Glover Garden

Nagasaki


Some two dozen former homes of the city's Meiji-period European residents and other important buildings have been reassembled in this beautifully landscaped hillside garden, with breathtaking views across the harbour. Glover Garden is named after Scottish merchant and industrialist Thomas Glover (1838–1911), who built Japan's first railway and helped establish the shipbuilding industry, and whose arms-importing operations influenced the course of the Meiji Restoration.

Start by taking the moving walkways to the top of the hill, then work your way back down.

The Mitsubishi No 2 Dock building is at the top, with panoramic views of the city and harbour from the 2nd floor. Next highest is Walker House, filled with artefacts donated by the Glover and Walker families, followed by Ringer House, Alt House and finally Glover House. Halfway down is the Madame Butterfly Statue of Japanese opera singer Tamaki Miura. Exit the garden through the Nagasaki Traditional Performing Arts Museum, which has a display of dragons and floats used in Nagasaki's colourful Kunchi Matsuri.

The 'audio pen' guide, available near the ticket office, gives lots of detailed commentary and costs ¥700, although the map that comes with it can be confusing.

Transportation

  • tram: Ōura Tenshudō

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Nagasaki attractions

1. Glover House

0.03 MILES

A Unesco World Heritage site and Japan's oldest wooden Western-style building, this house, and the garden around it, are named for Thomas Glover (1838…

2. Ōura Cathedral

0.04 MILES

This hilltop church, Japan's oldest (1864), is dedicated to the 26 Christians who were crucified in Nagasaki in 1597. The former seminary and bishop's…

4. Walker House

0.07 MILES

Walker House in Glover Garden is filled with artefacts donated by the Glover and Walker families. Look for both Japanese and Western design touches.

5. Madame Butterfly Statue

0.07 MILES

Inside Glover Garden, this statue memorialises Japanese opera singer Tamaki Miura, who performed as Cio-Cio-san in Puccini's famous opera Madame Butterfly…

6. Ringer House

0.1 MILES

A historic house in the hillside Glover Garden, this important cultural property has been in its original location since the 1860s. The first owner was a…

7. Gunkanjima Digital Museum

0.12 MILES

For days when Gunkanjima is inaccessible (or even when it's not), you can tour the island from afar via high-tech video presentations and virtual-reality…

8. Mitsubishi No 2 Dock Building

0.12 MILES

This former dock house has been moved to the top of Glover Garden and offers great views, especially from the 2nd floor. Inside are displays about the…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "japan/kyushu/nagasaki/attractions/glover-garden/a/poi-sig/1233286/356734",
      "destination": "Nagasaki",
      "continent": "Asia",
      "country": "Japan",
      "city": "Nagasaki",
      "position": "superzone"
    }