On the 9th, "Sagamiko Illumination" opened at the Sagamiko Resort Pleasure Forest amusement facility in Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture. This year marks the fifth anniversary of the event, one of the largest illumination events in the Kanto region. With 4 million lights scattered throughout the forest hills, light tunnels, and character displays, visitors can enjoy a large-scale, fantastical space unlike anything found in urban areas.

This year's opening event featured local Sagamihara Galactic Federation heroes "Sagamimillion" and "Paddington Bear." A UFO installed in the cornfield at the park's entrance featured projection mapping, telling a moving story about a giant UFO that crashed. Other areas also saw a redesign, including the "Brilliant Palace," a palace of light with beautiful full-color displays; the "Sea of Light," a vast ocean of blue, light blue, and white; and the "Flower Carpet of Light," a field of pink and white flowers reminiscent of moss phlox. On the first day, the 9th, about 1,000 people gathered, mostly visitors from the local Kanagawa prefecture.

[Event Information]
Venue: Sagamiko Resort Pleasure Forest
Address: 1634 Wakayagi, Midori-ku, Sagamihara City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Dates: November 9th to April 13th, 2014. Every day until January 7th. After that, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, and during the spring break (March 21st to April 6th)
Time: 5pm to 9pm
Admission: 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for children