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

Castella

Castella is one of the “Nanban” confections brought to Nagasaki by Portuguese missionaries in the 16th century, at the end of the Muromachi period. This sweet cake, baked from a mixture of eggs, sugar, and wheat flour, was revolutionary in Japan at the time. Today, as a quintessential Nagasaki souvenir, it has become a classic confection widely loved by people of all ages across the country.

Turkish rice

Turkish Rice is a local Western-style specialty of Nagasaki Prefecture, featuring pilaf, Napolitan spaghetti, and a pork cutlet topped with demi-glace sauce all served on one plate. It’s hearty and affectionately known as an “adult kids’ meal.”

Spectacles Bridge

Megane Bridge in Nagasaki City is Japan’s oldest surviving stone arch bridge, said to have been built in 1634 by Mokushi Nyotei, the second head priest of Kofukuji Temple. The reflection of the bridge on the river forms a pair of circles, making it look like eyeglasses, which is how it came to be widely known by its name. It is counted among Japan’s three most famous bridges alongside Nihonbashi in Tokyo and Kintaikyo in Yamaguchi Prefecture, and it is designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan.

mirin-boshi (fish dried with mirin glaze)

Mirin-boshi is a traditional Japanese seafood product made by butterflying fish, marinating it thoroughly in a special seasoning mixture of mirin, soy sauce, sugar, and the like, and then drying it by methods such as sun drying. Nagasaki Prefecture is surrounded by the sea and blessed with abundant fresh seafood, so mirin-boshi made with fish such as horse mackerel and sardines has long been cherished in households and communities across the region.

971

Nagasaki Prefecture is known for having the most islands in Japan—an astonishing 971 in total. From Tsushima and Iki to the Goto Islands, islands of all sizes create beautiful scenery and foster abundant nature and unique cultures. Touring these islands to discover their charms is one of the great pleasures of visiting Nagasaki.

Glover Garden

Glover Garden is a popular tourist attraction located in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture. The Former Glover House within the garden, built in 1863, is known as the oldest surviving wooden Western-style building in Japan and is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution.” Constructed as the residence of Scottish merchant Thomas Blake Glover, it made significant contributions to Japan’s modernization from the late Edo period through the Meiji era.

Ria coastline

Nagasaki Prefecture is known for having the most islands in Japan, and its coastline is highly complex and indented, known as a “ria coast.” A ria coast is formed when terrain that was originally mountains and valleys becomes submerged by the sea, creating many calm inlets. This environment is ideal for aquaculture and fishing, such as the cultivation of pearls and oysters.