With huge magical theme parks nearby and lots of great food on offer, it’s an ideal place to experience Japanese Christmas.
Christmas is just around the corner, and though people often get together for family dinners in Japan, some would prefer flocking to places where the Christmas spirit burns bright, like Tokyo Disney Resort. Its immense estate encompasses both Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, magical theme parks with marvelous attractions that can brighten up even the grumpiest.
Our Japanese-language reporter Tashiro Daiichiro made a trip down to Tokyo Disney Resort recently to experience the ongoing Christmas event. It was difficult for a Disney fanatic like him to come up with just three reasons why people should spend a day or two there — he had a bajillion, in fact — but he managed to narrow it down somehow.
#3. Christmas-themed character goods
▼ First up was the incredible amount of cute stuffed toys on offer.
Everywhere he looked, Tashiro’s eyes always seemed to land on piles of adorable fluffy plushies. His favorite was a snowman series, which turned classic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and Minnie Mouse into white puffballs complete with matching scarves and beanies. It was a shame they would all disappear after 25 December, but that was still about two months away.
▼ Resisting the urge to haul a bunch of stuffed toys home was perhaps
the hardest part of the trip for Tashiro.
▼ The Christmas Pooh hand puppet was easily his favorite.
▼ Tashiro recommended getting a Duffy beanie
to keep your head warm while looking cute.
#2. Delicious food
DisneySea boasted an abundance of mouthwatering goodies to fill tummies and bring smiles to faces. Tashiro, however, thought the DisneySea exclusive BBQ Pork Rice Roll to be the best of them all.
▼ Al dente rice wrapped in slices of pork,
drizzled with sauce and topped with dried herbs.
▼ The Roasted Chicken Cheddar Cheese Melt
with perfectly baked potatoes was stellar.
▼ Even the delectable Black Pepper Teriyaki Chicken Roll
was covered in Christmas-colored sesame seeds.
All those appetizing food would not be complete without some drinks. It was a good thing he was in DisneySea, where alcoholic beverages can be bought and paired extremely well with the delicious morsels.
▼ The Dry Apricot Hot Cocktail warmed him up nicely.
It even came with a slice of orange.
▼ He dropped by Dockside Diner and bought a
huge piece of crispy yet juicy fried chicken.
▼ “It’s not Christmas without beer!” exclaimed an elated Tashiro.
▼ He finished off his meal with a decadent Chocolate Raspberry Crumble Cake
that came with a free limited-edition DisneySea plate.
#1. Disney’s Christmas decorations
In Tashiro’s mind, perhaps the biggest reason to visit was the festive props, and visitors would be able to appreciate how the landscape instantly transformed into one befitting Christmas.
Countless decorations were set up, including gigantic Christmas trees and impressive illumination that would no doubt leave visitors breathless.
▼ Minnie’s Home was overflowing with lots of cute pink and white designs.
▼ Numerous decorations of Donald Duck, José Carioca and Panchito Pistoles
popped up all over DisneySea’s Lost River Delta.
▼ Christmas trees were everywhere!
▼ He clapped with glee as he watched a spectacular live dance
and music performance called “It’s Christmas Time!”
▼ And treated himself to a special Disney Christmas Stories
parade made up of seven different classic stories.
▼ At one point during the parade, Pluto was seen surrounded by a group of reindeer.
The surprise ending made Tashiro wish he had recorded a video of it.
▼ And when night fell, the entire place seemed to come alive…
▼ …whisking Tashiro into another world…
▼ …filled with all of his favorite Disney characters.
▼ He just could not get enough of Cape Cod’s warm illumination.
▼ Few things could match the sight of a beautifully-lit Christmas tree.
▼ The same scenery looked completely different at night…
▼ …which meant twice the fun for Tokyo Disney Resort visitors.
Every turn of the corner was like opening a treasure chest, revealing sparkling sights and grand displays that could not be seen anywhere else. It was nowhere near 25 December yet, but Tashiro felt as if the spirit of Santa Claus was right beside him all along, guiding his way and warming his soul.
▼ The magic of Christmas was already here in full swing.
Tashiro bid a silent farewell to his beloved Disney characters as he headed back home, vowing to return once more before Christmas was over. Regardless of age, visitors are sure to enjoy Tokyo Disney Resort’s festive offerings of character goodies, delectable food and beautiful decorations to their heart’s content.
And if you happen to have children in tow, all you have to do is to call on Tashiro for a trusty kid-friendly guide to accompany you through this magical wonderland.
Images: SoraNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]