It’s been quite a long time since I last paid visit to Nagoya—one of the most charming cities in Japan as I see it—but with the emergency state now lifted in several prefectures outside of Tokyo and the sakura in bloom, I figured last weekend would be the ideal time to visit. One museum that I’ve had my eye on for quite a long time is the Mikawakougei Glass Art Museum that houses Japan’s largest kaleidoscope. This museum is roughly an hour and a half outside of Nagoya city and is comparably small in size to other art galleries, but the vivid colors of stained glass and the wondrous kaleidoscope that shows the origins of the universe made it worth the journey.
In year 2000 this kaleidoscope, called “Sphere”, even held the Guinness World Record for the largest kaleidoscope in the world. Though others have surpassed it now, it is still the largest kaleidoscope in Japan and walking inside of it creates a euphoric sensation that I have never felt before. In addition to the kaleidoscope, there are many other fantasy themed glass works that you can enjoy. One of my favorites was an army of frogs on a record player that mimicked a swimming animation when you hit a switch. This place definitely had an air of mystery to it and it was fun to watch other visitors’ reactions as I walked through. There are many different concepts that you could take away from this place, but the theme that I thought was most prominent was “things aren’t always what they seem”.
Entering the kaleidoscope is quite an unforgettable experience because it plays an animation that simulates the big bang and then turns into a series of bright psychedelic colors that reflects off of all surfaces. During this time your body will appear completely silhouetted against the neon glass making it the perfect photo opp. Your time inside of the kaleidoscope is limited, but you can keep lining up until you are satisfied with your photos. I think I entered it around 3 times and the wait time was only around 5-10 minutes each time. I even made a short dance video of it! Que the Persona Dancing All Night music because a new character has been unlocked (the song I actually used in this video was Point by Perfume):
Since it was hard to predict the lighting prior to visiting, the video quality isn’t the best but I will never forget the sensation of dancing inside of Japan’s largest kaleidoscope to one of my favorite songs! I look forward to seeing what other photos and videos people take because it truly feels like a theater in here.
Directions
From Meitetsu Nagoya Station, take the Meitetsu-Nagoya Line Express to Nishioguchi Station then wait for the Rokumangoku Kururin Bus 4 that will take you directly to the museum. You can also take a taxi from the station if you do not wish to wait for the bus. This journey takes roughly an hour and a half but only costs 1010 yen.
The entrance fee is only 700 yen which is a deal for what you can experience. This is way cheaper than what I am normally used to paying for a museum!
Address: Togo-５ Tomiyamacho, Nishio, Aichi 444-0326
Feasting on Eel for Dinner
After experiencing some amazing visuals inside of Japan’s largest kaleidoscope, I decided to meet my Japanese friend in central Nagoya for some mouthwatering eel. I had forgotten that besides Shizuoka, Nagoya is also extremely famous in Japan for its freshwater eel. According to my friend who is a local, the eels in Shizuoka have more of a light and fluffy texture while the eels in Nagoya are more charred. After tasting both, I can happily say that each cooking style has its merits. I wasn’t sure if I would like the thoroughly cooked Nagoya eel at first, but when paired with a fluffy omelette on rice the taste is out of this world! The eel and egg are best eaten together because not only do their textures balance, but their flavors do too!
The restaurant we chose to eat at was Unagi Kashiwa Nanatsuboshi near Issha Station, but you can find a number of eel restaurants around here. This restaurant also has chicken and fish for those who are not up for trying the eel/egg combo, but I highly recommend it!
Address: 2-73, Issha, Meitou-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi, 465-0093
Final Thoughts
Overall this was a perfect first day back in Nagoya. Seeing a noteworthy museum + fine dining = always a win in my book. I would recommend the Glass Museum to those who have already seen most of the museums in Nagoya and are looking for something different, as it is a bit far from the city but was a pleasant ride. It feels so great to finally be traveling again!