A model course to enjoy Kuwana and Cape Kiso to its fullest♪ We visited popular spots and gourmet food!

This time's food trip is a trip to "KuwanaCity" and "KisosakiTown" in the northern part of Mie Prefecture.
The journey begins at Hamaguri Plaza, a complex located along the Ibi Nagara River. The pleasant weather naturally puts you in the mood for traveling.

When it comes to KuwanaCity 's specialty, it's definitely clams. The brackish waters of the Kiso Three Rivers, a mix of freshwater and seawater, are rich in high-quality plankton, making it possible to catch high-quality clams.

It is said that you can enjoy clam dishes here as well, so let's go eat it right away!

The restaurant ``Hamakaze'' on the second floor has a bright atmosphere with sunlight shining in from outside. This is a popular store that has been attracting many customers since it opened.

I ordered one of the standard menu items, the ``Akasuka Set Meal (1,700 yen).'' At this restaurant, you can make your own grilled clams!
First, arrange the clams still wrapped in foil on top of the cassette stove.

After 3-4 minutes, the shells will gradually open up and you can lift the foil.
I'm excited to see the sight for the first time.

The clams open completely without touching anything!
The scent of the ocean whets your appetite. I ate it quickly! !

The piping hot ``grilled clams'' are thick and tender, and the flavor of the shellfish soup is exquisite. The ``Akasuka set meal'' also included ``Fried clams Isobe'', ``Fried clams'', ``Miso soup with clams'', and a lot of shellfish, which was truly luxurious!

The view from the observation deck on the 2nd floor, which is the same as the dining room. It is a great location with a panoramic view of the Ibi River and Nagara River estuaries.
I was able to feel the charm of Kuwana quickly and felt happy!

[Clam Plaza]
Address: 86-21 Akasuka, KuwanaCity
Phone number 0594-22-6010
Official URL http://hamaguri-plaza.com
Business hours: 9:00-17:00 *Dining room Hamakaze is open from 11:30-13:30.
Closed: Year-end and New Year holidays (December 29th to January 3rd) *Shokudo Hamakaze is closed every Tuesday
Access: Approximately 15 minutes from Kuwana IC on the Higashi-Meihan Expressway

About 5 minutes by car from Hamaguri Plaza. Let's take a stroll through Teramachi Shopping District, which is lined with over 30 stores including Japanese sweets shops and clothing stores.

I found a shop that exudes a sense of luxury. Hobonya is a long-established shop that has been making Japanese sweets since the Taisho era.

The store is filled with a wide variety of Japanese sweets carefully crafted by the third-generation owner. Original products related to the local area are said to be popular.

"Kuwanakko" is a popular product. It is characterized by its moist puff pastry, and there are two types: ``Pumpkin Bean Paste'' and ``Ogura Bean Paste.'' This is a masterpiece that won the Food Industry Director's Award in the general confectionery category at the 27th National Confectionery Exhibition in Mie held this year.

The white bean paste mixed with cheese has a mildly sweet and addictive taste. This also satisfied my ``desire for sweets''.

[Okashishi Hoboya Teramachi branch]
Address: 58 Kitaderamachi, KuwanaCity
Phone number 0594-22-1304
Official URL http://hoboya.mie1.net
Business hours 9:00-18:30
Closed on Mondays (Tuesday when it overlaps with Sanhachi City)
Access: Approximately 12 minutes from Kuwana Higashi IC on the Higashi-Meihan Expressway

We left KuwanaCity for a while and headed to KisosakiTown, Kuwana District. Try the Japanese sweets shop ladder! To buy some souvenirs, I went to Hinodeya, the only Japanese confectionery shop in KisosakiTown.

This restaurant is loved by locals and has an elegant atmosphere. Get original products from here as souvenirs!

The shop's signature product is ``Tomato Yokan,'' which uses Momotaro tomatoes, a specialty of KisosakiTown.
The moderate acidity of the tomatoes spreads in your mouth, a new sensation!

