Nagasaki Slope Walk | A 40-Minute Route Through the Stone Slopes of Minamiyamate and Kinen-zaka

Nagasaki has so many slopes that it is called a “city of slopes.” Among its neighborhoods, Minamiyamate, on a hill overlooking Nagasaki Port, is an area where you can enjoy walking along stone-paved slopes, stairways and streets lined with old Western-style houses.

In this article, I introduce a walking route that starts at Ishibashi tram stop, goes up to the top of the Minamiyamate hill and then heads downhill while enjoying views of Nagasaki Port, with photos from my own walk.

On the morning of October 23, 2024, I left Ishibashi tram stop at around 10:30 and came down to a street near the port a little after 11:00. Including stops for photos, the walk took about 40 minutes. All photos in this article were taken that day.

1. What is Minamiyamate? | A hilltop foreign settlement overlooking Nagasaki Port

Minamiyamate was a “foreign settlement” where foreigners lived from the end of the Edo period into the Meiji era. According to Nagasaki City, it sits on a hill with a fine view of Nagasaki Bay and was used mainly as a residential area.

Western-style houses such as the Former Glover House still remain, and on April 30, 1991, the area was selected as a national “Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.”

2. The slope walking route (about 40 minutes)

Minamiyamate has many slopes, so it is easier to go up to the top of the hill first and then walk downhill. This is the order I walked in.

1. Get off the tram at Ishibashi stop
2. Ride the Glover Sky Road (elevators) up the hill
3. The stone-paved promenade on the hilltop, the Minamiyamate Rest House and Oura Observation Park
4. Kinen-zaka
5. Walk down stepped slopes and stone-paved lanes with views of the port
6. Come out onto a street near the port

3. From Ishibashi tram stop up the hill on the Glover Sky Road

The walk starts at Ishibashi, the last stop on the tram line. A canal runs beside the stop, lined with shops.

A short walk from the stop, the tower of the Glover Sky Road comes into view at the top of the slope. The Glover Sky Road is a city road that links an inclined elevator with a vertical elevator, and you can ride it to the top of the hill for free. You do not have to climb steep slopes or stairs, so it is a perfect start for a slope walk.

4. Stone paths on the hilltop and views of Nagasaki

At the top of the hill, a view opens up of central Nagasaki and houses packed tightly on the surrounding mountainsides. It is a view typical of Nagasaki, the city of slopes.

On the heights, a stone-paved promenade lets you walk while looking down on the town. Further along are the Minamiyamate Rest House, a Western-style building, and Oura Observation Park, which has benches.

5. Kinen-zaka and Nagasaki Port over the tiled roofs

Kinen-zaka, near Oura Church, is a narrow stone-paved slope that represents Minamiyamate. From partway down the slope, you can see Nagasaki Port beyond the tiled roofs.

Mountains surround the port, and the town spreads up their slopes. On a clear day, the blue of the sky and the sea was beautiful.

6. Walking down stepped slopes with views of the port

From here, you walk downhill toward the port. As you go down the shaded stairs, Nagasaki Port comes into view through the trees.

There are stepped slopes with white handrails and stone-paved slopes lined with red-brick walls, and the scenery changes every few steps. Spots where you can see the port at the bottom of a slope make you want to stop and take a photo.

7. A stone-paved lane lined with stone walls and ivy

Near the bottom of the hill, there is also a narrow stone-paved lane lined with stone walls and ivy. It was cool in the shade, and walking through the quiet residential area felt pleasant.

At the bottom of the last stairway, you come out onto a busy street near the port. I could also see the cranes of the shipyard in the distance.

8. Getting to Minamiyamate

From Nagasaki Station, take the Nagasaki Electric Tramway.

1. At Nagasaki-Ekimae stop, board Line 1 (for Sofukuji)
2. At Shinchi Chinatown stop, change to Line 5 (for Ishibashi)
3. Get off at the last stop, Ishibashi

For fares and details on transferring, see “Getting to Minamiyamate” in my article The Colors Within (Kimi no Iro) Nagasaki Pilgrimage.

9. Tips for walking

• Wear comfortable shoes. There are many stone paths and stairs, and some slopes are steep
• Use the elevators to go up. If you ride the Glover Sky Road to the top first, you can walk mostly downhill
• Be quiet in residential areas. People live in the houses along the slopes of Minamiyamate. Do not enter houses or gardens, and do not talk loudly
• Bring water in summer. Going up and down the slopes will make you sweat

10. FAQ

Q. How long does a slope walk in Minamiyamate take?

A. From Ishibashi tram stop to near the port, it took me about 40 minutes, including stops for photos. If you plan to go into the Western-style houses or shops, allow more time.

Q. The slopes are steep. Is there an easier way to get around?

A. Ride the Glover Sky Road (free elevators) near Ishibashi tram stop to the top of the hill, and then walk downhill.

Q. What kind of place is Minamiyamate?

A. It was a foreign settlement from the end of the Edo period into the Meiji era, and Western-style houses still remain. In 1991, it was selected as a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings.

11. Summary

Minamiyamate is a walking route typical of Nagasaki, where you can enjoy stone-paved slopes and views of Nagasaki Port.

• Ride the Glover Sky Road up the hill from Ishibashi tram stop, then walk downhill for an easier route
• From the hilltop, you can look out over central Nagasaki and the port
• There are many kinds of slopes, such as Kinen-zaka, stepped slopes and slopes lined with red-brick walls
• About 40 minutes, including stops for photos
• It is a residential area, so walk quietly

If you want to learn about the history of Nagasaki, please also read The History of the Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki (Japanese). If you are heading on to Shimabara, see the Kumamoto–Shimabara Ferry Guide as well.

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Official information referred to (checked on October 17, 2026)

• Minamiyamate Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings | Nagasaki City (Japanese)