Nagasaki Private Tour: Glover Garden & Peace Sites

Set the pace and stops on your own Nagasaki day

A private guided tour of Nagasaki for groups of 2 to 10 with a live English-speaking local guide, covering the city's history, the Atomic Bomb Museum, Peace Park, Glover Garden and other sites on a flexible itinerary you can adjust on the day. The guide leads you through Nagasaki Chinatown, the historic fan-shaped island of Dejima, and sacred sites including Oura Church, Japan's oldest Christian church, while you control the pace and choose where to linger.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Nagasaki's history and landmarks

• View Nagasaki harbour and city sights
• Visit Nagasaki Chinatown
• Tour historic Dejima island
• See Japan's oldest stone arch bridge
• Visit Nagasaki's prominent shrine
• Explore important Catholic martyrdom site
• Tour Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum
• Walk through Nagasaki Peace Park
• Visit Oura Church
• Explore Glover Garden

The experience

You arrive in Nagasaki with a few hours or a full afternoon, and a private guide meets your group to shape the day around what matters to you. The itinerary is suggested, not locked: stop for photos at the oldest stone arch bridge crossing the Nakashima River, spend extra time in Nagasaki Chinatown (Japan's oldest, founded over 300 years ago), or skip ahead if something else calls. Your guide speaks English and draws on local knowledge to answer questions and point out details a bus tour would miss. The group stays under ten, so there's room to move at your own rhythm.

The tour typically covers six to eight hours and includes entry to major attractions: the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, a sobering account of August 9, 1945, and its aftermath told through artifacts and survivor accounts; Glover Garden, a hillside park of Meiji-era Western buildings where the Glover Residence (the oldest Western wooden house in Japan) overlooks the harbor; and Nagasaki Peace Park near the bomb's epicenter, with its Peace Statue and sculptures from around the world. You'll also walk through Dejima, the fan-shaped island that was Japan's only window to the outside world during its isolation era, now an open-air museum of restored Dutch trading post buildings and merchant houses. A visit to Oura Church, a Gothic structure built in 1864 and dedicated to the 26 Martyrs of Japan, rounds out the city's religious and international heritage.

If you want something beyond the standard stops (a Japanese tea ceremony, for instance), arrange it in advance with the operator. There's an extra fee and it depends on availability. Taxi fares between sites, meals and drinks are separate. For a cruise port call, message the operator before booking to confirm which stops fit your timeframe.

What’s included

• Your private English-speaking guide provides local insights throughout the day.
• admission to the Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum, Glover Garden and other scheduled attractions is covered.
• a flexible itinerary you can adjust on the day.

Before you book

Lasts 6h–8h, runs every day with no fixed time, from JP¥ 25,823 per person, with a live guide in English and French, as a private tour and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (1 to 12 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and French

Audio guideEnglish and French

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 2 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Explore Kyushu Tours

Is this one for you?The tour runs six to eight hours with moderate walking between sites and up hillside paths to Glover Garden, so you'll need a reasonable level of fitness and comfortable shoes. If you're arriving for a short port call, message the operator to confirm which stops fit your timeframe.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (1 to 12 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Dejima and why is it worth a stop on a Nagasaki tour?

Dejima is a historic, fan-shaped island that served as Japan's only window to the outside world during its isolation era. Originally a Dutch trading post in the 17th century, it's now an open-air museum where you walk through restored buildings, warehouses and merchant houses, each one offering insight into the cultural and economic exchange between Japan and the West.

Can I customize the tour itinerary or skip certain stops?

Yes. The itinerary is suggested, not fixed, so you can adjust it on the day: linger somewhere special, skip a site, or add something else. Message the operator before booking to discuss major changes or to arrange extras like a tea ceremony, which costs more and requires advance notice.

What does the Atomic Bomb Museum cover, and is it part of the tour?

The Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Museum details the events of August 9, 1945, through artifacts, photographs and personal accounts, showing the impact of the bombing, its aftermath and the city's recovery. Entry is included in the tour price.

Is Glover Garden included, and what will I see there?

Glover Garden is included. It's a scenic hillside park filled with Western-style buildings from the Meiji Era, including the Glover Residence: the oldest Western wooden house in Japan, built for Scottish merchant Thomas Glover. The garden offers views of Nagasaki Harbor and tells the story of the city's role as a historic gateway to the West.

What's included in the tour price, and what costs extra?

The tour includes a private English-speaking guide, local insights and admission to scheduled attractions such as the Atomic Bomb Museum and Glover Garden. Taxi fares between sites, meals, drinks, optional experiences like a tea ceremony and any early-return transport are separate.