Mt. Mifune in Takeo city is also known as "Mt. Karafune" (which literally means "Chinese ship") due to its resemblance to one. Mifuneyama Rakuen is a park which sprawls out on the western foot of this mountain. It was built over a period of approximately 3 years by Shigeyoshi Nabeshima, the 28th ruler of the Takeo Domain, as part of his holiday home. In spring the park is reminiscent of a Shan shui painting, with 5000 cherry blossom trees and 50,000 azaleas all blooming against a backdrop of the rugged cliff of Mt. Mifune. The park hosts a variety of events such as tea parties and photography sessions. In the Mifunegaoka Plum Grove on the eastern foot of the mountain, 10,000 plum trees bloom in all their brilliance from mid-February to early May, and the place buzzes with people attending the Plum-Viewing Festival.
* Rock climbing, mountain climbing, etc. is forbidden on Mt. Mifune as it is designated as a registered monument of Japan.
● Access:
From train station: 30-minute walk from Takeo-Onsen Station on the JR Sasebo Line
Car: 10-minute drive from Nagasaki Expressway Takeo-Kitagata IC
Bus: Get on JR Bus bound for Ureshino Onsen at Takeo-Onsen Station on the JR Sasebo Line, get off at Mifuneyama Rakuen stop, and walk for a minute
● Entry Fees:
Regular Fees: 400 yen for adult, 200 yen for elementary school student and younger
Seasonal Fees: 800 yen for adult, 400 yen for elementary school student and younger (April 1 to May 5); 500 yen for adult, 300 yen for elementary school student and younger (November 1 to 31)
*Contact Mifuneyama Kanko Hotel for group rates
● Opening Hours: 8:00 - 17:00 (closes at 17:30 between April 1 and May 5)
● Open every day
● Parking Lot: Accommodates 150 cars (free of charge)
● Contact: Mifuneyama Kanko Hotel, Tel: +81-954-23-3131
