When comparing Hakata vs Nagasaki, the Slant community recommends Nagasaki for most people. In the question“What are the best cities to visit in Japan besides Tokyo and Kyoto?” Nagasaki is ranked 7th while Hakata is ranked 10th.
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Pros
Pro Capital of southern-style, pork-bone broth ramen
Home of tonkotsu ramen, famous chains such as Ippudo and Ichiran originated from this city. Getting off the train, you can immediately smell the thick fragrance of pork broth all around the city.
Pro Atomic bomb memorial
Pro Castella sponge cakes
When the Polish first came to Japan through Nagasaki's ports, they brought with them their egg-based sponge cakes. 400 years later, Nagasaki has really refined their recipes, and this cake is one of the favorite desserts of Japan. Some of the historical shops still operate their flagships in Nagasaki, where the cake is exquisite and service and impeccable (change is doled out in completely new bills with consecutive numerical codes).
Pro Beautiful night-view
Nagasaki was rated as one of the best night views in all of Japan. Given its unique coastal structure, there are several great viewpoints around the city.
Cons
Con Not a lot of cultural attractions besides food
There are a lot of famous foods in Hakata: motsu nabe, tonkotsu ramen, mentaiko. While there's also a few shrines and gardens, Hakata is a fairly modern city and thus doesn't have a lot of traditional cultural attractions.