Glover Garden, Open-air museum on Minami-Yamate hill, Japan
Glover Garden is an open-air museum on the slope of Minami-Yamate in Nagasaki, Japan, featuring several historic Western-style residences. The buildings spread across terraced grounds that offer a wide view over the harbor.
Thomas Glover settled in Nagasaki as a merchant in 1863 and built his residence during the opening of Japan to global trade. After his death the estate remained and was later expanded with other historic houses moved from different parts of the city.
The estate takes its name from Scottish merchant Thomas Glover and still displays Western residential buildings from the late Edo period. The houses stand open to visitors and show how foreign traders and their families lived in Nagasaki.
Moving walkways take visitors from the entrance up the terraces, making it easier for older guests and families with children. The site opens daily and lies within walking distance from the Ouratenshudo tram stop.
The Glover House is considered the oldest surviving Western-style wooden structure in Japan and belongs to the Meiji Industrial Revolution sites on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Part of the structure was built with techniques that Western carpenters brought to Japan in the mid-19th century.
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