One thing you must see in Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, my hometown, is the night view from Mount Inasa.
In Nagasaki, where flat land is scarce and mountains are abundant, buildings are constructed along the slopes, and when darkness falls, it creates a night view rarely seen in other places.
While Hakodate, Kobe, and Nagasaki are known as Japan’s Three Great Night Views, Nagasaki has also been selected as one of the “World’s New Top Three Night Views.”
However, this was certified at the “Night View Summit 2012 in Nagasaki” based on a survey by a Japanese organization, so you should probably factor in some local bias. Regardless of whether it’s included in the world’s top three night views, there’s no doubt that Nagasaki’s night view is beautiful.
As a local, you’d never go there except on a date (which is why I never had the chance), but I recently went while visiting for the Lantern Festival, so here’s my report!
To Mount Inasa Observatory by Car, Bus, or Ropeway
There are several routes to the Mount Inasa observatory. Here are your options for reference:
Route 1: Drive to the paid parking lot next to the observatory
Disadvantage: The paid parking lot only holds 40 cars, so it may be full on weekends and busy times. Entry restrictions may be in place (Reference: Access | Inasayama Park WEB)
Route 2: Drive to the large free parking lot before the observatory, then walk or take a shuttle bus to the observatory
Disadvantage: About a 15-minute walk from the free parking lot to the observatory. Shuttle bus times are fixed
Route 3: Use the ropeway (Reference: Nagasaki Ropeway | Operating Information)
Disadvantage: Need to take a bus to the boarding area. Note the ropeway operating hours (9:00-22:00)
Route 4: Take a regular bus to the free parking lot, then shuttle bus from there
Disadvantage: Regular buses run about once every 30 minutes (Reference: Quick Timetable & Fare Search | Nagasaki Bus)
Route 5: Taxi
This time I chose Route 2 above. I headed to the free parking lot by rental car, then took the shuttle bus to the observatory from there.
If you want to enjoy watching the city gradually transform into its nighttime face, arriving a little before sunset is best.
Nagasaki City is full of mountains and slopes, but surprisingly doesn’t have many high-altitude mountains. So all of Nagasaki’s major broadcasting stations have installed their antennas next to the observatory on the relatively high Mount Inasa (333 meters).
From next to the observatory, you can already see Nagasaki’s city and harbor at a glance.
The weather wasn’t great this day, but still a good view.
Let’s enter the cylindrical observation tower.
Wait for Nightfall While Viewing Outside from Inside the Observatory
Inside there’s a rest area and some small exhibits.
This day there was a Mount Inasa Photo Contest display.
The outside is a spiral upward slope, and as you go up there’s an observation deck.
Selected as one of the World’s New Top Three Night Views along with Hong Kong and Monaco. While it was chosen by a Japanese organization at a summit held in Nagasaki so you should read between the lines, there’s no doubt it’s a very beautiful night view.
Benches are installed on the spiral slope, so many people wait here for nightfall while watching outside.
Even from here you can see a beautiful night view.
I climbed up the slope to just before the observation deck. But this day the temperature was low and the wind was strong, making it incredibly cold, so I decided to wait inside until nightfall before going out.
By the way, next to it there’s also a restaurant where you can dine while viewing Nagasaki’s scenery and night view. The panel featuring Taro Hakase is prominent, but he doesn’t have any particular connection to Nagasaki – he performs “Nagasaki Nocturne,” the theme song for the New Top Three Night Views promoting Nagasaki tourism.
As sunset approaches, tourists keep arriving. Though it’s a weekday, the Lantern Festival is in session. The impression is about half Japanese and half Chinese/Korean tourists.
It’s gradually getting darker and looking good. Already beautiful…!
Let’s go up to the observation deck now.
Enjoy One of the World’s Finest Night Views Created by Terrain and Harbor
This day the temperature was approaching 0°C, one of the coldest days of the year. Plus it was snowing and windy – just freezing! But since we came all this way, we must see the night view! Must take photos!
Whoa…! So beautiful!! It truly deserves to be called a million-dollar night view. (Though it’s surely worth more than a million dollars now)
Everyone is freezing saying “So cold!” but still gazing at the night view.
The observation deck is fairly spacious with platforms in the back, so even when many people come, everyone can properly view the night scene.
Antennas, parking lot, night view. This contrast is also beautiful.
Nagasaki’s narrow, deep harbor and the lights from buildings and roads along the slopes create one of the world’s finest night views.
After enjoying the night view, we took the shuttle bus back to the free parking lot.
Despite being during the Lantern Festival period, since it was a weekday and very cold, the free parking lot was empty. The paid parking lot wasn’t full either, so we could have used it if we’d wanted to, but oh well.
Final Thoughts
Nagasaki has many attractions, but especially if you’re visiting as a couple or married couple, you can’t miss this world-class beautiful night view. While bus schedules vary by season, it’s nice that you can basically enjoy it year-round. Please come and see it!
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