For a country that doesn’t really celebrate Christmas, Japan sure knows how to do Christmas lights. They are the romantic backdrop for Christmas Eve – a night celebrated like Valentines Day, where couples take strolls to see the lights and then enjoy dinner at a fancy restaurant.
The lights are called ‘illuminations’ (イルミネーション) and go up in December. They stay put well into January, sometimes even until February. But seeing Christmas lights after December isn’t as fun, I don’t think, and after this week, I’ll be away until after New Year. So, on Saturday, I went with Mark to see Miyazaki’s best offering at Florante botanical park.
