5 Photogenic Buildings and Streetscapes in Nagasaki | Recommended Instagram-Worthy Retro Architecture and Castles

The exotic port town of Nagasaki has the charm of one-and-only scenery where Japan and Europe fuse. The history-etched buildings all seem to give birth to a story just by pointing your camera at them. Here we introduce 5 of Nagasaki's "photogenic spots" that will make you want to go right now!

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01 | Glover Garden | An Exotic Western-Style House Garden

Glover Garden, where Western-style houses built in the Meiji era are scattered, is the standard of standards for Nagasaki photogenic shots. The contrast of white exterior walls and green lawns is beautiful, and you can take a shot as if you had visited an old European castle.

Photogenic Point: The "window frame composition," likening the round window of the Former Glover Residence to a picture frame, is popular. A photo overlooking Nagasaki Port through the window is truly like a postcard.

Best Time: Around 10 a.m. when the soft morning light streams in, or the illumination hours at dusk. In spring the garden blooms with flowers for an even more gorgeous photo.

Access: About a 10-minute walk from "Tsukimachi" tram stop on the Nagasaki Electric Tramway.

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02 | Dejima | The Edo-Period Fan-Shaped Area in Panorama

The restored Edo-period trading base, Dejima, is a luxurious location lined with retro Dutch trading houses. The scenery of red brick and white walls in a row is a view that hits both history lovers and Instagrammers.

Photogenic Point: Shooting the stone-paved path continuing from the water gate in vertical composition creates depth, increasing the time-slip feeling.

Best Time: Cloudy days are recommended because shadows don't appear and the building colors stand out evenly. A clear-air day in autumn is especially vivid.

Access: Right by "Dejima" tram stop on the Nagasaki Electric Tramway.

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03 | The Megane Bridge | Shooting While Searching for Heart Stones

Japan's first stone arch bridge, named for the way its reflection on the river surface looks like "glasses (megane)." Heart-shaped stones are hidden in the stone walls lining the river, and it's fun to walk while searching for them.

Photogenic Point: A low-angle shot crouching at the riverside, aiming for the reflection of the water surface and the bridge, is spectacular. Early morning, when the water sways little, is best.

Best Time: The nighttime illumination hours are also fantastical and a must-see. On a windless night, a perfect water mirror is completed.

Access: About a 5-minute walk from "Kokaido-mae" tram stop on the Nagasaki Electric Tramway.

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04 | Oura Cathedral | White Gothic Architecture Set Against the Blue Sky

Oura Cathedral, the oldest existing church architecture in Japan and registered as a World Heritage. The sight of its white spire extending toward the blue sky is a beauty so great you instinctively gasp.

Photogenic Point: A low angle looking up from the front stone steps is the rock-solid composition. Shooting symmetrically gives a more solemn atmosphere. The interior, where the light of stained glass streams in, is also a must-shoot.

Best Time: The white walls shine most in the time of day around noon, when the light pours down from directly overhead. The combination with a spring blue sky is the best.

Access: About a 5-minute walk from "Oura Tenshudo-shita" tram stop on the Nagasaki Electric Tramway.

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05 | Nagasaki Confucius Shrine | A Different World Where Vermilion Chinese Architecture Stands Out

The only authentic Confucius shrine in Japan built by Chinese people. It is a non-Japanese photogenic spot where the vivid vermilion and golden decorations leap into your vision.

Photogenic Point: The corridor lined with the 72 stone statues of sages inside the shrine is symmetrical, so shooting from the center gives an orderly composition. Taking a portrait against the vermilion pillars is also recommended.

Best Time: On a clear day with strong sunlight, the vermilion develops more vividly. During the Nagasaki Lantern Festival period, the illumination gives a fantastical atmosphere like another world.

Access: About a 3-minute walk from "Oura Tenshudo-shita" tram stop on the Nagasaki Electric Tramway.

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Walk the streets of Nagasaki, and at every corner an encounter with a new "photogenic" moment awaits. Be sure to set out, camera in hand, to find a shot all your own. ✈️

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