Sgcarmart Explores: Japan Edition (ft. the Nissan Ariya)!
18 Dec 2024|8,386 views
The approach of the year-end holidays often also means the annual pilgrimage Singaporeans take to Japan to soothe their souls after a long year kicks into high season. (Just open any of your social media applications - Instagram, Facebook or TikTok - and you'll see.)
For the many amongst us who can spare neither the financial expense nor the time, however, there's no reason to fret. Allow the mind some space to wander, and one will find there are many places on our sunny island that could momentarily fool one into thinking they had been transported to Japan.
Don't believe us? Instead of hopping onto a plane, hop into your car for a road trip around the island on a coming weekend, and you may just find yourself suddenly in the land of zen and good food.
To stay even more on-theme, you'll probably want to take something along like a purebred Japanese electric vehicle to round the itinerary off most cohesively - which brings us to…
Japanese EV, proudly Made in Japan
Our Japanese chariot of choice for a Japan-themed day out is none other than the made-in-Japan Nissan Ariya.
As Nissan's first electric vehicle since the Leaf, the Ariya carries on all the trusted expertise in electrification built up by its older sibling, but takes a step upwards in terms of luxury, refinement and practicality. The latter quality comes courtesy of its bespoke electric platform, which gives it wondrous spaciousness courtesy of uninterrupted flat rear and front floors.
It's arguably more Japanese than its electric forebear too; just look at the traditional kumiko patterns that dot bits of interior including its doors and underneath the dashboard. Meanwhile, the woodgrain texture of its dashboard reminds us of fusuma and shoji often used in traditional Japanese architecture.
The Nissan Ariya was our all-electric steed for this all-Japanese excursion!
Best of all, it's not just pure material comfort that the Ariya offers, but genuine day to day usability too. Its electric drivetrain makes it effortless on the go, and its 66kWh battery gives it excellent range of up to 500km - more than enough even for the extensive 80km route we've planned for this road trip itinerary, as we set off from the Nissan showroom!
1. Ridout Tea Garden (+15km)
Its name today may not suggest it, but on the site of the current Ridout Tea Garden actually stood the island's first Japanese-themed community garden in 1970.
Named "Queenstown Japanese Garden", it was built to "provide more recreational facilities for flat dwellers in Queenstown", and served as a crucial jewel of the estate by offering residents not just a haven in which to relax but also to shop.
An unfortunate blaze consumed the original Garden in the late 1970s, but it was thankfully rebuilt into the 1.38-hectare site that we know it as today - replete with its iconic pond and large McDonald's outlet (one of the longest-standing in Singapore!). Interestingly, it appeared that this outlet would close its doors a few years back after more than three decades in operation - but the fast food chain ultimately managed to win the tender, and has since expanded its footprint here.
Ridout Tea Garden is perhaps best known for the McDonalds there, offering alfresco dining with a view
Business as usual, then - and we're all the better for it, since you can still come here for a hearty breakfast before transporting themselves momentarily out of Singapore as they traverse the little bridge over the pond (and say hello to the terrapins sunbathing out there while they're at it).
Where to park: Ridout Tea Garden Carpark
Ease of parking: 3.5/5. While parking here is generally quite easy (lots are both wide and plentiful), newer drivers might want to take note that traffic moves quite regularly and quickly out of the sole entrance/exit point. We’d advise a bit more caution just for this group.
2. Keyaki Japanese Restaurant (+14km)
Nestled right in the heart of the city and among the skyscrapers all around is a serene little oasis that routinely puts diners at Pan Pacific Hotel's upmarket Japanese restaurant at ease.
Right outside Keyaki restaurant lies a Japanese wonderland whose mixture of modern and traditional Japanese architecture - if angled correctly - could genuinely trick an unknowing friend into thinking that you had taken a flight to the land of the rising sun.
Said to be inspired specifically by Kyoto, there are charming details to take in everywhere. The sounds of a flowing stream will greet you before you see the stones that invite you to cross it; traditional toro are hidden towards the back of the garden; and a koi pond takes centrestage. A special highlight here too, is the Keyaki Garden Pavillion - with its own Shoji-inspired screens which can be booked out for private luncheons or celebrations.
Located at Pan Pacific Hotel, Keyaki is a up-market Japanese restaurant who's architecture and surrounding appointments want to teleport you right to Kyoto
Come slightly before the restaurant's official opening hours (as we did) and you might just have the space all to yourself - for a nice photo and video shoot, or indeed, just for a break away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Where to park: Marina Square Carpark
Ease of parking: 4/5. Parking here shouldn’t be an issue, given the size of Marina Square’s carpark, but one issue that may certainly face visitors is navigating on foot from the carpark to Pan Pacific Hotel. Remember - it’s not any of the other hotels around here - but Pan Pacific!
