Exploring Mie: Nabana no Sato

三重県内の有名な観光スポット「なばなの里」を知ろう!

2017/02/07 Tuesday Culture and Leisure., Exploring-Mie

Hello everyone following Mie Info. Today we came to Nabana no Sato, a place offering attractions during all the year. Seasonal flowers, begonia garden, winter illumination, among other incredible attractions.

Today we are going to introduce these amazing places of Nabana no Sato.

The park Nabana no Sato, located in Kuwana City (Mie Prefecture) is famous by the beauty of its seasonal flowers such as azaleas, tulips, roses, narcissus and a range of beautiful plants and flowers attracting visitors in all seasons of the year.

At the park, there is the “Begonia Garden”, a 9.000- square meter greenhouse exhibiting plants and different types of flowers.  About 12.000 begonias make this place special. There are several environments inside this garden and the large diversity of begonias in full bloom delights people visiting this place. Colors, aromas and beautiful flower arrangements please all the visitors.

Let’s explore it a little more?

Therefore, during its famous winter illumination event, the park attracts many visitors. With millions of LED lights adorning the place, Nabana no Sato carries out one of the largest illumination events in Japan.

Winter Illumination is held every year, between October to May. In 2016, the illumination event kicked off on October 15 and runs until 2017, May 7. You can check out the dates at Nabana no Sato’s official website.

The 200 meters long “Tunnel of Lights” is formed by small petal-shaped incandescent bulbs in addition to a large field becoming a sea of lights that is a true masterpiece because is so spectacular. There is also a moving observation platform from where visitors are awarded by a general landscape of the park.

After going through the tunnel of lights, visitors have access to a theme area that in 2016 was named “The Beauty of Mother Nature”, a display of lights and sound.

This large theme illumination taking place successively features famous scenes of the world, where everyone dreams to visit someday, such as:

  • Monument Valley, American Continent
  • The Antarctic Continent
  • The African Continent
  • Eurasia / Plitvice Lakes
  • Japanese Rice Terraces

And after visiting the theme area, visitors will go through another beautiful tunnel of lights, named “Autumn”.  This tunnel, where traditional colors of this season are featured, lights change from green to orange and red, representing the color change of the trees’ leaves.

Next to the chapel there are the “Twin Trees”. These trees symbolizing the park have been chosen as the most beautiful Christmas decorations of 2015. The LED lights were carefully set up to the edge of the tree branches, creating a dense and glamorous illumination. It is possible to hold wedding ceremonies at this chapel.

In the illumination on the waters called “Bright River” a rare type to see in Japan, where the flow of water is at the same time represented in a delicate and gracious form, and the flow of the falls is intense.  The beauty of the waters and its different forms can be enjoyed along with its interesting version of a vibrant musical background.

There are about 10 restaurants in the park, ready to serve all the audiences, offering the best of the Japanese, Italian and Chinese cuisine, among other gourmet delicacies. To relief fatigue, there are hot springs where visitors can immerse their feet at ease, and relax. Next to the entrance/exit there are souvenir stores, cafeterias and flower shop, in addition to a bakery where visitors can taste a baked bread, made to order.

The park Nabana no Sato is an excellent tour option and leisure with family because it is a wide and open place. For sure, here at Nabana no Sato, visitors will spend a pleasant day because the park is gorgeous, offering many places adorned with plants and flowers from different species and vivid colors.

[Interview with Mr. Kumagai, from Nabana no Sato]

Could you, please, talk about the attractions at Nabana no Sato?

“Nabana no Sato opened in 1998 aiming to offer the visitors the beauty of seasonal flowers. The park was projected to visitors can experience the seasonal landscapes, enjoying each season of the year. In Spring, we have plum trees and Kawarazu cherry blossoms, both with early flowering, and the tulips adorn a large area in the park. In summer, we have hydrangeas, iris and in Autumn the delicate cosmos and different species of dahlias. Here visitors can enjoy the beauty of the flowers in all the seasons of the year. We also have the illumination. Nabana no Sato is a precious place, where people can enjoy both illumination and the flowers, a wonderful place where the visitor can spend a pleasant day.”

Thank you very much. Could you please leave a message to foreigner residents?

“Nabana no Sato is a precious place, where visitors can enjoy simultaneously the seasonal flowers and illumination. I invite foreign visitors to come here and enjoy the beautiful landscapes of Japan at Nabana No Sato, as well as Japanese, Western and Chinese cuisine among others, and the hot springs. Have a good time and come to enjoy a nice moment at Nabana no Sato.”

Hours: (Winter Illumination period)

  • Week days: 9 a.m to 9 p.m
  • Weekends and holidays: 9 a.m to 10 p.m

Admission: Above elementary school ¥2.300/person (including a 1.000 in-store voucher)
Free parking lot
Access
511-1144
Mie-ken Kuwana-shi Nagashima-cho Komae Urushibata 270
Nabana no Sato website: www.nagashima-onsen.co.jp

Hours: (Winter Illumination period): http://www.nagashima-onsen.co.jp/nabana/illumination/time_price.html/

Tokai region eco-friendly purchase campaign

2017/02/07 Tuesday Culture and Leisure., Exploring-Mie

東海三県一市グリーン購入キャンペーンについて

green-konyu-campaign

– What about purchase environmentally friendly products? –

In order to spread and set up the *purchase of eco-friendly products,in a joint effort, the regional cooperation of the 3 prefectures in the Tokai region (Aichi, Mie and Gifu), the government, the organizations and the companies will carry out the “Eco-Friendly Purchase Campaign of the Tokai Region”. Through the local consumption, let’s build a sustainable society.

During the campaign period, purchase eco-friendly products bearing the seals “Ambiental Brand Products”, “Local and Sazonal Products”, “Product with Refill”, among others and take part of the raffle in which you may get 5 ¥10,000 QUO cards, in addition to “250 kits of products with refill” of cleaning products or shampoos.

“Eco-friendlyl purchase is the act of select and purchase products or services elaborated according to the real need aiming no harm the environment.

How to participate

Collect the post card ( 懸賞応募はがき,  kensho oubohagaki) available in retail stores participating on this campaign, fill in your ①postal code, address and phone number; ② full name; ③ name of the product purchased; ④ the retail store you purchased the product. Answer a simple survey and send it through mail or access the website  (東海三県一市グリーン購入キャンペーン, Tokai sanken ichishi green kounyu campaign) and fill in the application form to participate.

Campaign’s homepage キャンペーンホームページ(only in Japanese)
Application form: 応募フォーム(only in Japanese) *Or search for the following words:東海 (Tokai)グリーン購入(Green kounyu) 活動(Katsudo)

Period for application

January 13 (Friday) to February 12 (Sunday), 2017

 (For postal card, count the postmark bearing the last day for application cited above)

*Mainly environmental brands and label : ※主な環境ラベル(only in Japanese)

Contact:
Mie-ken Kankyo Seikatsu-buChiikiOndankaTaisaku-ka
(Mie Prefectural Government – Department of Daily Life and Environment – Sector for Measures Against Global Warming)
Tel: 059-224-2366