[For seniors] Nagasaki Prefecture local quiz: from famous sightseeing spots and local cuisine to classic confections

set off fireworks and firecrackers

During Obon in Nagasaki Prefecture—especially during the Shōrō-nagashi (Spirit Boat Procession)—there is a distinctive custom of setting off large amounts of fireworks and firecrackers to send off the deceased in a splendid manner. Influenced by Chinese culture, this practice carries the meaning of warding off evil spirits with the loud sounds of the firecrackers and ensuring that the departed can make their way to the afterlife without losing their way.

Capybara

At Nagasaki Bio Park in Saikai City, Nagasaki Prefecture, the “capybara open-air bath” is a well-known winter tradition. Native to South America and living in warm waters, capybaras are not fond of the cold, so when the keepers prepared a hot bath for them, they began to soak in it with obvious pleasure. Nowadays, seasonal baths such as yuzu and zabon (pomelo) are also provided, and the adorable sight of the capybaras narrowing their eyes and relaxing in the warmth soothes the hearts of many visitors.

Hashima

The official name of Gunkanjima is Hashima. It came to be called “Gunkanjima” (Battleship Island) because its appearance from the sea resembled the Imperial Japanese Navy battleship Tosa. Once prosperous thanks to its undersea coal mines, it was an important site that supported Japan’s modernization. At its peak, it boasted a population density more than nine times that of Tokyo’s 23 wards at the time, but as the primary energy source shifted from coal to oil, the mine was closed in 1974 and the island became uninhabited. Today, it is inscribed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site and attracts many visitors as a tourist destination.

Rokubei

Rokubei, or Rokubee, is a traditional local dish that has long been passed down on the Shimabara Peninsula in Nagasaki Prefecture. It is said to have been devised by a man named “Rokubei” during a severe food shortage in the Edo period. Its hallmark is kneading powdered sweet potatoes with grated yam, then pressing the dough through a special perforated board called a “Rokubei-oroshi” into boiling water to cook it into noodle-like strands. The natural sweetness of the sweet potatoes pairs well with a warm broth seasoned with soy sauce and flying-fish (ago) dashi. With its smooth texture and easy digestibility, it is a gentle, easy-to-eat dish.

Nagasaki City

Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown is located in Nagasaki City and is known as one of Japan’s three major Chinatowns, alongside Yokohama and Kobe. It is said to have originated in the mid-Edo period, when land was reclaimed from the sea to create “Shinchi,” an area for storing imported goods from China. Even today, vibrant Chinese gates stand at the north, south, east, and west entrances, and the district is loved by locals and tourists alike as a popular sightseeing spot where you can enjoy delicious Chinese cuisine such as Nagasaki specialties like champon, sara udon, and kakuni manju.

August 9, 1945

At 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945, following Hiroshima, an atomic bomb—the plutonium-type bomb “Fat Man”—was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. This single bomb killed or injured about 150,000 people, roughly half of Nagasaki’s population at the time, and caused devastating damage to much of the city. Every year on this day, Nagasaki holds a Peace Memorial Ceremony to console the souls of the atomic bomb victims and to continue appealing to the world for the abolition of nuclear weapons and the realization of lasting global peace.

Hirasu

When people think of a typical tekka-maki, they usually picture rolls made with lean tuna, but in Nagasaki Prefecture, “white tekka-maki” is widely enjoyed. This white tekka-maki uses fresh white-fleshed fish such as amberjack. With one of the largest fish catches in Japan, Nagasaki has abundant delicious local fish, and a unique culture took root of making tekka-maki with more familiar white fish rather than tuna. It’s known for its clean, refined flavor and the pleasantly firm texture that only truly fresh fish can offer—a beloved local taste cherished by residents for many years.