Tokyo Families -Travel

If you’re longing this springtime for the brilliant colors of tulips in Europe but don’t want to make the long trip, a “slice of Holland” does indeed exist in Japan, at the unique Huis Ten Bosch park located in the southern island of Kyushu.

Named after Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands’ official residence, Huis Ten Bosch is an exquisite recreation of a city in Holland. The elaborately crafted replicas of Dutch buildings, built with bricks imported from The Netherlands, are set against a backdrop of canals, windmills, gardens, and Kyushu’s beautiful island studded Omura Bay. In the spring, the park has over one million tulips in bloom, including 300 prized rare species planted around the palace.

Visitors can travel around the park by several modes of transport: boats wind slowly through the canals, bicycles fill the streets along with a variety of motor vehicles, and one can also walk everywhere. Shows and parades are performed daily along the waterfront, and there are many picturesque indoor and outdoor restaurants and cafes.

It is very easy to entertain a family at Huis Ten Bosch. For the very young, a large carousel at the international market place is right next to a Dick Bruna shop, full of items featuring characters created by the author of the popular Miffy series. For older kids, plenty of cycling and exploring can fill hours, along with temptations such as the Hans Brinker Candy Shop, or the Chocolate House where a chocolate waterfall flows all day long.

Your European experience can continue well after your day at the park is done. Hotels both inside the park and surrounding Huis Ten Bosch are built in the European style, and offer beautiful views over windmills, canals, city streets and the sparkling Omura Bay. If you find yourself dreaming of Europe, you will definitely discover a taste of it at Huis Ten Bosch- without ever leaving Japan.

Huis Ten Bosch has an excellent English website,
definitely worth looking at even just to
admire the pictures of the canals and buildings.

http://english.huistenbosch.co.jp/

Travel packages can be arranged
through your local travel agency.