Another thing I bought as a souvenir was the ``Kisogawa Shijimi pot pie.''
Unique products made with local specialties are perfect as souvenirs. Finally, we headed to today's main spot, `` Nabananosato''.

[Confectionery Hinodeya]
Address: 349 Minamoto Midorinaka, KisosakiTown genrokuwaju
Phone number 0567-68-8413
Business hours 8:00-18:00
Closed on Wednesday
Access: Approximately 10 minutes from Isewangan Expressway “Wangan nagashima IC”

Arrive at Nabananosato in about 10 minutes from Hinodeya in KisosakiTown.
First of all, I was surprised by how beautiful the illuminations from the parking lot to the entrance were. Expectations for the illuminations in the park will continue to rise.

When we entered the park, it was almost time for the lights to turn on, so we decided to wait in front of one of the popular spots, ``Sea of Light Clouds.''

Lights up at the sound of the chapel bell! Witnessing this moment, I once again felt the grandeur of the illuminations at Nabananosato.

It became known as a ``lover's sacred place'' as word of mouth spread that couples would be happy if they walked along the arched path amidst the ``sea of clouds of light.''

I was getting hungry, so I went to Mugi, an Italian restaurant inside the park.
`` Nabananosato'' is also rich in ``food.''

The interior of the store has a calm atmosphere with woodgrain tones.
The tables and chairs are warm and you can enjoy your meal slowly.

The pizza is baked in a stone oven and has an irresistible crispy crust. Another attraction is that there is an ``open kitchen'' where you can watch the chef kneading the dough. Authentic Italian food, very delicious!

Illuminations in the colors of the Italian flag decorate the outside of the restaurant. This kind of performance is also wonderful.

In front of the chapel is the "Twin Tree." The natural tree with a height of about 20m has an outstanding presence!
Light bulbs are decorated all the way to the tips of the branches, giving it a gorgeous appearance.

Next, go to the space behind the chapel.
One of the highlights is the ``Water Illumination Taiga of Light.'' The standard way to enjoy the view is with the chapel in the background, but we also recommend taking a look at the view from here first. It's amazingly beautiful!
There is also a pier where couples can enjoy some alone time, making it a popular hidden spot.

There are cute heart-shaped photo frames near the chapel, and you can have your photo taken by the staff. It is very popular among young couples.

Illumination will take a short break for now. We stopped by one of the largest begonia gardens in Japan.
As you pass through the entrance, you will find yourself in a large greenhouse filled with approximately 12,000 flowers of hundreds of varieties. When all these flowers come together, it becomes so beautiful!
It's a nice change from the cold air outside, and it's very warm here, so it's a good spot to take a breather.

There are cute photo frames here too! The fairy tale-like decorations will look great on SNS.
Begonia Garden requires an admission fee (1,000 yen for adults, 700 yen for elementary and junior high school students, 200 yen for infants (3 years old and older)), but it might be a good idea to use the 1,000 yen coupon you receive when you enter the village here.

If you walk a little after leaving the Begonia Garden, there is a spot where you can see the entire ``Water Illumination Taiga of Light''. Illuminations on water are rare in Japan, and this one is one of the largest in Japan (approximately 5 meters wide and 120 meters long). It expresses the changing seasons and mysterious natural phenomena, and the view is so beautiful that you won't want to leave this place.

The beauty of the next spot will surprise you! It is a "tunnel of light" with a total length of about 200m.
LED light bulbs shaped like flower petals, unique to a flower theme park, gently illuminate visitors.

Finally, we arrived at the main venue, the "Theme Area".
The theme for 2017-2018 is ``Kumamotodamon!'' - Kumamon's hometown travelogue.'' The motifs are the beautiful scenery of Kumamoto, which symbolizes the beauty of Japan, such as Aso, Amakusa, and Kumamoto Castle.

The magnificent and beautiful landscapes of nature and the unimaginable changes of scenery are expressed with vivid light.
The scenes where Kumamon appeared were entertaining with heart-warming productions.

