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.

Charming winter...

This is my first winter season in Japan. The first snowfall occurred in Tajimi on 2nd December. It was really interesting and I felt so happy seeing the cotton-like small pieces of snow flying down the sky. But that snow didn't stayed on earth for long. By afternoon everything melted off. What I saw outside was the cars parked down and the roofs and trees wearing white caps.

But the first heavy snowfall occurred last night, on Dec 17, which we noticed only after the roads got fully covered with snow. In the next morning, that is today, when we got up, everything outside seems to reflect the white colour - the roofs, roads, cars, trees - everything looks totally different. Yesterday was highly cool and everyone here said that it will surely snow without any doubt. The wind was forceful and it filled everywhere with a freezing weather.

         I went for  a morning walk, first time in this season, to see how it looks after the snowfall. Now only, I came to understand that it is really troublesome to walk through the melting snow as it cause slipping. Every vehicles are moving very slowly. Most of the people were traveling by foot and trying to catch the train than their own vehicles. Since I went for a walk, it was interesting and loved the nature's beauty in its white dressings. I had my camera with me, which I clicked every now and then. Even though it is the usual path of our walk, this time I felt everything different and every places seems totally changed. I will share some of the pictures from my today's morning walk..I am so happy!!

                     Now the snow started melting off. ;( I'll share my winter experience further again.

The beauty of Kokeizan and Eihoji temple in two different seasons...

It's my second visit to Kokeizan of Tajimi. I visited there to years back after a spring season when I could find calm greenly atmosphere throughout the area. There were no much visitors there and it was some special day at the temple. We saw the Zen monks and their chantings. It  attracted me since I am seeing such a number of monks in their meditation for the first time.

After that I read about the Zen temple Eihoji at Kokeizan. Eihoji temple as established in 1313 and is a learning school for Zen Buddhists. Then, it might be some practice sessions for the monks that we had seen there at that day. 

Zen monks in meditation.

It was just after the spring of 2012 : 

The temple was under repair when we went there that time and couldn't see it at all. In-front of the temple, there is a pond with Koi fishes and a bridge above it connecting the temple and the garden. The garden has every Japanese trees adorning its beauty. 

The bridge over the pond in-front o the Eihoji temple

 There were some autumn trees that have started changing its colour, and some sakura trees with flowers also. Behind the garden was a river with calm banks here e spend some hours. It was really a wonderful experience spending time at the bank of the river sitting quietly looking at the flowing water, hearing the sound of its flow.

The river behind the temple's park

Some garden views...

The giant ginko tree

Now in 2014's autumn : 

It's after two years that I  again made a visit to Kokeizan. I love autumn because o the colourful world it creates around us. Everywhere looks yellow, orange, red and its variations along with the greenish texture. It as a Sunday morning when we reached Kokeizan. Its reddish all around with Autumn trees. The new appearance of the Eihoji temple had invited a large number of visitors over there. Some wedding ceremony was going on there.  

The gate of the shrine near the temple.

Beautifully swept yard of the shrine.

Eihoji temple - a vie from the top.

Eihoji temple.

 The Koi fishes were feed by children and they both looks happy. Seems like fishes are enjoying the autumn.

Koi fishes in the garden pond

  The temple which was under repair during my last visit is now opened for the visitors. This time, we have a Japanese friend accompanying us. She always try to convey the writing we found there and talked about the things we found there.

Autumn colours in the garden.

The large ginko (Iccho)tree that we could see at the front yard is more than hundreds of years aged. But instead of the other Ginkos there, the giant one is still having green leaves the most.

Then we went through small path for the pedestrians running between the small forest of the mountain top. There were a lot of trees with name-boards. Also a small portion of bamboo forest is also found inside it. There are a number of small Buddha statues on the sides of the path.

Bamboo forest.

As we reached the top of it, there as a white statue over there beside the road. It is a monument built for the reminiscence of the warriors ho lost their lives in the world war.

Statue near Kokeizan.

Momiji festival at Soji park, Toki

                I went to Sogi park on a cold Sunday evening with a friend's family to see the Momiji festival(lighting). It was really crowded as we reached there. The parking areas were completely filled and we have to park the car at some distance of 10 minutes walk from the park. Walking in the cold as really dreadful as I am going to have my first winter in Japan very soon. 

                 
                 The cold breeze of that day was intolerable. The park had some 200 yen entry ticket per person and there were a lot of maple trees illuminated with different colors.

                   The water bodies around makes a clear reflection of the red trees full of lighting. We walked around for a long time. There was a girl dressed up in Japanese traditional dressings like Kimono and an umbrella. And some people started covering her for taking photos. Our friend started flute down a tree and we enjoyed and waited nearby.

 

            We saw some people gathered around the fire and enjoying their food.The cold made me jealous about them, I also felt like joining them as I couldn't tolerate the cold anymore.

 

                  After that, we bought some soup which gave a relief from the cold for sometime. After that we spend some more time around the park and returned.