Being a Canadian, I tend to associate Christmas with snow, so sometimes living in Japan, the lack of snow doesn't always make it feel like the Christmas season. Also, one thing that Canadians tend to do during the winter leading up to Christmas is to go for a drive or walk to look at the Christmas lights that people decorate their houses and yards with. That's not really something that is available at all here in Japan, but that being said, they make up for it with various illumination events (as well as other events) in the winter season. I just wanted to share a few of the things that I have come across in my wanderings.
Cute snowman in Harborland
Santa decorations in Kitano-cho...they did it last year too
Kobe Night Market (it's a new thing...)
They're made from teddy bears!
Outside of Sannomiya station
Walking in Harborland
The light tunnel (above photos...) not sure what it was supposed to be, but interesting...
The next couple photos are from the giant tree they brought in to Meriken Park for Kobe's 150th anniversary Christmas event. This tree was shipped all the way from Toyama (northern Japan), and the idea was to create something similar to New York's Times Square Christmas tree. But it really seems like a shame that they cut down this big, old tree for an event that won't even last a month. I mean, sure it's nice for everyone to see, but kind of sad...
One of the many stalls out at the Meriken Park Christmas event...I just thought it looked nice...
Bakery in Kobe
Christmas sign in Sannomiya shopping center
The following are from an annual event in Kobe called Kobe Luminarie. Basically it's an illumination event that lasts for a week or two, and it was created after the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995, as kind of a memorial event, but it has turned into something completely different. Apparently the type of lighting that they use is from an Italian style. Every year, it's totally packed, and they shut down traffic on quite a few streets around the event. Sometimes there's also live music, and there's always many street food stalls as well.
Not kidding...there were soooooo many people!
I also had to be in Osaka at one point to pick something up, and while I was there, I decided to check out some of the events that they have going on.
The first one I visited was the illumination on Midosuji Street. Every year, they light up the ginkgo trees on street for about a 4km stretch, and as you walk down, the lights on the trees change colors depending on the area you're in. It feels a little bit strange though, because the trees still have their yellow leaves still, and there's yellow leaves on the sidewalk instead of snow
There were also some other interesting lights and other things along the walk down that road.
I don't know what these bears were about, but they were interesting!
Also on Midosuji Street, at the beginning of the illumination, there is another side street along the river where they have a light tunnel set up. This tunnel is also a show, as it sometimes plays music, and the lights are supposed to be synchronized to the song.
Right now, by the Umeda Sky Building, they are having a German Christmas market. There's a merry-go-round, decorations, food and drink stalls, stalls selling decorations, games, a big Christmas tree and Santa was even there.
Waiting in line to get a drink...
It's Santa!
Some things they were selling
Gingerbread cookies to be decorated!
Gingerbread and popcorn! I really wanted one of those gingerbread! The smell was amazing!
More things for sale...
The merry-go-round
It's also interesting because if you buy a warm drink (tea, coffee, cocoa or mulled wine), you get your drink in a German market Christmas mug as a kind of souvenir.
After that, I also wandered around Osaka station area for a little bit to check out some of the things they had going on!
Kind of difficult to read, but it says "Merry Christmas"
Also, not so much related to illumination type things, but at work we also recently finished our "Winter Celebration", which is basically a performance day for our kids. They worked really hard and did a wonderful job! After it was finished, our staff met up for dinner at a Vietnamese restaurant. The food was beautiful and delicious, and everyone had a great time!!
We did it!
That's it for now! More adventures coming up soon!!
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