3. Japanese Garden (in Jurong Lake Gardens) (+21.6km)
After nearly half a decade of extensive rebuilding works, the Japanese Garden (alongside the Chinese Garden) has finally started to welcome visitors since September this year.
Step into the latter, and the sight of a red bridge that wouldn't look out of place in Fukuoka's Ohori Park or Osaka's Tennoji Park will already greet you. Elsewhere, new facilities including a Guesthouse and a Guest Pavillion next to a pond further accentuate the feeling that is not in the far West of Singapore, but perhaps the outskirts of Tokyo.
Head over to the recently-reopened Japanese Garden and you can see the largest collection of water lilies in Singapore
But the Japanese Garden is particularly noteworthy for our nature-heads. Within it, one will also find the Sunken Garden, whose walls are lined all the way up high with epiphytes, as well as the Water Lily Garden, which boasts the largest collection of water lilies in Singapore.
While the rest of the locations on this list are arguably more bite-sized breakaways, this one's good for a proper afternoon out - just make sure to check the weather before heading out!
Where to park: Jurong Lake South Carpark
Ease of parking: 4/5. This carpark feels relatively new - in line with the rest of the larger garden - with wide and clean parking lots. We’re docking points just for the fact that it’s not sheltered - but hey, this is a park after all, isn’t it?
4. &JOY Food Street, Jurong Point (+3km)
Once you're done working up an appetite from that stroll (or cycle), food awaits again. And instead of just a standalone Japanese restaurant, why not consider an entire Japanese culinary world - in the form of &JOY Food Street at Jurong Point?
Whether it's ramen, yakitori, a Japanese hamburger steak joint - or even Mister Donut - you're bound to find something that tantalises your palette at the Basement 2 Japanese Food Street here. (It happened to start raining when we arrived, so we settled ourselves with some udon instead.)
&JOY Food Street offers a wide range of Japanese delicacies!
Before you dismiss this as just another Japanese joint filtered through a Singaporean lens, here's a final fun fact: &JOY Food Street is owned by RE&S, which was actually founded by Osaka native, Hiroshi Tatara, in 1988.
Where to park: Jurong Point Carpark.
Ease of parking: 3/5. For such a big mall, Jurong Point’s carpark is fittingly large too, meaning that unless you’re super picky about good spots closer to the entrances, straining for a lot is unlikely to ever be a problem. The only issue, however, is that the ramps leading down and out of the mall can be quite tight in instances where there are oncoming cars.
5. Don Don Donki, Jurong Point
Don Don Donki outlets are now dime a dozen in Singapore, so the mention of one may not be particularly interesting at this point. Yet the one at Jurong Point continues to maintain its own lustre with a unique touch you won't find anywhere else on the island: With a specific arcade theme.
Crane your neck upwards and you'll notice that the cardboard signs are printed in an eight-bit style. Meanwhile, the plethora of neon signs hanging from the ceiling (including those of actual controllers) are a nice homage to the bright glow of a bustling arcade in downtown Osaka or Fukuoka.
It's an extra charming touch that should make the already ever-enjoyable experience of shopping for Japanese snacks even more pleasant.
6. Japanese Cemetery Park (+25km)
Quietly tucked inside of a private housing estate off of Yio Chu Kang Road, the Japanese Cemetery Park is once again proof that Japan-reminiscent spaces often blend seamlessly into unspectacular and everyday Singaporean environments.
Said to be the largest and best-preserved Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia, this site measures 30,000 square metres, and contains an estimated 910 tombstones. Nearly two centuries old, it stopped accepting burials in the 1970s, and has since been gazetted as a memorial park.
Japanese Cemetery Park is the largest and best-preserved Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia
Indelible heritage aside, giving the site its unmistakable Japan-likeness is a mido - or prayer hall - as well as a grand, uninterrupted corridor marked by rounded arches with trumpet flowers. These weren't in full bloom on the day of our visit - but come round when they are, and their vibrant pink can make one feel as if they've been teleported to a park during the cherry blossom season.
Where to park: Japanese Cemetery Park (drive all the way in and you’ll notice some unsheltered and unmarked lots towards the end).
Ease of parking: 5/5. Given its niche status, it’s unlikely this place ever gets crowded - even on weekends. Parking is free here too.
