Nagasaki in brief
Nagasaki is a big-ship port that behaves like a small one — the gangway is a short walk from the first sights.
The Japan Tourism Agency lists two cruise berths, Matsugae Pier and Dejima Pier. Matsugae is the main one, with the international terminal and what the agency calls Japan’s largest-class customs and immigration hall.
Dejima Pier sits a little further north, toward the center. Berths aren’t posted by sailing — so ask the ship which one is yours.
The sail-in is part of the day.
Nagasaki is a natural harbor with mountains on three sides, and ships come in under the Venus Wing bridge. Be on deck for it, not at breakfast.
Locals turn out to welcome ships, sometimes with a brass band on the quay.
Matsugae Terminal is a building worth a look, not just a hall to pass through.
It opened in 2010 with a grass roof, wooden decks and solar panels. Inside are tourist information, free Wi-Fi and a foreign-exchange counter — enough to sort out cash before your first tram.
There’s no cruise shuttle to wait for — the streetcar is the shuttle.
Nagasaki’s trams charge one flat fare for any distance. Route 5 stops near the pier and serves Glover Garden and the Dutch Slope; Route 1 runs north through Dejima to the Peace Park.
Two things on most lists need a booking, not a tram ticket: Gunkanjima, the abandoned coal-mining island, goes by boat, and Huis Ten Bosch or Shimabara Castle by coach.
Which of those earn the fare, and which you can do with a day pass, is what our Nagasaki shore excursion guide works through. Read it before you book through the ship.
From Matsugae Pier, on foot
The main cruise berth, at Matsugae-machi on the harbor’s south side. Customs, tourist information, free Wi-Fi and currency exchange are inside.
The second listed cruise berth. No walking times are published for it, so check the ship’s port talk.
Nagasaki Bus’s Glover Garden stop sits about a minute from the terminal. The garden itself is about a 10-minute walk, with a climb at the end.
Route 5, the green line, about five minutes on foot. It runs north to Shinchi Chinatown, where you change for Route 1.
The city’s official tourism site puts the terminal about 8 minutes from the station by car. Taxis wait at the terminal.
Don’t count on a shuttle. Trams and city buses do that job, and both stops are a few minutes’ walk.
What's nearby, broadly
The first three are the hillside above the pier — walking distance, though uphill. Chinatown, Dejima and the Hamano-machi shopping streets are a short tram ride north.
The Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park are further, about 12 minutes by tram from the station end of town. Mount Inasa is a bus ride and a ropeway, not a walk. Gunkanjima needs a boat, and Huis Ten Bosch is a coach day out of the city.
Commonly reached from
Nagasaki is a port of call on Japan and East Asia itineraries, and our Kagoshima and Busan guides cover two other ports in the region; the Tokyo/Yokohama port guide covers an embarkation port for Japan sailings. October 2026 has about 18 calls, from Princess, Celebrity, Royal Caribbean, Windstar, Viking, Azamara, Costa, Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection, Regent and Holland America. November adds Norwegian and Seabourn. Nagasaki logged the most foreign cruise-ship calls of any Japanese port in 2025, about 194. See the region on our Asia cruises hub, or open Nagasaki on the Seabound Cruise Atlas.
Planning your Nagasaki day
Which tours to book, which to run yourself and which to pass on have their own guide. This page covers the port and getting around.
Booking a tour on your own? Our comparison of Shore Excursions Group and Viator covers which suits which kind of port day — and when the ship’s tour is still the safer buy.
Best Nagasaki shore excursions
The hillside on foot, the Peace Park by tram, Gunkanjima by boat. Here’s which of them justify a booked tour.
See the full excursion guide →Practical notes
Yen, and change money at the terminal if you need cash.
The currency is the Japanese yen. Matsugae Terminal has a foreign-exchange counter, and without an IC card you’ll want coins for the tram, not just notes.
The tram is one flat fare for any distance.
The adult single fare is about ¥150, and a one-day pass is about ¥600. You can’t buy the pass on board — get it at a tourist information center, a hotel or the operator’s smartphone app.
Suica, ICOCA, nimoca and the other national IC cards work on the trams. They also get you the free transfer at Shinchi Chinatown, if you change within 30 minutes — paying cash, you pay twice.
Taxis wait at the terminal; agree the fare first.
The station is about 8 minutes by car. Ask the driver for an estimate before a longer run — the ropeway or the Peace Park, say.
The US advisory is Level 1 — normal precautions.
The State Department rates Japan Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions. It also flags typhoons and earthquakes, and warns that some US prescription drugs, Adderall among them, are illegal in Japan — check yours before you pack.
US citizens visit Japan visa-free for up to 90 days — far more than a port call needs. If your ship is designated for Japan’s cruise landing permit, the line arranges it: sightseeing only, and back aboard before each departure.
Carry your passport ashore either way.
Check closing times against all-aboard.
Glover Garden opens at 8:00 and stays open into the evening in late spring and late summer — handy on a late sailing. The Atomic Bomb Museum opens at 8:30 and closes at 17:30, later from May to August.
Nagasaki Airport is about 40 minutes by bus, and the airport bus to the station runs about every 20 minutes — useful only if you’re joining or leaving the ship here.
Sources: the Japan Tourism Agency’s cruise port page for Nagasaki (mlit.go.jp); Discover Nagasaki, the city’s official tourism site, on Matsugae Terminal, the tram, Mount Inasa and the Atomic Bomb Museum; DiG JAPAN and the Kyushu Tourism Organization on Glover Garden; japan-guide.com’s July 2025 Nagasaki transport page for tram fares; the US State Department’s Japan advisory; the Embassy of Japan’s cruise landing permit notice; CruiseMapper and Gangwaze for October–November 2026 calls; Travel Voice for 2025 call counts — all consulted October 23, 2026. The tram fare has changed in recent years, so treat ¥150 as current, not fixed.
Planning a Nagasaki port day?
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The hillside before lunch and the Peace Park after, or a morning boat to Gunkanjima — tell us your hours in port and Seabound Journeys will tell you which Nagasaki fits.
Nagasaki FAQ
Can I walk from the cruise ship into Nagasaki?
To the Glover Garden hillside, yes — it’s about a 10-minute walk from Matsugae Pier, with a climb at the end.
For the Peace Park and Atomic Bomb Museum, take the tram. They’re across town.
Does Nagasaki tender?
Ships normally dock, not tender. The Japan Tourism Agency lists two cruise berths — Matsugae Pier and Dejima Pier.
Where do cruise ships dock in Nagasaki?
Mostly at Matsugae Pier, beside the Matsugae International Terminal. Dejima Pier, a little closer to the center, is the second berth.
Is there a shuttle from the Nagasaki cruise terminal?
Don’t count on one. A tram stop is about five minutes’ walk, and a city bus stop is about a minute away.
How do I get to the Atomic Bomb Museum from the ship?
Walk to the tram, take Route 5 to Shinchi Chinatown and change to Route 1 heading north. The museum is about five minutes on foot from Hamaguchimachi stop.
With an IC card, the change at Shinchi Chinatown is free if you transfer within 30 minutes.
How much is the Nagasaki tram?
About ¥150 a ride for adults, whatever the distance, or about ¥600 for a one-day pass. The pass isn’t sold on board.
Do I need a visa for Nagasaki on a cruise?
US citizens don’t need one for a visit of up to 90 days. If your ship uses Japan’s cruise landing permit, the line handles it — carry your passport ashore.
Is Nagasaki safe for cruise passengers?
The State Department rates Japan Level 1, Exercise Normal Precautions.
Check your prescriptions before you go. Some US medicines, Adderall among them, are illegal in Japan.
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