Bistro Bordeaux is located in the Hamamachi Arcade in Nagasaki City. It is a Western-style restaurant known as one of the birthplaces of Turkey Rice.
It is widely recognized as a restaurant serving one of Nagasaki’s signature local dishes. Since opening in 1987, it has focused on carefully selected local ingredients.
Its signature dish is Turkey Rice, served in the restaurant’s own style with pilaf, tonkatsu, tomato sauce pasta, and demi-glace sauce.

Set against the backdrop of Nagasaki’s history as a place of cultural exchange with overseas countries since the Edo period, this hotel carries on the spirit of hospitality once found in traditional Japanese inns.
The lobby has an inviting atmosphere where even strangers can gather casually, with a space designed to feel as relaxing as a living room at home.
Guest rooms range from compact 9-square-meter Minimal Singles to Smart Twins of at least 20 square meters and 34-square-meter Connecting Rooms, all featuring minimalist design focused on functionality and comfort.

This hotel features an exotic atmosphere with a Southern European Portuguese-inspired design.
Its exterior, with white walls, orange roofs, and a stone-paved courtyard, creates a striking appearance that seems to symbolize Nagasaki’s history of intercultural exchange.
Inside, antique furniture and tile decorations known as azulejos create a space reminiscent of a Southern European residence.

With three accommodation buildings, the Main Building, detached villas, and the New Building, this hotel stands on a hill overlooking Nagasaki Port and the city.
Spread out before you are houses lining the mountainside and regular ships departing from Nagasaki Port.
At night, a jewel-like cityscape comes to life, offering a Nagasaki view you will want to keep gazing at.