The approach of the year-end holidays often also means the annual pilgrimage Singaporeans take to Japan to soothe their souls after a long year kicks into high season. (Just open any of your social media applications - Instagram, Facebook or TikTok - and you'll see.)
For the many amongst us who can spare neither the financial expense nor the time, however, there's no reason to fret. Allow the mind some space to wander, and one will find there are many places on our sunny island that could momentarily fool one into thinking they had been transported to Japan.
Don't believe us? Instead of hopping onto a plane, hop into your car for a road trip around the island on a coming weekend, and you may just find yourself suddenly in the land of zen and good food.
To stay even more on-theme, you'll probably want to take something along like a purebred Japanese electric vehicle to round the itinerary off most cohesively - which brings us to…
Japanese EV, proudly Made in Japan
Our Japanese chariot of choice for a Japan-themed day out is none other than the made-in-Japan Nissan Ariya.
As Nissan's first electric vehicle since the Leaf, the Ariya carries on all the trusted expertise in electrification built up by its older sibling, but takes a step upwards in terms of luxury, refinement and practicality. The latter quality comes courtesy of its bespoke electric platform, which gives it wondrous spaciousness courtesy of uninterrupted flat rear and front floors.
It's arguably more Japanese than its electric forebear too; just look at the traditional kumiko patterns that dot bits of interior including its doors and underneath the dashboard. Meanwhile, the woodgrain texture of its dashboard reminds us of fusuma and shoji often used in traditional Japanese architecture.
The Nissan Ariya was our all-electric steed for this all-Japanese excursion!
Best of all, it's not just pure material comfort that the Ariya offers, but genuine day to day usability too. Its electric drivetrain makes it effortless on the go, and its 66kWh battery gives it excellent range of up to 500km - more than enough even for the extensive 80km route we've planned for this road trip itinerary, as we set off from the Nissan showroom!
1. Ridout Tea Garden (+15km)
Its name today may not suggest it, but on the site of the current Ridout Tea Garden actually stood the island's first Japanese-themed community garden in 1970.
Named "Queenstown Japanese Garden", it was built to "provide more recreational facilities for flat dwellers in Queenstown", and served as a crucial jewel of the estate by offering residents not just a haven in which to relax but also to shop.
An unfortunate blaze consumed the original Garden in the late 1970s, but it was thankfully rebuilt into the 1.38-hectare site that we know it as today - replete with its iconic pond and large McDonald's outlet (one of the longest-standing in Singapore!). Interestingly, it appeared that this outlet would close its doors a few years back after more than three decades in operation - but the fast food chain ultimately managed to win the tender, and has since expanded its footprint here.
Ridout Tea Garden is perhaps best known for the McDonalds there, offering alfresco dining with a view
Business as usual, then - and we're all the better for it, since you can still come here for a hearty breakfast before transporting themselves momentarily out of Singapore as they traverse the little bridge over the pond (and say hello to the terrapins sunbathing out there while they're at it).
Where to park: Ridout Tea Garden Carpark
Ease of parking: 3.5/5. While parking here is generally quite easy (lots are both wide and plentiful), newer drivers might want to take note that traffic moves quite regularly and quickly out of the sole entrance/exit point. We’d advise a bit more caution just for this group.
2. Keyaki Japanese Restaurant (+14km)
Nestled right in the heart of the city and among the skyscrapers all around is a serene little oasis that routinely puts diners at Pan Pacific Hotel's upmarket Japanese restaurant at ease.
Right outside Keyaki restaurant lies a Japanese wonderland whose mixture of modern and traditional Japanese architecture - if angled correctly - could genuinely trick an unknowing friend into thinking that you had taken a flight to the land of the rising sun.
Said to be inspired specifically by Kyoto, there are charming details to take in everywhere. The sounds of a flowing stream will greet you before you see the stones that invite you to cross it; traditional toro are hidden towards the back of the garden; and a koi pond takes centrestage. A special highlight here too, is the Keyaki Garden Pavillion - with its own Shoji-inspired screens which can be booked out for private luncheons or celebrations.
Located at Pan Pacific Hotel, Keyaki is a up-market Japanese restaurant who's architecture and surrounding appointments want to teleport you right to Kyoto
Come slightly before the restaurant's official opening hours (as we did) and you might just have the space all to yourself - for a nice photo and video shoot, or indeed, just for a break away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Where to park: Marina Square Carpark
Ease of parking: 4/5. Parking here shouldn’t be an issue, given the size of Marina Square’s carpark, but one issue that may certainly face visitors is navigating on foot from the carpark to Pan Pacific Hotel. Remember - it’s not any of the other hotels around here - but Pan Pacific!
