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 at a Glance#
Address: Glover Garden, 8-1 Minamiyamate-machi, Nagasaki 850-0931, Japan
Website: https://www.glover-garden.jp/en/
Hours: Daily 8:00-18:00 (hours can vary seasonally)
Admission: Admission typically around 610 JPY (adults); discounts for children/seniors
About Glover Garden#
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.
| Month | Comfort | Temp | Feels | Rain | Sky | Humidity | Wind | UV | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Acceptable | 3° - 10° | 4° | 72 mm | overcast | 76% | 3.5 m/s | 0.4 low | 10.1h |
| February | Acceptable | 4° - 11° | 5° | 88 mm | overcast | 75% | 3.7 m/s | 0.7 moderate | 10.9h |
| March | Acceptable | 7° - 14° | 10° | 127 mm | overcast | 74% | 3.7 m/s | 1.0 moderate | 11.9h |
| April | Good | 11° - 20° | 15° | 170 mm | partly cloudy | 76% | 3.7 m/s | 1.3 high | 12.9h |
| May | Very Good | 15° - 23° | 19° | 185 mm | partly cloudy | 80% | 3.3 m/s | 1.6 very high | 13.7h |
| June | Good | 19° - 26° | 23° | 354 mm | overcast | 86% | 3.2 m/s | 1.5 very high | 14.1h |
| July | Very Good | 24° - 30° | 27° | 325 mm | partly cloudy | 87% | 3.2 m/s | 1.9 very high | 13.9h |
| August | Good | 24° - 31° | 32° | 208 mm | partly cloudy | 83% | 3.2 m/s | 2.0 very high | 13.2h |
| September | Very Good | 21° - 28° | 24° | 209 mm | partly cloudy | 81% | 3.5 m/s | 1.5 high | 12.2h |
| October | Excellent | 15° - 23° | 19° | 95 mm | partly cloudy | 77% | 3.3 m/s | 1.0 high | 11.2h |
| November | Good | 10° - 18° | 14° | 84 mm | overcast | 75% | 3.2 m/s | 0.6 moderate | 10.4h |
| December | Acceptable | 5° - 13° | 7° | 62 mm | overcast | 76% | 3.1 m/s | 0.4 low | 9.9h |
