If you’re looking to visit a quintessential Japanese town that nobody really seems to know about and has a great vibe and an interesting history, then look no further. Let us introduce you to: Hirado, a town located all the way west on Japan’s southern island of Kyushu.
During our 14-day road trip in Kyushu we came across this gem of a town by accident when looking at towns that have had relations with Dutch traders in the 1600s. Everybody looks for this on their travels, right? Right? Anyway, when we learned about the town of Hirado we decided we HAD to visit. We’re glad we did, because it turned out to be one of the best and memorable places of our whole road trip.
Below you’ll find all the things we recommend doing if you’re planning a trip to Hirado, Nagaski yourself. When you’re done reading you can also watch our Youtube video about our Hirado visit:
Table of contents
- Hirado Bridge
- Historic Hirado Castle
- Old Dutch Trading Post
- A stone bridge of Dutch history: Saiwai Bridge
- Walk around the old town shopping street
- Local Cuisine tip: Tsubaki Dining
- Francis Xavier Memorial Church
- Amazing drinks at Sugi Coffee
- MUST see nature in Hirado: Kawachi Pass
- How to get to Hirado?
- Why we love Hirado
Japan’s most beautiful bridge: The Ohasi bridge
The most common way of entering Hirado island is through the Hirado bridge. The Hirado Bridge was built in 1977 and before that the town was only accessible by boat. The Ohasi bridge is an iconic 665 meter bridge that’s made of 6000 tons of steel. It has an iconic vermillion color and actually looks like a tiny version of the San Francisco Golden Gate bridge. When going to Hirado you’ll be actually driving over the sea of Japan. This is definitely one of the coolest bridges of Japan!
Parking: You can park for free on the Hirado side as well as the Tabira side of the bridge. Enjoy photogenic views of the Hirado Bridge from Tabira Park.
Pro tip: During the day it’s beautiful and during sunset it becomes magical.
Entrance Fees: All the parks are free to enter and walk around, including toilets.
Historic Castle of Hirado
Overlooking the town of Hirado sits the beautiful Hirado Castle. Also known as Kameoka Castle, the castle is surrounded by a beautiful blue sea. You can visit exhibitions about Hirado in the feudal times, walk around the castle and enjoy panoramic views of the city. Hirado castle is a perfect introduction to the history of the town.
Pro Tip: You can actually become a CASTLE LORD and stay at Hirado Castle!
Entrance Fee: 510 yen (adults), 200 yen (children under 15)
Step into Dutch history at the Dutch Trading Post
Aside from Japanese history of course, you’ll also find a big piece of Dutch history in Hirado. The Dutch Trading Post is a former Dutch reconstructed warehouse. It’s also known as the Hirado Dutch Trading Post. The museum displays everything about the Dutch international trade in Hirado in the early 1600s before their exile to Dejima Island in Nagasaki.
Inside the well made museum, you can enjoy animations and authentic displays about the interactions between Japan and the west. It’s a must see for anyone interested in the unique history of Hirado, what the Dutch did here and how the town became Japan’s first international trading port.
Pro tip: You can also buy lots of real Dutch snacks here!
Entrance Fees: 300 yen (adults), 200 yen (children under 15 years old)
A stone bridge of Dutch history: Saiwai Bridge
Staying with the Dutch history in this town, the Saiwai bridge. This bridge is part of the Dutch heritage left behind and connects the castle and the town. In 1702 Lord Takashi Matsura ordered the building of a stone bridge instead of the usual wooden bridges. The building techniques used to build this came from the Dutch that introduced these styles of bridges in Hirado and eventually Japan.
Nowadays you can still walk over it and around the bridge you can find many Dutch small statues. Because of the historical importance the bridge is designated as “Important Cultural Treasure”.
Pro tip: Walk around town and everywhere you can find many remnants of Dutch, Portuguese and even a tiny bit of English history.
Entrance Fee: Walking around Hirado is freeeeeee
Walk around the Old Town Shopping Street
In the main shopping street of Hirado you will find a lot of old houses that take you into the atmosphere of the old Japan. When you look around you’ll also find small remnants of Dutch influences, texts and even street names. Most houses are still built in that classic Japanese modest style. During the Japanese economic boom many houses in Japan were modernized but in the Hirado shopping street you can still feel the charm of the older days.
Pro tip: In this street you can buy authentic local Japanese items for way less than the big cities!
Entrance Fees: Free to walk around and visit shops!
Local Cuisine tip: Tsubaki Dining
In the shopping street you can also find many restaurants where they serve fresh fish, Hirado Wagyu and many other dishes with local ingredients. A very friendly Japanese lady recommended us to go to Tsubaki Dining. This restaurant is run by one Japanese man who is very welcoming, speaks English and cooks everything fresh Infront of you.
