3 min read

Nabana no Sato

7 min 16 sec

Japan & light festivals

Japan seems to be way ahead of the rest of the world when it comes to experimenting with lights. It is a culture throughout the country to have impressive light festivals over winter. Other than showcasing the creativity of new talent every year, such festivals give life to the boring weather of winter. It is no wonder that most people love to extend these displays well into spring.

The Nabana no Sato light festival

First-time visitors will find the numerous festivals captivating, but natives and frequent visitors will agree that the Nabana no Sato is the highlight of them all. The festival is a creation of the Nagashima hot spring resort located in Mie prefecture. Setting up the light display takes a record four months and involves thousands of workers to fix the over 8 million LED lights. The most outstanding feature of this festival is the stunning tunnel of lights, which spans 100 meters. Every year, to make it feel like a new experience for visitors, a detail of the tunnel is magnified and this year is no different. If you were in Nabana no Sato in any other year, you would not see the red, green and orange color change at the tunnel of lights. The flower park itself is one of Japan’s largest gardens and the location for one of the largest Japanese flower festivals.

Winter illumination

To someone who has never been to Japan over the winter season, it is hard to imagine that the flowers on display in the various festivals are real. It is easy to get lost in the marvel of the seasonal flower shows but even more captivating are the winter illuminations. Every year, there is an increase in visitors who tour Japan for the winter illumination festivities. In 2017 alone, it is estimated that 2 million visitors will tour the Nabana no Sato for the festivities.

10 min 49 sec

How to get there / Access

Nabana no Sato is within proximity to the Nagashima Spa Land and for visitors traveling by public means, the location is accessible by bus or train services. This is an excellent location for a weekend away from the busy city life; a great stress relief activity is strolling through the grounds that are alive with shrubs and seasonal flowers. Many people find that there is something new to see regardless of what season it is. The next time you are close by over November to March, do not forget to drop by and when you do, you better have your camera ready to snap away. The beauty of the winter illumination festival is nothing to describe in words but a picture will capture it all!

By bus

There are buses from downtown Nagoya (35min) and Chubu International Airport (50min). The closest stops are Nabana-no-Sato of Mie Kotsu Bus or the Meitetsu Bus. During the Winter Illumination, there is a nonstop bus of Kinki Nippon Railway from Nagashima Station to Nabana-no-Sato.

By car

The correct exits of the expressway are Nagashima Interchange and Wangan-Nagashima Interchange. It takes 15 minutes from Wangan-Nagashima IC on the Ise Wangan expressway. Parking lots are provided for 13000 regular cars and buses.