JPN: Mount Inasa

Fuchimachi, Nagasaki, Japan

Rising 333 m above sea level, Mount Inasa is located on the western side of the city of Nagasaki. The observatory at the summit offers a spectacular view of the thriving port city and its surrounding areas, especially the so-called "10 Million Dollar Night View" that's considered to be not only one of the best three in Japan, but also in the world.


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After exiting the upper station of Nagasaki Ropeway, you'll walk through a sheltered walkway that leads to an open area where the observatory is.


There are a few TV and radio stations that serve the region.
 

Portugal donated a sculpture of kimono, the national dress of Japan, in October 1993
to commemorate the 450th anniversary of friendly relations between the two.
 

The interior of the observatory is open daily until 10.00pm, but its upper deck remains open through the night.


I kept telling myself to come back and take another photo of the circular ceiling at night,
but unfortunately I forgot about it in the end.


Not love locks, but promise hearts!

We walked up the ramp and eventually reached Hikari No Restaurant, where we'd be having dinner after sunset.



There were only a few people at the upper deck during the day.


How many times have you used a coin-operated tower viewer? For me, it's only once.


Nagasaki Port is a natural harbor that's surrounded by mountains on three sides.

Japan's best three night views are Nagasaki seen from Mount Inasa, Kobe seen from Mount Rokko and Hakodate seen from Mount Hakodate. Apparently, the night view offered by Mount Inasa is also among the best in the world, joining that of Hong Kong and Monaco.



While waiting for the sky to darken, we made our way to Inasa-yama Park, which is located about 500 m downhill.



If you ask me whether I was expecting to see deer, my answer is no, not at all.


I saw at least 25 deer in the huge enclosure.
 

"Are you staring at my antler or my butt?"
 

There's a capsule machine selling food mixtures for the deer. Each capsule costs ¥100 (~S$1.35). 



The moment I opened the packet, many of them started approaching me.
Take a look at some video clips of the deer.




There's a commemorative tablet nearby that was unveiled in 2013 as a celebration of friendship between the USA and Japan. 


As we made our way to Inasa-yama Park through a spacious open carpark, I was suddenly surrounded by a number of harmless cats. I suppose that was because they were attracted by the sound of the small plastic bag I was holding to contain my rubbish.



If you recall seeing a photo showing slope cars earlier, they were actually being tested at that point of time. I suppose they should be operational by now as the targeted date of completion was 31 January 2020, allowing easy travel between the park and the summit.


Inasa-yama Park is a popular spot for cherry blossom in early April. In late spring every year, the park hosts its own Azalea Festival.


That bell was erected in conjuction with the International Flower and Green Fair
that was held in Osaka in 1990.



Enjoy live music at the open-air concert hall during the Azalea Festival.



That looks fun, no?
Wheee!


We made it back in time to the observatory to witness the setting sun.

Like a giant droplet~


Such a beautiful evening sky emblazoned in reddish gold hue!
 


We waited until the sky darkened further before going for dinner.


Don't be shy, lady moon!

Nagasaki Port first opened to international trade in 1571.
It was a delicious dinner we had at Hikari No Restaurant with unparalleled view.



Finally, we went to the upper deck of the observatory one last time before heading back to town.

A romantic couple under the moonlight~


The pier at the port houses Japan’s largest Customs, Immigration and Quarantine facilities.

In that trip, we also covered another best night view of Japan: Kobe seen from Mount Rokko. Do look forward to the post in the near future.

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