Nagasaki is a city with a rich history and a wealth of spectacular views that people can enjoy today, especially atop Mount Inasa (or Inasayama in Japanese). Inasayama stands 333 meters tall in the west part of the city, offering visitors an observatory atop of the mountain. The night view from the observatory has been called a “million-dollar night view” and is ranked as one of Japan’s three top night views, along with those of Mount Hakodate in Hokkaido and Mount Rokko near Kobe.
The Nagasaki night view can be romantic and breath-taking for visitors of the observatory. Offering a different atmosphere compared to viewing the landscape of Tokyo Sky Tree or Umeda Sky Building, the view from the observatory provides natural scenery with a 360 degree view of Nagasaki prefecture.
Inasayama observatory can easily be reached from Nagasaki city as it is just 3 kilometers away. You can take a bus at JR Nagasaki station and stop at the Inasayama bus stop. It takes 15 minutes and costs around 150 yen one way; after arriving, climb up around 15 minutes to reach the summit and observatory.
To enjoy the gondola ropeway view, take the tram to the Takaramachi tram stop and walk about five minutes to the lowest gondola station. Visitors can ride to the observatory using the gondola ropeway, a five-minute trip that costs 720 yen one way and 1,230 yen round trip. There is a special discount if you buy the ticket online. Those traveling in groups to the observatory are recommended to take a taxi, which takes 15 minutes from the lowest ropeway station and costs around 1,500 yen one way.
From the summit, you can enjoy the spectacular views of the city and Nagasaki Port and bridge. Also at the summit are restaurants with various kinds of specialty foods and souvenirs. Visitors are advised to ascend Inasayama at night to see the full majesty of the view, but be aware that lines may be long as many couples make the trip to take in the splendor, especially during weekends.
The gondola ropeway runs from 9:00 to 22:00 each day and is suspended for maintenance starting in early December. Rides to the summit depart every 15 to 20 minutes.
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