What other travelers are saying about Nagasaki Chinatown (Shinchi Chinatown)
Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown is a lively mix of sights, smells, and flavours that captures the city’s multicultural spirit. Though compact, it’s packed with charm—bright lanterns, colourful shopfronts, and tempting street food at every turn. It’s more relaxed than bigger Chinatowns but still full of character, making it a fun place to wander, snack, and soak up the atmosphere, especially in the evening when the lights come on.
Not very big, and not especially vibrant or bustling compared to other Chinatowns I've visited around the world. A regular street with a few Chinese shops and decorations, I found it disappointing as a place to visit rather than to just pass through.
My wife and I decided to explore Nagasaki Chinatown from a cruise ship trip. Instead of taking the ship excursion, we went on our own. It was an easy walk from the ship terminal to Nagasaki Chinatown. We bought a pork bun for ¥350 and 3 shumai for ¥300 from a sidewalk vendor and looked at all the other stores and restaurants. It was a fun and easy walking trip and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to explore Nagasaki Chinatown on their own.
Had visited at around 5pm on a Thursday and it was barely open. It was only 1 street and you could go across it in less than 3 min. It had an interesting shop with cute souvenir and decoration items but the food stalls and shops were either out of food or were closed.
We finally settled on a Chinese restaurant in the area and their noodles were one of the most depressing ones we've ever had. The noodles in the nagasaki champon were half cooked and even the dan dan noodles lacked flavour.
Nagasaki was beautiful but maybe this place is not worth visiting.
We visited Nagasaki in October and stayed in a hotel just outside Chinatown. At nighttime, you can see all the pretty lights. But most of the shops were closed when we walked through one Friday night. Even some of the restaurants were closed by 8pm.
Walking through the practically deserted streets was a bit eerie (although you don't feel unsafe).
Apart from being the oldest Chinatown in Japan, its historical significance as a hub for Chinese traders and its colorful Nagasaki Lantern Festival make it a unique cultural and historical site.
The area is renowned for its delicious culinary offerings, including local Nagasaki specialties like noodle-based dishes, kamaboko (boiled fish paste), and bean sprouts, among its diverse range of Chinese cuisine.
The Chinatown covers a square area of about 250 meters, featuring around 40 shops and restaurants that cater to a variety of tastes and preferences.
While the area is fascinating year-round, visiting during the Nagasaki Lantern Festival (typically held in February) offers a uniquely vibrant and festive experience.
