Top 5 Photogenic Scenic Spots of Nagasaki

Nagasaki Prefecture is a treasure trove of photogenic scenery—sea, mountains, islands, and night views. Picture-worthy scenery spreads wherever you cut it out. This time we introduce five spectacular spots that make you want to press the "save button."

01 | Inasayama Observatory | Have One of the World's Three Great Night Views All to Yourself

Inasayama, overlooking central Nagasaki City, is a place certified as one of the world's three great night views. The sight of grains of light strung along the mountain slope melting into the bay is like scattered jewels.

• Best time & season: Sunset to nighttime. Winter, when the air is clear, is especially recommended.
• Shooting angle: Shooting wide-angle through the observatory fence creates depth and makes the spread of light stand out. A tripod is essential!
• Access: About 5 minutes by ropeway from in front of Nagasaki Station.

02 | Sunset at Ose | The Burning Sky of Saikai City

The evening view seen from Ose in Saikai City makes an overwhelming shot where island silhouettes and a bright red sky overlap. The "water mirror" of the sunset reflecting on the calm inland sea is wonderfully fantastical.

• Best time & season: 5 to 6 p.m. On days with thin clouds it becomes dramatic. Autumn to winter has vivid colors.
• Shooting angle: Shooting from a low position on the rocks captures more of the water's reflection.
• Access: About 15 minutes by taxi from "Okusa Station" on the JR Omura Line.

03 | Kujukushima | A Spectacular View Where Blue and Green Blend

Kujukushima in Sasebo City is one of Japan's foremost multi-island seascapes, with 208 islands large and small strung together. The sight of green islands floating on an emerald-green sea is like a painting.

• Best time & season: The soft-light hours of the morning. May for fresh greenery and November for autumn foliage are especially recommended.
• Shooting angle: Looking down from Ishidake Observatory lets you capture a bird's-eye shot conveying the density of the islands.
• Access: About 25 minutes by bus from JR Sasebo Station, get off at "Tenbodai-iriguchi."

04 | Unzen Jigoku | A Fantastical World of White Smoke

Unzen Jigoku, spreading in the Unzen Onsen area, is a shooting spot full of otherworldly atmosphere where white smoke billows up from the ground. The moment it overlaps with morning mist, it's as if you've wandered into a world of myth.

• Best time & season: Early morning, 6 to 8 a.m. From the low-temperature winter to spring, the smoke rises thickly, creating a fantastical atmosphere.
• Shooting angle: Capturing the smoke backlit scatters the light for a mystical shot. Including a person gives a sense of scale.
• Access: About 40 minutes by bus from "Shimabara Station" on the Shimabara Railway, get off at "Unzen."

05 | Gunkanjima (Hashima) | The Overwhelming Worldview of Ruins and Sea

Gunkanjima, also registered as a World Heritage site, is a sacred site for ruin photography. The contrast of crashing waves and decayed concrete produces a one-of-a-kind shot you absolutely can't take elsewhere.

• Best time & season: A clear morning. The contrast with the blue sky is at its most photogenic.
• Shooting angle: For the whole image of the island, aiming wide-angle from the landing boat is the standard. After landing, a "framing composition" using the ruined window frames as a frame is ideal.
• Access: About 40 minutes by landing cruise from Nagasaki Port (advance reservation required).

The spectacular scenery produced by Nagasaki's nature and history offers new discoveries every time you visit. Be sure to grab your camera and go searching for a shot all your own!

Practical Information for Your Visit

• Best season and time of day: Mount Inasa is best from after sunset into the night (winter, when the air is clear, is especially beautiful). The Kujukushima islands seen from the Ishidake Observatory are best in the morning, when the light is soft. Cruises to Gunkanjima are best on a fine day when the sea is calm.
• Opening hours and operating periods: Landing cruises to Gunkanjima basically run as a morning sailing (departing around 10:30 and returning around 13:05) and an afternoon sailing (departing around 13:40 and returning around 16:10), and the round trip takes about 2 hours 30 minutes to 3 hours. The operating hours of the Mount Inasa Ropeway change with the season.
• Fees: Landing cruises to Gunkanjima vary by operator and plan, and in addition to the boarding fee a separate Nagasaki City fee for use of the Hashima visitor facilities is required. The Mount Inasa Ropeway and Slope Car are chargeable. The trails at Unzen Jigoku and the Ishidake Observatory can be visited free of charge.
• Access: For Mount Inasa you first have to get from Nagasaki Station to Fuchi Jinja Station on the ropeway, and the ropeway ride itself takes about 5 minutes. For the Ishidake Observatory, take a bus from in front of JR Sasebo Station via the zoological and botanical garden for about 25-30 minutes, get off at Dobutsu Shokubutsuen-mae and walk about 10-15 minutes. For Unzen Jigoku, take a Shimatetsu Bus about 50 minutes from Shimabara Station on the Shimabara Railway and get off at Unzen Oyama Joho-kan. Gunkanjima is reached by landing cruises departing from Nagasaki Port (advance reservation required). Osedo-cho in Saikai City lies along National Route 202 and has little public transport, so a car is essentially required.
• Parking: Mount Inasa has a car park partway up, and you can go up to the summit by Slope Car. There are also car parks in the Unzen hot spring town and at the Ishidake Observatory.
• Photography rules: On Gunkanjima you can walk only along the visitor route linking Observation Areas 1 to 3, and you cannot enter the buildings. Flying drones in World Heritage and national park areas is subject to restrictions, so do not fly them without the permission of the manager. The Mount Inasa observatory gets crowded, so set up your tripod where it will not block the walkway.
• Safety notes: The steam at Unzen Jigoku contains volcanic gases such as hydrogen sulphide, and both the ground and the vents are extremely hot. Never step off the trails. Landing on Gunkanjima is not possible when conditions such as a wind speed above 5 m per second, a wave height above 0.5 m or visibility of 500 m or less apply, and the trip is changed to a cruise around the island only. At sunset viewpoints, wet rocks and the water's edge carry the risk of falls and high waves, so take your photographs from a safe place.

* Cruise fees, the criteria for landing and bus timetables are subject to change. Check each official website before your visit.

(Sources: Nagasaki City website "Landing on Gunkanjima" and the Nagasaki City Hashima Visitor Facilities Ordinance; Sasebo City Hall "Introduction to the Ishidake Observatory Park"; Shimabara Peninsula Official Tourism Site and Unzen Tourist Association; Saikai City official tourism site "Nagasaki Sunset Road")