With December and January, and the heart of winter, arriving in Japan, illuminations are a common and popular event. There are illumination events that get hundreds to thousands of people a year in Nagoya. I am one of the many fans of these light show events, and I have been to quite a few different varieties. One of my favorites was introduced to me by a friend a long time ago. We visited a garden at night-time, and there were paper lantern creations spread throughout which lit up the garden. These lanterns were completely different designs, some of them making beautiful use of shadow and light to create imagery, while other shad unique shapes that played with the light. Another illumination event I frequent is one hosted at the local TV tower. There’s an observatory at the top where an artist (who goes by the name NAKED) uses projection mapping and lights to make three dimensional displays against the glass windows. This is one of my favorites to visit because of its convenience, and it has seats to enjoy each of the displays.

While there are many different types of illumination events, one thing is consistent: they make an excellent romantic date. I would be lying if I said I haven’t done an illumination date with most of the girls I’ve dated. While repeating a date may seem unappealing to some of my readers, part of why I repeat the date so much is that the experience itself is wonderful. It’s a relaxed, mutually enjoyable outing that’s usually located near someplace to eat. This makes it quite natural to have dinner after having a wonderful, easy-going time. For anyone in Japan that was wondering what a nice outing with a partner would be, I would definitely recommend searching for illumination events near you. You might be surprised by how many there are. Illuminations are so popular in Japan that they often will set up lights in the street for some of the more central city locations during holiday season. Even a casual stroll can be a good time, if you know where they’re set up!