Meguro River Winter Sakura to be Illuminated Using 100% Recycled Oil Until January

29.October.2019 | SPOT

This winter, MINNA no ILLUMI Executive Committee will be decorating Meguro River with an unmissable illumination display that will warm your heart. 100% of the energy for the illumination will be produced by recycled oil. The display will run from November 8, 2019 to January 5, 2020.

As Shinagawa Ward will also be lit up at the same time, visitors will be able to treat themselves to a glorious view of approximately 410 thousand sakura-coloured lights, creating a unique opportunity to witness Winter Sakura®. The beautiful illumination along the riverbanks of Meguro River will be the largest illumination project within Yamanote Line with a total length of 2.2km of riverbanks covered (counting both sides of the river). Enjoy the beautiful warm light reflecting off the river’s surface.

The megurogawa MINNA no ILLUMINATION project was launched in response to the locals’ desire, love and praise for riverside illumination displays. The project involves collecting waste oil from restaurants, cafés and households and recycling it as the sole energy source to power the illumination display. This project has become a symbol of winter and plays a significant role in strengthening bonds with the locals. 

 

Last year, approximately 5,500 litres of oil was collected from 11 places including restaurants, cafés and apartment blocks. This was converted by a power generator which supplied all the electricity necessary to run all the lights. This year, unused oil from local restaurants and apartment blocks will be recycled into biodiesel once again to run another Winter Sakura® light display which tourists flock to see. 

This year will also see the return of German Outdoor Dome Garden Igloos from last year. This creates the perfect spot to watch the Winter Sakura® without getting cold or being affected by rain or the wind. There will be three garden igloos at this year’s event and each will have a unique colour theme. Each igloo will be 3.6 metres in diameter, 2.2m high and contain a ground area of 10m², allowing for plenty of space to relax.   

 

Igloo Availability: December 16 – 25, 2019 *Subject to change

 

Gotanda Fureai Mizube Hirobamade even made the news in overseas countries as a result of the illumination project. This is the perfect way warm your heart during the cold winter.

RECOMMENDED ENTRIES

  • Tobu Zoo Winter Illuminations 2019-2020: A Fusion Of Lights & Music

    03.October.2019 | SPOT

    Tobu Zoo is set to turn on 3 million LED lights for its winter illumination event that will run from October 26 to February 11 next year.

    Tobu Zoo has lots of surprises lined up for this year’s event, including an illumination installation made in collaboration with male Japanese singer Amatsuki, which will bring together lights and music. This will include a giant LED display showing music videos from Amatsuki in addition to exclusive and original videos, a 50 meter long light tunnel with Amatsuki-inspired decorations and his music playing, and more. Full details are to be announced in the coming weeks.

    “Illumination Show” Giant LED Display (Location: In front of Heartful Garden)

    The “Illumination Show” will make use of the biggest LED display in Japan’s Kanto region, combining music with CG visuals, and illuminated decorations will twinkle in front of it. This year, the display will also feature new full-colour lasers. Three magical and dynamic shows will light up the area, including the Amatsuki Live Illumination show.

    Heartful Garden (Location: Heartful Garden)

    The zoo’s Heartful Garden spans 8,000 m², and it’s here that bright and beautiful flower topiary installations will be set up.

    Theatrical Projection Mapping (Location: Tobu Zoo HOLA! Event Stage) *Running from November 30, 2019

    The zoo’s 1,300 capacity event stage HOLA! will make use of breathtaking ‘theatrical projection mapping’ which will be projected onto the stage and the ceiling

     

    The theme of this year’s projection mapping event is an animal musical which will serve up an incredible entertainment show for the audience. Various animals will make an appearance in the form of projection mapping to tell a story with dance and music.

    Cherry Blossom Illuminations (Location: East Gate, Swan Pond)

    Gorgeous cherry blossom-coloured lights will be strung on the Yoshino cherry trees lining the Swan Pond, creating a pink panorama right before your eyes.

    Amusement Park Illuminations (Location: Around the amusement park)

    Lights will also twinkle around the attractions in the amusement park, creating a different atmosphere than daytime, and there will also be various photo areas themed on fairy tale worlds including Cinderella, Princess Kaguya, The Little Mermaid and more.

    Enjoy a romantic evening with the warm, cosy lights at Tobu Zoo.

  • Roof Star Gardens Illumination Event to Take Place On GINZA SIX’s Rooftop Garden

    02.October.2019 | SPOT

    Ginza’s biggest shopping centre GINZA SIX has announced that it’s set to light up its rooftop garden with an enchanting illumination event titled Rooftop Star Garden which will begin on November 26 and run until February 24 next year.

     

    Standing at 56 meters high, the rooftop garden is the “closest place to the stars” in Ginza. This will be GINZA SIX’s first ever illumination event and it will shine a bright spotlight against the nightscape of Ginza’s streets.

     

    Rooftop Star Garden will take place in two areas in the garden: the Water Fountain Area and the Forest Area, both of which will welcome star-themed light shows.

    The theme of the Water Fountain Area is “Shooting Star,” whose LED lights will elicit a sense of profoundness in its observers. 147 LED lights will form the main monument of this area, with bright, sparkling illuminations that will remind one of shooting and twinkling stars.

    The Forest Area is made up of two separate areas between the Water Fountain Area. Lasers will shoot through crystals, creating an ocean of countless specks of light that look like little stars that make it feel like you’re in space.

     

    This limited-time event is the perfect way to spend this year’s Christmas, so don’t miss out.

