Nagasaki Glover Garden Ticket

Tour Highlights

You can see Western‑style buildings covered with Japanese roof tiles, cobblestone paths and stone steps!

If you touch the heart‑shaped stone on the cobblestone pavement and make a wish, your love may come true!

Our prime location offers a panoramic view of Nagasaki Port with the backdrop of Nagasaki city’s landmark, Mount Inasa!

There are plenty of fun activities, such as a retro photo studio where you can rent vintage costumes, and the Western‑style Jiyutei Café where you can enjoy carefully selected coffee.

Perched on the gentle slopes of Minamiyamate in Nagasaki, Glover Garden stands quietly. It is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site of the Meiji Japan Industrial Revolution but also a living museum of the collision and fusion of Eastern and Western cultures after Japan opened its ports. Nine century‑old Western‑style houses are scattered across the garden in an orderly manner, accompanied by seasonal flowers throughout the year. The magnificent scenery of Nagasaki Port unfolds before your eyes, and every step feels like stepping into a foreign dream from the end of the 19th century.

The Former Glover House, built in 1863, was the residence of Scottish merchant Thomas Blake Glover and is considered the oldest existing wooden Western‑style building in Japan. The roof adopts traditional Japanese tiling techniques, while the walls and verandas are full of European lines — a typical example of the "Japanese‑Western eclectic" design that symbolises the cultural fusion after Nagasaki opened its port. The interior has been restored to reflect the daily life of the Glover family back in the day, with antique chandeliers, European furniture and old photographs quietly telling the legendary story of this merchant who drove the development of Japan’s modern shipbuilding and coal mining industries.

Adjacent to the Glover House, the Former Ringer House and Former Alt House are also nationally designated Important Cultural Properties. The observation terrace of the Ringer House offers an excellent vantage point overlooking Nagasaki Port and Mount Inasa, while the Alt House, with its exquisite carvings and English garden, recreates the refined lifestyle of British merchants during the late Edo and Meiji periods.

Glover Garden is also one of the sources of inspiration for the opera "Madama Butterfly." The garden features a bronze statue of Madama Butterfly (portrayed by Miura Tamaki) and a statue of composer Puccini, with every corner evoking the moving melodies of love and separation in the opera. Legendary heart‑shaped stones are scattered throughout the garden; finding and touching them is said to bring blessings of love, making it a must‑visit romantic landmark for couples.

The beauty of Glover Garden changes with the four seasons. In spring, azaleas and hydrangeas adorn the stone steps; in summer, the trees provide dense shade, and from mid‑July to early October, the evening light shows make the Western‑style houses appear elegant and dreamy under warm illumination; in autumn, the maples dye the slopes red, creating a charming contrast with the blue‑and‑white Western‑style buildings; in winter, a tranquil lantern festival takes place, with warm yellow lights dispelling the cold.

The garden’s inclined elevator, cobblestone paths and wall fountains not only facilitate visits but also add to the retro ambience. From the second floor of the Former Mitsubishi No. 2 Club, the entire Nagasaki Port and the Megami Bridge are laid out in full view. As the sea breeze blows, you can almost hear the steam whistles of merchant ships from a century ago.