Demarcated by four traditional gates each watched by its own guardian animal statue, this vibrant block of Nagasaki City is the oldest Chinatown in Japan This fact comes as no surprise, seeing as this city was Japan’s only gateway for Chinese traders for centuries. The area actually started out as an artificial island, segregated off for the Chinese merchants, but over the following centuries became connected to the mainland and integrated into the city proper.

Nagasaki’s local cuisine has benefited massively from its Chinese influence, and where better to try the fantastic fusion dishes than the place they were first developed? Swing by Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown for a hearty plate of sara udon or champon. 
If you’re visiting during the Lunar New Year, then you’ll be able to see Nagasaki Chinatown at its brightest. Thousands of paper lanterns are lit during the Nagasaki Lantern Festival to commemorate the Chinese New Year, filling the small neighborhood with a rainbow of vibrant colors.

Nagasaki Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in Japan, where you can try regional fusion foods and dive headfirst into the living history of the city.             

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown Food Experiences & Restaurants | byFood

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown 

Once the only place where selected foreign traders were allowed to do business during Japan’s years of isolationism, this sunny outcrop on the west side of Kyushu was centuries ahead of the rest of Japan in terms of cultural interchange. It’s clear on the streets of Nagasaki City, where you’ll find Western-style architecture mixed in with local buildings, and more Japanese Christians than anywhere else.

This area was once the place to discover strange new technologies and goods brought by the Dutch and Chinese, and it has its very own cuisine as a result: Shippoku Ryori. This is a fusion of Japanese, Chinese, and European foods unlike anything found elsewhere.

The town of Sasebo — now home to a US military base — pays homage to the diverse past of the region with a theme park named Huis Ten Bosch. This quirky, family-friendly place recreates a vision of historic Holland, with canals, windmills, and the obligatory tulip fields. 

However, this history also has some darker moments, most notoriously the devastating nuclear bombing of Nagasaki City at the end of World War II. This event is also memorialized through the Nagasaki Peace Park and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum — somewhat less famous than their counterparts in Hiroshima, but no less somber and reflective.

If you’ve had your fill of history and fine dining, then like the Dutch and Chinese traders who visited before you, why not take to the sea? Nagasaki enjoys some of the most crystalline blue seas in Japan, perfect for all kinds of water sports. Dotted around the waters you’ll also find some fascinating islands: from a historic hideaway which recently gained video game fame, to Gunkanjima from Skyfall (a James Bond movie).

There’s nowhere in Japan quite like it — the nation’s historic gateway to the outside world has a lovely climate, unique culture, and some true one-of-a-kind dishes.

Discover Nagasaki byFood | Restaurants, Experiences, Travel Tips

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Nagasaki Prefecture has been the nexus of Japan’s interchange with Europe for centuries, with one of the most unique culinary cultures in Japan as a result (not to mention the sun, sea, and islands).

Nagasaki Chinatown, the oldest Chinatown in Japan, is a celebration of fusion food, fantastic festivals, and a centuries of cultural interchange.

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Sushi

Just around the corner of the Nakashima River is an established sushi restaurant that’s packed with all sorts of fancy equipment for their preparation. Sushi Dejima is no stranger to the sushi scene — it is, in fact, one of the most popular places in Nagasaki for Edomae sushi. The chef strives to preserve the beautiful traditional sushi craft while still constantly evolving it, and he does it extremely well.

The concept of an omakase course eschews a menu, leaving it up to the chef to make the creative decisions on the spot. At Sushi Dejima, their omakase courses switch up by season to accommodate the seasonal ingredients. Because various components are prepared differently by the chef, you’ll experience an array of new flavors with every new visit.

Get your taste buds tingling at this Michelin-starred sushi restaurant that specializes in Edomae sushi. Reserve on byFood!            

Sushi Dejima | Sushi Restaurant in Nagasaki | byFood

Sushi Dejima

Traditional Japanese / Kaiseki / Kappo

Tucked away in a corner in the big city of Nagasaki is this kappo restaurant, owned by the chef and his welcoming mother. As you enter Koryori Fujio, the lady will greet you with the warmest smile and show you to your seat — such hospitality is an added bonus to a restaurant that’s already so well-regarded for its cuisine. The owner-chef carefully prepares the omakase menu for the day, made of seasonal ingredients he selected himself that very morning.

The classics are there: local nodoguro as well as anago. Koryori Fujio’s special pointers are their unique techniques — like getting inspired by the Western cooking techniques to make dashi from local vegetables and white-fleshed fish, just without the katsuobushi — as well as their homemade dishes that includes kara edamame sauce with tofu which has garnered quite a reputation. 

Combining classic Japanese seasonal ingredients with exquisite skills of the chef, Koryori Fujio presents the best possible version of traditional Japanese cuisine with their own unique touch of personality.

This Michelin-starred traditional Japanese restaurant in Nagasaki adds a home-like twist to their dishes. Reserve on byFood.            

Koryori Fujio | Traditional Japanese Restaurant in Nagasaki | byFood

Koryori Fujio

Washoku Horita is just around the corner from Nakadori Shopping Street, making it the perfect lunch or dinner spot after a day’s worth of shopping damage. This restaurant is known for being unbelievably affordable for such a premium quality course meal.

This restaurant in Nagasaki uses only the freshest ingredients from the local markets as well as from Kyoto. These high-quality components are then prepared carefully by the head chef, using his own unorthodox culinary techniques to elevate the Kyo-ryori (Kyoto cuisine) to a whole new level. Even though Washoku Horita offers a full, proper dinner course, the lunch course is also highly recommended.

Because Washoku Horita is extremely popular, it’s highly recommended to make a reservation well in advance for both lunch and dinner — there’s usually a crowd waiting outside everyday, and there’s a high chance that you wouldn’t get your meal in time if you’re in a rush and don’t have a reservation.

Take a shopping break from Nakadori Shopping Street to grab an affordable course meal at this traditional restaurant in Nagasaki. Reserve now!

Washoku Horita | Traditional Japanese Restaurant in Nagasaki | byFood

Washoku Horita

The master chef of Taki trained for more than two decades in Osaka under the Kyoto-born chef, Toshiro Kandagawa. From his time under the legend himself, he’s picked up bits and pieces of the traditional Kyoto culinary techniques that the famous chef is known for, as well as being influenced by the city of Osaka. 

The chef takes those acquired skills and puts them into practice with seasonal ingredients exclusively from Nagasaki, to celebrate local flavors and give a boost to local industries. Expect every kind of dish — from the ones you get at luxury restaurants in Kyoto to locally-loved Nagasaki specialties. Taki is well-known for the seamless fusion of the various cities’ cuisines, which constantly bring in guests from near and far alike.

Get a taste of Kyoto and Osaka at this Michelin-starred traditional Japanese restaurant in Nagasaki. Reserve on byFood!                    

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Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown

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