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Nagasaki Prefecture (長崎県; Nagasaki-ken) is located on Kyushu island, Japan. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.
History
 Oranda-zaka ("Dutch Slope") in Nagasaki Nagasaki Prefecture, formerly the provinces of Hizen, Tsushima, and Iki, has had close ties with foreign civilization for centuries. Facing China and Korea, the region around Hirado was a traditional center for traders and pirates.
During the 16th century, Catholic missionaries and traders from Portugal arrived and became active in Hirado and Nagasaki, which became a major center for foregin traders. After the prohibition of Christianity in the Edo period, foreign trade was restricted to Chinese and Dutch traders in Nagasaki, but Christianity continued underground. Today, Nagasaki has a prominent Chinatown and Catholic churches.
During the Meiji Restoration, Nagasaki and Sasebo became major ports for foreign trade, and eventually major naval bases and shipbuilding centers up to World War II. On August 9, 1945, a United States bomber dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, which was reconstructed after the war.
Geography
Nagasaki borders Saga Prefecture on the east, and is otherwise surrounded by water, including Ariake Bay, the Tsushima Straits, and the East China Sea. It also includes a large number of islands such as Tsushima and Iki. Most of the prefecture is near the coast and there are a number of ports such as Nagasaki and the United States naval base at Sasebo.
Cities
 The island of Hirado boasts a fine castle  Sofukuji Obaku Zen temple in Nagasaki Nagoya was located in the prefecture before.
Towns and Villages
Subprefecture
Economy
Demographics
Culture
Tourism
Prefectural symbols
Miscellaneous topics
External links
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