As events for the 2019season, APA Resort Joetsu-Myoko, operated by APA Group, will be hosting “Sunflower& Kochia Kingdom,” a garden produced by international park designerKazuyuki Ishihara to attract guests, in addition to its 6th annual large-scalelight-up event “APALLUSION 2019,” produced by night scenery critic and producerMotoo Marumaru.

This season marks theinnagural hosting of Sunflower & Kochia Kingdom! As a campaign to welcome foreign visitors, this season only, we will beoffering free admission to foreign tourists to both “APALLUSION 2019” and “Sunflower& Kochia Kingdom.”

[1] [Sunflower & Kochia Kingdom]

Sunflower & Kochia Kingdom will be heldfrom August 10 (Sat.) through November 17 (Sun.) 2019, featuring a spacedecorated primarily yellow based on “sunflowers” in the summer, and with redhues such as those of “Kochia” in the fall, expanding over a large groundsabout 100,000㎡ insize.

The sunflower period (Aug.10-Aug.31) will featureover 1 million sunflowers of 27species, including some which are rare in Japan such as jumbo sunflowersand Matisse’s sunflowers, creating a magnificent spectacle of varioussunflowers in full bloom under the sun throughout the period.

In the Kochia period (Sep.1-Nov.17), the areawill be blanketed in deep red with the green Kochiaes brilliantly floweringinto fall colors from late September into early October, creating beautifulscenery like a magic carpet unfurled over the ground.

[2] APALLUSION 2019

Produced by night scenery critic MotooMarumaru, this large-scale light-up event, which was held from the 2014 through2017 seasons, will feature a significantly different concept from last year’s2018 season. The name of the event has been changed to “APALLUSION” to mean anillusion woven by APA, and visitors will be presented with an experientialevent travelling through 7 worlds of different dimensions beyond time andspace.

The 2019 season will be based on the 3 themesof “scenic experiences,” “immersive experiences” and “impact never beforeexperienced in Japan,” which will result in a surprising and never-before-seencollaboration of “light, sound, and image production.” The expansive grounds,the 9th hole of a former golf course, will be equipped with 10 large projectors and lasers which willbe fully utilized to present the world’s first 3D ground projection mapping& aurora show. The main contents will feature images of picturesqueviews from around the world descending on Myoko, in addition to images of viewsand an aurora show incorporating artistic gimmicks.

There will also be a “Picturesque Flower Road”utilizing illuminated beds of roses and light displays, and on the 300m slopeleading to the summit, there will be new productions featured, such as “AnimalRoad,” where you can experience a photogenic night safari in the summer nightencountering animal artwork of all sizes along the way.

[Production 1] Photogenic Night Safari: commemorative photos withthe animals on “Animal Road”

[Production 2] A Collaboration of Flowers and Light: a romanticworld of roses, “Picturesque Flower Road”

[Production 3] First in Japan. A massive and majestic world ofimages will appear! Ground Projection Mapping & Aurora Show

The various events held at APA ResortJoetsu-Myoko are very popular with children every season, and starting thisyear, children elementary school age and younger will be admitted free ofcharge. Also a season passes to each event, and combo tickets for both eventswill be offered as well as many other discounts in addition to free entry for foreign tourists (passportmust be displayed on entry) visiting Japan to commemorate the inaugural hostingof Sunflower & Kochia Kingdom. Below is a summary of each event.

[APA Resort Joetsu-Myoko]

APAResort Joetsu-Myoko (1090 Okemi, Myoko City, Niigata Prefecture)   *Opened July 20, 2005

Weare a green season resort overlooking Mount Myoko, one of the 100 Most BeautifulMountains of Japan. Centered on a fine resort hotel equipped with outdoornatural hot spring baths located on an approx. 5,000,000 m²development site (about 120 times the size of Tokyo Dome), you can enjoy outdooractivities, such as golf and tennis, as well as night events in the evening,and the sunflower and Kochia garden in the daytime.

[Accessto APA Resort Joetsu-Myoko]

　*APAResort Joetsu-Myoko free hotel shuttle buses require a reservation made nolater than the day before check-in (runs on fixed schedule).