Nagasaki Christmas

Christmas really does come early in Nagasaki—and, even if only 2% of Japanese are Christians, they do the season so well that this is really worth checking out. No sooner have you finished off the last Thanksgiving leftovers than the whole of the Kyushu city of Nagasaki spangles itself in festive lights and flings itself wholeheartedly into celebrating Yule. Avoid the crush of last-minute Christmas shopping and drop into historical Huis Ten Bosch‘s markets for seasonal specialties, and get your holiday juices going with a leisurely stroll through Nagasaki’s Christmas illuminations and displays.

(Kylie Van Zyl)