Mie Prefecture

Christmas Day in Japan is just another working day, for the most part. The most exciting facet of the Christmas and holiday season in Japan is that all traces of it are gone by morning on December 26. Without fail, every bell, light, garland, and decoration will come down, and the music stops. However, this disappearing act does not hold for one of Japan’s most interesting holiday traditions; “illumination.” Illuminations are roughly equivalent to the western tradition of putting up Christmas lights. Rather than putting lights up on their own houses, cities or businesses will set them up, and the people will come to them. This is a trendy event for couples, and many illumination displays are set up and run from November straight until Valentine’s Day. Here are some popular places to experience illumination in and around Nagoya. Nabana no Sato The best place to see winter illumination is in 10 minutes from Kuwana Station in Mie. Nabana no Sato is the closest thing you will get in Japan to a neighborhood decked out by friendly competition in lights visible from space. There are 8 million lights spread out all over the entire amusement park, divided into seven different…