Glover Garden
Museum Historic Western-style hillside garden with preserved mansions
A hillside open-air museum in Nagasaki displaying Western-style residences, notably the Glover House linked to 19th-century foreign merchants. Visitors come for preserved architecture, garden terraces and views over Nagasaki harbour.
Glover Garden is an open-air museum and landscaped site on Minami-Yamate hill in Nagasaki that preserves a cluster of Western-style residences from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The complex overlooks Nagasaki harbour and the port area and is presented as restored homes and gardens open to the public.
The best-known building is the former residence of Scottish merchant Thomas Blake Glover, which is displayed alongside other foreign merchants’ houses and exhibition spaces. The site includes terraced gardens, walking paths and viewpoints that offer panoramic views of the harbour.
These houses reflect the foreign settlement and commercial activity in Nagasaki during the Bakumatsu and Meiji eras and now serve as a museum complex focused on that period’s cultural and architectural exchange. Glover Garden is located on a hillside within the city of Nagasaki, close to the Motomachi district and central harbour area.
- Glover House: Comprises several preserved Western-style houses from the Bakumatsu and Meiji periods, the most famous being the former residence of Thomas Blake Glover.
- Location and views: Provides elevated views across Nagasaki Port and the city; many visitors combine a visit with nearby Motomachi and Oura Church in central Nagasaki.
What to See #
- Western-style residences: The hillside residence of a number of foreign merchants and former officials from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, presented as restored Western-style homes and gardens.
- Terraced gardens and viewpoints: Terraced gardens and paths that offer views over Nagasaki harbour and the port area from the Minami-Yamate hill where the site sits.
How to Get to Glover Garden #
From Nagasaki Station: take tram Line 1 or 3 to ‘Motofuna-machi’ or ‘Oura’ stop, then walk or take the Glover Garden shuttle bus up the hill; the site is about a 10-15 minute uphill walk from the tram stop.
Tips for Visiting Glover Garden #
- Purchase tickets at the Glover Garden entrance or online to skip the line in high season.
- Don't miss the former Glover House with its Western-style veranda and the beautifully tended gardens with views over Nagasaki harbor.
- Combine a visit with the nearby Oura Church and the Nagasaki seafront for a full afternoon of Meiji-era heritage.
Best Time to Visit Glover Garden #
Glover Garden is an open-air museum in Nagasaki showcasing Western-style houses and gardens from the Meiji period, associated with Scottish merchant Thomas Glover.
Weather & Climate near Glover Garden #
Glover Garden's climate is classified as Humid Subtropical - Humid Subtropical climate with hot summers (peaking in August) and cold winters (coldest in January). Temperatures range from 3°C to 31°C. Abundant rainfall (1979 mm/year), wettest in June.
January
January is the coolest month with highs of 10°C and lows of 3°C. Moderate rainfall (72 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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February
February is cold with highs of 11°C and lows of 4°C. Regular rainfall (88 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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March
March is cool with highs of 14°C and lows of 6°C. Significant rainfall (127 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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April
April is cool with highs of 20°C and lows of 11°C. Significant rainfall (170 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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May
May is mild with highs of 23°C and lows of 15°C. Significant rainfall (185 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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June
June is mild with highs of 26°C and lows of 19°C. The wettest month with heavy rain (354 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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July
July is warm with muggy conditions (dew point 24°C). Heavy rain (325 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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August
August is the hottest month, feeling like 32°C with oppressive humidity. Heavy rain (208 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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September
September is warm with highs of 28°C and lows of 21°C. Heavy rain (209 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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October
October is mild with highs of 23°C and lows of 15°C. Regular rainfall (95 mm) and partly cloudy skies.
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November
November is cool with highs of 18°C and lows of 10°C. Regular rainfall (84 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
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December
December is cold with highs of 13°C and lows of 5°C. Moderate rainfall (62 mm) and mostly overcast skies.