     

    *Photos are for illustrative purposes only

  • Eat & Drink in Harajuku at MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS’ Rooftop BBQ

    25.October.2019 | FEATURES / FOOD / SPOT

    Since opening in Harajuku last year, MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON’s ultra-kawaii hotel MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS has been the talk of the town. We are here to announce a new BBQ plan for guests which is held on the hotel rooftop and which you can attend empty-handed.

    MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS is only an 8-minute walk from Harajuku Station. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you spot our neon sign pictured above. It’s on the roof of this building you can look forward to getting your teeth into a delicious BBQ and chugging down drinks.

    The rooftop design takes on a pop appearance, mixing blue with yellow. This cute design alone is enough to get you excited for what’s to come. And since there are no tall buildings around us, you get a great view of Harajuku from below.

    The BBQ plan comes equipped with everything you need: a fire, plates, cups, ingredients, and alcohol. We have a great option of drinks, including beer, wine, whisky, and soft drinks. There’s also a beer server so you can enjoy your beer nice and frosty. If we don’t have a drink you’d like, you can bring your own too. There’s a FamilyMart and other shops nearby, so head there to stock up.

    BBQ Set – ¥6,000 Per Person (Before Tax) *Photo is a select portion example for 5 people

    For grub, our lineup includes meat, fish, egetables, fried onigiri, and sweets. There’s Japanese beef too, as well as Japanese chicken, pork, lamb, sausage, and more. We prepare the most delicious ingredients for the current season. There’s a lot of different meats to choose from, so rest assured you won’t go hungry.

    All the food is seasoned for you, so you can drop it all on straight away and get straight to eating.

    Make a toast with your drinks and tuck in! The wagyu beef is nice and plump once it comes off the fire. One bite of the soft meat will treat your taste buds to a luxurious sweetness and the meat’s delightful juices.

    The chicken is seasoned sweet and spicy. It has a crunchy exterior and soft inside. The lamb is seasoned well too and has that distinct deep flavour lamb has.

    Our fish and vegetables are all in season too. The fish pictured above is salmon cooked in foil and seared skipback tuna. The salmon is seasoned with butter and soy sauce. All of the delicious flavour of the skipback tuna is intensified while prepared on the fire, and the inside is sumptuously tender. It’s seasoned with citrus soy sauce.

    This here is giant okra which I tried for the first time. Giant okra is in season right now too. It’s a lot more elastic than your regular size okra and has a juiciness when you bite into it.

    I was so full already… until dessert arrived! These is a dessert sweet potato roasted on the fire.

    I topped it with vanilla ice cream and tea flavoured ice cream before sprinkling on cornflakes to finish.

     

    The mix of the hot potato and cold ice cream is a match made in heaven inside your mouth. The roasted sweet potato has a subtle sweetness which mixes perfectly with the creamy ice cream. I originally thought I was full but there’s always room for dessert.

    There are parasols too in case it rains. You can even rent out tents from the hotel if you like.

    If you’re looking to stay in Harajuku, come and see us at MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS and enjoy a BBQ with a rooftop view of Harajuku.

     

    Writer: Sayuri Mizuno (MOSHI MOSHI NIPPON)

    Translator: Joshua Kitosi-Isanga

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    The Izu Kogen Grand Illumination was ranked #1 in the Walker+National Illumination Ranking for six consecutive years and is beloved by visitors of all ages. This isn’t just a collection of pretty lights–the Grand Illumination also includes a number of hands-on experiences for everyone to enjoy.

     

    In 2021, the event won first place in the Ninth Illumination Awards for the second year in a row. Known as Japan’s first ‘hands-on illumination experience,’ the park has continued to evolve year after year, adding more attractions and finding its unique style. These attractions include a zip line through the lights, Dinosaur Go-Karts, and more.

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    Japanese creative company NAKED will hold a Night Walk event at Zuiganji Temple in Matsushima, located near one of the top three most scenic spots in Japan. The event will run from October 29 until November 23, 2022.

     

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    The event will only run for a limited time. For more information including admission fees and hours, see the official website!

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    Visitors will be welcomed into a glorious forest of golden lights as they arrive in the main area. 

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    SHAUN THE SHEEP AND SHAUN’S IMAGE ARE ™ AARDMAN ANIMATIONS LTD. 2022

     

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    Why not visit this incredible sea of lights this winter?

  • Sumikko Gurashi Characters Appear at Lake Sagami Pleasure Forest

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    From November 12, 2022, until April 2, 2023, visitors to Lake Sagami Pleasure Forest in Kanagawa Prefecture will be able to enjoy an incredible light-up event featuring Sumikko Gurashi characters! The outdoor resort is only an hour from Tokyo and won’t disappoint.


    A World First! Illuminated Sumikko Gurashi Area

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    Goods Featuring Original Illustrations Available–with a Collab Menu!

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    Come enjoy these incredible lights along with everyone’s favorite Sumikko characters! With 6 million lights on display, this is one of the largest in the Kanto area. More details will be coming soon, so keep an eye out!

  • Light and Shadow 2022 Event at Hotel Gajoen Tokyo Attracts Over 10,000 Visitors

    04.August.2022 | FASHION / SPOT

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    Each of the seven exhibition areas is connected to the stairway, and each has its own theme pulled from the overarching theme of light and darkness. From Light of Passion to Midnight Light, guests will be surrounded on all sides. As you ascend the stairs, a festive atmosphere transforms into a more frightening one. Although the ghosts are out to play, guests are welcome to enjoy the many art pieces and crafts on display. 

     

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    Inverted Light, Eros Nakazato

     

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    Culture and Crafts from Around Japan

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    Wa no Akari Room

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    ⓒTOKYO TOWER

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    Welcome Light Lake *Image from 2021

     

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    How would you like to spend your summer deep in the illuminated nature of Hokkaido?

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