3. Japanese Garden (in Jurong Lake Gardens) (+21.6km)
After nearly half a decade of extensive rebuilding works, the Japanese Garden (alongside the Chinese Garden) has finally started to welcome visitors since September this year.
Step into the latter, and the sight of a red bridge that wouldn't look out of place in Fukuoka's Ohori Park or Osaka's Tennoji Park will already greet you. Elsewhere, new facilities including a Guesthouse and a Guest Pavillion next to a pond further accentuate the feeling that is not in the far West of Singapore, but perhaps the outskirts of Tokyo.
Head over to the recently-reopened Japanese Garden and you can see the largest collection of water lilies in Singapore
But the Japanese Garden is particularly noteworthy for our nature-heads. Within it, one will also find the Sunken Garden, whose walls are lined all the way up high with epiphytes, as well as the Water Lily Garden, which boasts the largest collection of water lilies in Singapore.
While the rest of the locations on this list are arguably more bite-sized breakaways, this one's good for a proper afternoon out - just make sure to check the weather before heading out!
Where to park: Jurong Lake South Carpark
Ease of parking: 4/5. This carpark feels relatively new - in line with the rest of the larger garden - with wide and clean parking lots. We’re docking points just for the fact that it’s not sheltered - but hey, this is a park after all, isn’t it?
4. &JOY Food Street, Jurong Point (+3km)
Once you're done working up an appetite from that stroll (or cycle), food awaits again. And instead of just a standalone Japanese restaurant, why not consider an entire Japanese culinary world - in the form of &JOY Food Street at Jurong Point?
Whether it's ramen, yakitori, a Japanese hamburger steak joint - or even Mister Donut - you're bound to find something that tantalises your palette at the Basement 2 Japanese Food Street here. (It happened to start raining when we arrived, so we settled ourselves with some udon instead.)
&JOY Food Street offers a wide range of Japanese delicacies!
Before you dismiss this as just another Japanese joint filtered through a Singaporean lens, here's a final fun fact: &JOY Food Street is owned by RE&S, which was actually founded by Osaka native, Hiroshi Tatara, in 1988.
Where to park: Jurong Point Carpark.
Ease of parking: 3/5. For such a big mall, Jurong Point’s carpark is fittingly large too, meaning that unless you’re super picky about good spots closer to the entrances, straining for a lot is unlikely to ever be a problem. The only issue, however, is that the ramps leading down and out of the mall can be quite tight in instances where there are oncoming cars.
5. Don Don Donki, Jurong Point
Don Don Donki outlets are now dime a dozen in Singapore, so the mention of one may not be particularly interesting at this point. Yet the one at Jurong Point continues to maintain its own lustre with a unique touch you won't find anywhere else on the island: With a specific arcade theme.
Crane your neck upwards and you'll notice that the cardboard signs are printed in an eight-bit style. Meanwhile, the plethora of neon signs hanging from the ceiling (including those of actual controllers) are a nice homage to the bright glow of a bustling arcade in downtown Osaka or Fukuoka.
It's an extra charming touch that should make the already ever-enjoyable experience of shopping for Japanese snacks even more pleasant.
6. Japanese Cemetery Park (+25km)
Quietly tucked inside of a private housing estate off of Yio Chu Kang Road, the Japanese Cemetery Park is once again proof that Japan-reminiscent spaces often blend seamlessly into unspectacular and everyday Singaporean environments.
Said to be the largest and best-preserved Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia, this site measures 30,000 square metres, and contains an estimated 910 tombstones. Nearly two centuries old, it stopped accepting burials in the 1970s, and has since been gazetted as a memorial park.
Japanese Cemetery Park is the largest and best-preserved Japanese cemetery in Southeast Asia
Indelible heritage aside, giving the site its unmistakable Japan-likeness is a mido - or prayer hall - as well as a grand, uninterrupted corridor marked by rounded arches with trumpet flowers. These weren't in full bloom on the day of our visit - but come round when they are, and their vibrant pink can make one feel as if they've been teleported to a park during the cherry blossom season.
Where to park: Japanese Cemetery Park (drive all the way in and you’ll notice some unsheltered and unmarked lots towards the end).
Ease of parking: 5/5. Given its niche status, it’s unlikely this place ever gets crowded - even on weekends. Parking is free here too.
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