We were here during lunch time and we went with the Hirado roast beef set and a small Japanese tasting set. (It even came with a salad and desert) Absolutely delicious and would recommend, 10/10!
Pro tip: Lunch deals are a great way to eat delicious food for less as you get a great deal on a great meal.
St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church
The Church was built in 1931 and is one the more popular tourist spots in Hirado. It’s nestled atop of the hill and looks out over the town and the harbor of Hirado. Formerly known as the Hirado Church, it was renamed St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church in 1971 to honor the Xavier’s visit to Hirado in 1550. It’s quite remarkable to find such a beautiful old church in Japan as in 1587 the Japanese government banned Christianity. They had many concerns about foreign influence, loyalty issues among converts and in some cases the destruction of Buddhist temples.
Pro tip: When you come by car, there is a big parking lot across from the church, that’s the easiest place to park.
Entrance Fees: FREE!
Amazing drinks at Sugi Coffee
This amazing coffee shop is best combined with visiting St. Francis Xavier Memorial Church. If you go into the street behind the church you can find Sugi Coffee. A very relaxing coffee place where they serve all kinds of coffee with blends from all over the world. They are super professional and you can even tell them what you prefer in flavor and they will make it for you. We can say that we actually had some of the best coffee Japan has to offer. From cappuccinos, lattes, slow roast and many more they have it all.
Pro tip: They also have some delicious sweet treats that go really well with your drinks!
MUST-see nature in Hirado: Kawachi Pass
To end your day in this wonderful town we have one more thing in store for you: the Kawachi Pass. It’s a must visit!
It’s only about a 10 minute drive south of Hirado and you’ll find a big parking lot at the view point. From here you’ll have amazing panoramic views over the Hirado Bay. I
You can see the Northern 99 islands in the south and in the north the Iki and Tsushima islands. The Kawachi pass is part of the Saikai national park and it has many hiking trails to walk, hills to climb and even beaches to visit. It’s a very popular place to visit by car and if you have limited time you must visit at least the Kawachi pass observatory in Hirado.
Pro tip: Get some snacks, bento boxes, egg sandwiches and have lunch or pre-dinner with this amazing view.
Entrance Fees: Free entrance and most parking lots even have free toilets.
How to get to Hirado?
There are multiple ways to get to Hirado. By far the easiest and best way to get there is by:
Car
If you are coming from Fukuoka it’s about a 2 hours and 15 min drive and from Nagasaki it’s also about a 2 hour and 15 min drive.
Since accommodation in and around Hirado itself is sparse, we booked a stay in the city of Sasebo and from there on it’s about a 45 minute drive. This was the perfect stop for us as it serves as a good base to explore the region, and it’s not too far of a drive for a day trip.
For ultimate flexibility we really recommend having your own mode of transportation. For more information on renting a car visit this article of Japan-Guide or check-out prices for rental cars Japan here.
Bus
If you really don’t feel like renting a car, you can get to Hirado town by bus as well. No matter where you are coming from, you have to go the Sasebo Bus Centre. From here you can take a direct bus to Hirado Sanbasi Bus Centre that goes about 15 times a day and takes 1 hour and 30 minutes. For more information visit the Saihi Bus website.
Train
If you have a JR pass and you REALLY want to take the train, you have to go to JR Sasebo station and from here you take Private Matsuura Railway (MR) line to Hirado. But you won’t arrive in the center and you have to take a 10 min bus from the Hiradoguchi Sanbashi Bus Centre to the Hirado Sanbashi Bus Centre. For more information visit on exact trains visit the HyperDia website.
Pro Tip: Take the car no matter what because the freedom you will have to drive around and see everything, is what makes this area magical.
As an added bonus you can park in the Harbor of Hirado City Centre for free for 2 hours, but you do have to go to the Tourist Information Centre to arrange it.
Why we love Hirado:
Hirado, for us, is the perfect blend of history, culture and scenic beauty. It’s the kind of Japan you don’t hear about but the kind you should visit. That’s why we wrote this because we absolutely had a great time here and we want you to experience it like we did.
Japan in general has so many places to visit and we will write about many more places in the future. If you want to know how to navigate the Shinkansen Train, we’ve got you covered too.
Come back soon for more articles about our amazing trip in Japan and other places we visited in Asia. We want to thank you so much for reading, byeeee!
p.s. don’t forget to watch our full video about this hidden gem of Nagasaki, Japan on our Youtube Channel!
