A Quick Hike up Mt. Nabekanmuri (鍋冠山公園) and Day Tour in Nagasaki, Japan - April 2023

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view from the top of Mt. Nabekanmuri

From Hotel Belleview Dejima, I headed out for a late morning hike up Mt. Nabekanmuri.  With the route passing beautiful attractions such as Dejima Omotemon Footbridge and Nagasaki Seaside park,  I stopped often to bask in the scenery of colorful flowers and the water. 

Following Google map (link here), the 2.2 KM route cut through neighborhoods and a small forested section. A challenging surprise awaits near the base of the mountain, a steep set of stairs! Though an elevator is available, I opted to  walk all the way. I needed the workout anyway. From here,  I took frequent breaks to catch my breath. Alternatively, one can take a car or taxi to the parking lot and walk 5 minutes to the top which makes this mountain accessible to everyone.   

It was past 11:00 AM when I reached the peak, quite late in the morning. Despite the heat, the wind was refreshing, one of the things I love about spring!  From here, I could see an amazing view of the water, port and nearby mountains.  I stayed for a long time until it got very hot. 

With plenty of time, I headed to  Glover Garden, entering from Gate 2 which is closer to Mt. Nabekanmuri. An outdoor museum featuring a beautiful garden, scenic views of the sea and Western-style houses of Nagasaki's early foreign residents, it's one of the city's main attractions.  (Entrance Fee : 620 Yen for adults. Visit Glover Garden website for more info on rates and opening hours). For snacks, I went to the tea house and tried their Castella cake and Dutch coffee. I stayed for a while here,  enjoying the view from the window. 

Dutch iced coffee and Castella cake served at Glover Garden's tea house.

From Glover Garden, I walked to Oura cathedral. There's entrance fee to be paid to get inside so I just skipped it. A few blocks out, I saw a more interesting stop for a foodie like me - Nagasaki Minami Yamate Pudding! It's a small shop selling puddings that come in different flavors. 

 As I wandered the streets in Nagasaki, I found myself going up and down a lot! It's a hilly city which makes it ideal for someone like me who's trying to get fit again.  

The sun was still up so at Dejima station,  I hopped on a tram to the Atomic Bomb Museum
then walked to Peace Park to before ending my day to try the infamous Turkish rice at Tsuruchan
(ツル茶ん 本店) restaurant.  I love carbs so this easily became one of my trip's highlights - an unusual combination of tonkatsu, Japanese spaghetti, salad and rice in one plate. It's a notoriously filling dish that some are unable to finish a complete serving. As it was my first full meal of the day at 6 PM, I gobbled everything effortlessly. 
Turkish rice - one of Nagasaki's infamous dishes.
The origin of its name is not known and you can read up
several theories about it online.  

Hiking Information 

Google map link to Mt. Nabekanmuri Park here.  

There are no fees to be paid during your hike. 

Nagasaki can be reached by  train (Travel time : 1.5-2 hours) from Hakata station in Fukuoka. For train schedules, you can check with Google Maps. 

Date of Hike : April 2023, Spring

Helpful Sites when Planning your Nagasaki trip

Related Post
Few days prior, I also hiked Mt. Yufu in Oita prefecture, check out my post - A Beautiful Spring Day hike in Mt. Yufu (Oita) 

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