Originally posted on Vipin Shankar's Blog:
Come winter, the gardens of Nabana-no-Sato at Kuwana are adorned with a million tiny coloured lights, twinkling all the way, atune to the background score. One of the largest winter illumination displays of the world, with over 8 million LEDs all lit up, this place attracts a huge…
Now that the season’s heat and humidity are slowly being blown away by typhoons, it’s time to start reminiscing about the summer! This past summer was quite brutal – but that didn’t mean I hated every minute of it. Though normally I’m more of a winter person (hello, Canada!) I still enjoyed my fair share … Continue reading
Whilst there are many delicacies on offer in Japan, sometimes one longs for a familiar taste of home and thoughts drift to tasty burgers. Finding a good burger in Japan can sometimes be a little challenging. The fact that, until recently, McDonalds was my best source of vitamin “B” says a lot. The recent opening … Continue reading
Mt. Gozaisho, a 1200 ft, high peak, the highest on the Suzuka ranges, is located some 50 km from Tsu, and is an ideal day’s hiking trip. It is said, Gozaisho has a different face every season. With the famous autumn foliage presented in the fall; the white snow caps in the winter; the cherry … Continue reading
Tucked away in the northwest corner of Mie Prefecture, nestled against the backdrop of the Suzuka mountain range, is an unassuming little vegetable farm and adjacent restaurant, “Restaurant Fleur.” Every day (except Wednesday) between the hours of 11 am and 2 pm,* locals and a few adventurous out-of-towners gather for lunch. But this isn’t just … Continue reading
An in-depth review of the new Steel Dragon by Daniel Nicholls. Coming from a country that only has three or four “real” theme parks and having grown up nowhere near them, I can’t say that I am a true connoisseur of rollercoasters. I have, however, made many a trip to Nagashima since coming to Japan … Continue reading
Flower fanatic alert! Nogyo Park, in the northern tip of Mie Prefecture, is bursting with plum blossoms for the viewing! As of my visit on Wednesday, March 20th, the majority of trees were just approaching mankai (満開 – bloom) and will likely be reaching their peak over the next few days, making this weekend the … Continue reading
Spring has arrived and with it so too has blossom season begun. While the world famous sakura (桜 – cherry blossoms) steal top billing every year, the first blossoms on the scene are the plum blossoms. More colourful and sweetly scented, mid March is their peak season. Two top places to see them in Mie … Continue reading
Mie! 