Day 11 – A Beautiful Day in Nagasaki (and a Ring to Remember)

 

Day 11 in Nagasaki greeted us with clear skies and sunshine—finally, a day with no rain in sight! We set off early, excited for a hands-on experience we had booked through Tripadvisor: a “Make Your Own Ring” workshop.

Since we had some time before our reservation, we wandered around the area and—much to my excitement—stumbled upon one of my favorite unexpected finds: a local cemetery. I’ve always been fascinated by cemeteries in different countries. There’s something so meaningful about seeing how different cultures honor their loved ones. After snapping a few photos and soaking it all in, we headed to the ring-making studio.

We were the first ones there, so it felt like a private experience. We chose our ring styles—deciding on the width, texture, and finish—then got to work hammering and shaping them ourselves. It was such a fun, interactive experience. A silver ring cost around $60, while gold and platinum options were more. Now, every time we look at our hands, we’ll have a little piece of Nagasaki with us.

Afterward, we decided to explore a bit more and walked about 15 minutes to Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown. It turned out to be smaller than we expected, so we kept wandering and eventually found ourselves in a bustling shopping arcade. That’s where I made a beeline for Don Quijote for a skincare haul—always a full-on sensory experience in there!

Travel tip: If you’re shopping tax-free, they may direct you to a special “no tax” register. I waited in line, only to find out my total was 4,600¥ and the minimum for tax-free was 5,500¥. At that point, I wasn’t about to hunt for another 1,000¥ worth of items, so I just paid the tax. It’s only 10% anyway—just a few extra dollars—so for small purchases, it’s honestly not worth the hassle.

We headed back to Chinatown for a quick lunch at a cozy local Japanese spot. We’re still working on perfecting our chopstick skills, but we’re getting there! It was such a relaxed, easygoing afternoon that we decided to walk all the way back to the ship.

And what better way to end a sunny day than with a piña colada by the pool? 🍹