Nabana no Sato (なばなの里)

Dec 28,2014

                      We decided to go for the winter illuminations of  Nabana no Sato. As we checked for the bus timings from Nagoya, it seemed convenient but on searching for the train timings and the fare, we could find that the cheapest one is the JR. There is another line bound to Nabana no sato called the Kintetsu line. But JR seems cheapest and we decided to take JR. Arriving at the Nagashima Station, which is a small one without any ticket checking system too, we walked to the bus station near Kintetsu Station which is only some 5 minutes of  walk. Fortunately, we were able to get inside the first bus that started from there upon our arrival. The bus was bound for Nabana no Sato.

                      The lighting starts at 5 pm only, but it was already crowded when we reached there at 4:15 pm. Taking the entry tickets worth 2000yen, we get inside. The  entry actually costs only 500 yen, but the rest amount was given as the coupons that can be used for shopping inside the Nabano no Sato.  

 As we had more than half an hour, we decided to use our first coupons for a Yakisoba. It was really interesting to watch the three Yakisoba cooks. They were saying "Oishiku nare, Oishiku nare" while making the Yakisoba. It exactly cost our single coupon of 500 yen, we both have another two coupons each for further shopping inside. After enjoying our Yakisoba, we walked around nearby the entrance itself. 

 

      There was a round observation deck, like a mushroom, which is rotating all around the illumination area. Eventhough we decided to enter it once the illumination starts, we couldn't do it because of the heavy crowd that arrived after 5pm.

       At 5pm, the bell rung and the lights were turned on. There are no words worth to describe the feeling when we were surrounded by lights all around. Different colors,different shapes, camera flashes all around, and can't make an  approximate  count of the people present there. The crowd moved like a flowing river, without any end. We also joined them. The rest , I could only describe with the snaps that follows.

 

                    And at last we were guided through a tunnel full of lighting and that 10-15  minutes of walk made us to think that we were becoming part of a fairy tale. There is no opportunity for us to make a click peacefully, due to the crowd.

                     At last, it was a show of some 15 minutes, the Nayagra falls, with lakhs of LED. It was amazing, as we couldn't believe it was all the tricks done with light. The flowing Nayagra, in different illuminations, birds flying across the falls. And the falls during winter when it seems to sleep solidified. We watched four times, through four different directions, each of which provided different experience for us. There is an observation deck to view this show from where we can enjoy the beauty of illuminated falls at its peak.  

               While returning after the Nayagra waterfalls show, there was another small tunnel of lighting, which was greenish(leaves) with some flowers in between them.

               It started raining by that time and we get inside some shop, used our coupons for some souvenirs  and hired the next bus to Nagashima for the JR train.