

With the arrival of Portuguese ships in Nagasaki harbor in 1571, Nagasaki's trade, industry, culture and economy flourished, and Nagasaki became a city of culture brimming with international flavor unprecedented in its time. Within Japan it is well-known as a prominent tourist city. A peculiar feature of Nagasaki is its location, and with 70% of the urban area being situated on sloping hills, it is commonly known as "The City of Hills".
On the 9th August, 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, following the bombing of Hiroshima City three days earlier. The city was destroyed and casualties numbered 150,000. The reconstruction of the city was carried out and the city subsequently became a messenger of peace, with the city and its inhabitants calling for permanent peace worldwide.
At present Nagasaki is riding the current of change as the country moves away from the excessive focus on Tokyo in many aspects of life, and with the free exchange of people, goods, and information, Nagasaki has positioned itself as a new base for exchange, and points to a renewed way of urban living.

In 1634 the first Tang-dynasty-style stone bridge was built in Japan in Nagasaki. This double-arch bridge became the model for the bridge located at the Imperial residence in Tokyo. The bridge was washed away by a flood in 1982, and was subsequently restored to its original form. A series of other stone bridges starting with the Meganebashi are a popular sight on the Nakashima River.

The old Glover House, at present the oldest wooden western-style building in Japan, and 8 other houses from the Meiji era foreigner's settlement were dismantled and reassembled here at Glover Garden. They are lit up at night, lending the atmosphere an air of romanticism.

The Church was built in 1865. Twenty-six Japanese Christians were killed at the hill of Nishizaka after Hideyoshi and Ieyasu had banned Christianity. The 26 were canonized and the church was then subsequently built. The church is representative of the gothic style used in Europe in the Middle Ages and is currently the oldest wooden church in Japan.

The multi-purpose peace park, is located north of Nagasaki Station. It is based on the Nagasaki International Culture City Construction Law enforced in the 24th year of Showa The Peace Park illustrates the real facts of the atomic bomb dropping, and acted as a world peace and memorial institution for a cultural exchange in the 26th year of Showa. It has always been popular by both domestic and foreign peoples alike.
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