Winter has arrived in Japan. Along with the chilly winter breeze and intermittent snow, this time is a chance to soak in the best winter illuminations in Japan. One of these is Nabana No Sato located in the Mie Prefecture.
Nabana No Sato is a flower park located in Nagashima Resort, which is in Nagashima Island near Kuwana City in the Mie Prefecture. Nearby cities that provide easier access to Nabana No Sato include Osaka, Kyoto, and Nagoya.
Tip: Nabana No Sato can get crowded on weekends especially during the winter illumination. Visit the park in the afternoon or early evening and then wait until the lights are turned on. This is what we did when we visited so we were able to enjoy the landscape with the daylight and the illumination at night.
Tip: We also tried Island Fuji, which is a moving observation deck which offers views over the entire park. Ticket price for this is on top of the park ticket price of 2,300 yen. For Island Fuji, it costs 500 yen per person.
Island Fuji gives a panoramic bird’s eye view of the entire park. Ticket price is 500 yen.
The theme park is blanketed with different flowers that bloom on different seasons. The park itself has many restaurants, beer garden, gift shops and even an onsen to cater to visitors.
The amazing winter illumination in Nabana No Sato is considered one of the biggest illuminations in Japan. You can find here different displays that include a light tunnel and a lit-up flower display. It runs from mid-October to mid-May. For 2018, the winter illumination is from October 14, 2017 to May 2018. Please check the schedule on their website before going.
Nabana No Sato has two flower tunnels you can walk through. But before you can go to the flower tunnels, you will pass on a trail of lights that appear to glide over the water. The lights seem to end with the view of a chapel. It is a scenic view and you may want to take a photo of this magnificent landscape when you visit.
Then, you can start walking through the flower tunnels. You can take great photos here but since it can get crowded, just use your skills to find decent angles. LOL.
After the second flower tunnel, you will arrive in an area with a light show. When we visited, the light show was about Kumamon – a mascot named after Kumamoto prefecture in the Kyushu region and is known as “Japan’s most popular bear.” The theme of the light show can change. Please check their website before going.
Directions: (How to go)
Nabana No Sato is located in Mie Prefecture, 511-1144 , Kuwana City, Nagashima Cho, Komae Urushibata 270.
We took a train from Nagoya Station and later on a bus going to Nabana No Sato. We bought our ticket in advance at Kintetsu Nagoya Station, which costs 3,600 yen (P1,700) that includes the train tickets to and from Kintetsu Nagoya Station, bus tickets to and from Kintetsu Nagashima Station, and the winter illumination ticket.
From Nagoya Station:
Train + bus: Take the train from Kintetsu Nagoya Station to Kintetsu Nagashima Station. This will take around 20 minutes. Get off Nagashima Station and right outside there is a direct bus to Nabana No Sato. This direct bus operates usually during winter illumination. Check ahead of time if bus is available from Nagashima Station. Bus travel will take around 10 minutes.
Tickets: (How much)
Winter illumination tickets – 2,300 yen (P1,088), includes 1,000 yen for the park
Rest of the year – 1,600 yen (P757)
We used the 1,000 yen voucher for food. There are lots of restaurants inside the park.
Tip: We tried a katsu restaurant and the food was really good. If you enjoy the likes of Yabu, you’d like this katsu restaurant.
Want more tips and stories about Japan, visit our posts about this lovely country.
