The Best Souvenirs from Nagasaki

Somen

If you love your udon, ramen and soba, you will most definitely love Somen. Commonly described as Japanese “mee sua”, these thin, hand-stretched noodles make for a great summer dish as they are best eaten with chilled soup or dipping sauce. Yamaichi produces some of the country’s best Somen and its hand-stretched range carries flavours such as black sesame, sweet potato and seaweed.

Hasami Porcelain

It seems counterintuitive to buy porcelain back but once you see how beautiful the Hasami porcelain are, you’ll be capitulate. Combining the quality of traditional Japanese porcelain and the practicality of modern tableware, Hasami porcelain will fit in with your modern interior. They are priced affordably too!

Vidro/Glassware

Another local delight inspired by Nagasaki’s early interaction with foreigners. It used to be that the sand required to create glassware was obtained from the beaches of Nagasaki. These days, however, the sand is imported from Tasmania, Australia. The beauty however is not compromised. At Ruri An, you can find pendants, windchimes and sake sets, and sign up for a glassmaking class too.

Sake

Want sake made the traditional way? You’ll find them right here at Yoshidaya, a sake brewery located in Minami-Shimbara, run by the family’s 13th generation. A wooden structure, headlined by a whole piece of Hanegi trunk, is used to extract the sake from the fermented rice, and then bottled by hand. The result? A sake that tastes almost like fresh spring water. It’s a must-buy!

Castella Cider and Unzen Lemonade

If you have a friend who collects bottled beverages, these souvenirs from the hotspring town of Unzen are perfect! The Castella Cider, an invention by the shopkeeper, is packaged to look like a box of Castella cake, while the Unzen Lemonade is made with the bubbly hotspring water, its bottle design inspired by Pearl S. Buck – famous American Nobel Laureate in literature who lived in Unzen for a year in 1927.

Castella

The Portuguese introduced this simple but delectable cake to Nagasaki in the 16th century. Castella is made of eggs, sugar and flour, and at Fukusaya, they are made by hand to ensure the full-bodied flavour of the cakes are preserved. You will find these cakes in a myriad of flavours, such as strawberry and chocolate, and packaging but don’t go home without one in the original flavour.