Monday, December 24, 2007

Japanese impressions of Christmas







Itoman city (across the street and just east of Peace Memorial Park) and various resorts advertise Christmas "illuminations" - this year Renaissance Resort (Onna) and Hotel Nikko Alivia (Yomitan) were well publicized this year. All locations have plenty of free parking and helpful guys in uniforms waving red wands.
Itoman charges 200Y for admission to their illumination. As you enter there are multiple food stands and people selling local products and plants. Then you get to the lights, which are most impressive for the vertical blue and white array seen in the photo. There are also strange lit-up animals (giraffe, panda, chipmunk, etc) and lots of lights on trees. The setting is a rather scary tourist park area that purports to grow and sell (and taste) passionfruit and acerola wine.
The Renaissance has a lot of blue LED light dolphins, which are pretty cute. A Japanese children's choir was singing Christmas carols, half in Japanese half in English, at the same time performing synchronized bells.
The Nikko Alivia had a less impressive light display, with yellow LED lights around their pool area. But they had a live harpist, a sophisticated touch.