The final highlight is the autumn leaves at Kagami Pond in front of the day-trip hot spring facility Sato no Yu.
The best time to see them is from late November to mid-December, and the illuminations make the colors of the autumn leaves even more beautiful. With this, we have gone all the way around "Nabananosato". I was able to enjoy the diverse nature and beautiful light to my heart's content.

[Nabananosato Illumination]
Business hours 9:00-21:00 *Extended business days until 22:00 are available.
Address 270 Komae KuwanaCity nagashima cho, Kuwana
Phone number 0594-41-0787
Official URL http://www.nagashima-onsen.co.jp
Fees *Please see the official website for details.
Access: Approximately 10 minutes north from Wangan nagashima IC on the Isewangan Expressway.
Illumination period: Take the Mie Kotsu direct access bus from Kintetsu Nagoya Line nagashima Station for about 10 minutes and get off Nabananosato.
Parking lot: Approximately 3,000 spaces (free)


This concludes the first day of our trip to the Hokusei area. I was very satisfied with a day filled with lots of things to see and do ♪ I'll have lots of fun tomorrow too!
We will stay overnight in KuwanaCity and prepare for tomorrow.
Click here to reserve your accommodation in KuwanaCity!

On the second day, I visited MitsuiOutletPark JazzDreamNagashima.
It takes about 10 minutes by car from Nabananosato. The scale-up opened in September 2017, opening 100 new stores and expanding the area. *It has become the largest outlet mall in Japan in terms of both number of stores and store area. I'm looking forward to seeing what the new area will look like!

*As of June 2017, researched by Video Research Co., Ltd.

The appeal of ` JazzDreamNagashima'' is that it is lined with famous domestic and international brand stores, allowing you to enjoy brand shopping close at hand. It is also a recommended spot for families with children, as it is fully equipped with a nursing room and children's space, and there are over 30 stores that carry children's clothing.

Of course, there is also plenty of gourmet food! You can enjoy a variety of Japanese and Western food.
The photo is of "Nagashima Kitchen" on the 2nd floor of the Parkside area.

While shopping, we encountered the rare "street performer"!
It is said that top-level performance in Japan can be seen every day.
*This event may not be held due to weather, other events, etc.

Due to this scale-up, we have arrived at a corner of the south area, which has been expanded in floor space.
There are many shops in this area that are ``outlet stores opening for the first time in Japan,'' and you'll want to stop by. In addition to eight new food and beverage stores, each seat has a lounge space with charging outlets and luggage storage, so you can relax in between shopping, so you can stay for a whole day. You can also enjoy it comfortably♪

``Meisan Matsusaka Meat Asahiya,'' known as a ``Matsusaka Meat Specialty Store,'' will also open a new store with this renovation.
It's also great to be able to taste gourmet food that can only be found in Mie!

Franc franc BAZAR, which sells fashionable and functional items at reasonable prices, is popular among young women.

Gelato Pique Cafe Creperie, a cafe produced by Gelato Pique, is a must-see for sweets lovers. Our signature menu is our crepes, which are made with the highest quality fermented butter, Echire Butter, and are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.
At JazzDreamNagashima, you can enjoy shopping to the fullest, enjoy delicious meals and sweets, and feel happy. This is the end of our 1 night and 2 day trip to the Hokusei area.
It was a great trip as I was able to fully enjoy the charm of this area and visit some of the classic spots!


[MitsuiOutletPark JazzDreamNagashima]
Phone number 0594-45-8700 (phone reception hours 10:00-18:00)
Official URL https://mitsui-shopping-park.com/mop/nagashima/
Business hours [Factory Outlet]
10:00-20:00 *Subject to change depending on the season.
[Restaurant] 11:00-21:00 *Times may vary depending on the day of the week and store.
Access: Immediately from the Isewangan Expressway's Wangan nagashima IC.
Approximately 50 minutes by direct bus bound for nagashima Onsen from Nagoya Station (Meitetsu Bus Center)
Parking lot: 13,000 spaces (paid/1,000 yen per day)
*Customers who spend more than 3,000 yen including tax at one store will receive a refund of their parking fee.

*Information as of December 2017. Dates, prices, etc. may have changed, so please check with your contact information before going out.