VISON, one of Japan's largest commercial resort facilities, is born in Taki Town, Mie Prefecture. The first phase, featuring a direct-from-farm market and a sweets area, will open on April 29, 2021 (holiday).

VISON, born in Taki Town, Mie Prefecture, is a collaboration between industry, academia, and government as part of the "Mie Hometown Creation Project." Approved as Japan's first "private facility directly connected to a smart interchange," this large-scale complex spans approximately 119 hectares – equivalent to 24 Tokyo Domes – and will feature around 50 stores, including a hotel that evokes the changing seasons, Japan's largest direct-from-farm market, and a medicinal herb bath, a nod to Taki Town's fame for its medicinal plants.

The first phase, opening on April 29 (holiday), includes a direct-from-farm market supervised by Ryuji Teshima, a chef with one Michelin star in the Paris guide, a sweets area curated by patissier Hironobu Tsujiguchi (Tsuji has one dot in the 'shinnyo' radical), and a Sarutahiko Coffee cafe.

The "Marche Vison" direct-from-farm market will feature not only a 'kei-truck' market where local producers can easily set up shop, but also a boutique-style butcher selling local Matsusaka beef, a shop offering seasonal seafood from Ise-Shima, and an 'ama-goya' (diver's hut) run by female divers from Toba City's Osatsu, a town known for its ama divers.

The patisserie and bakery shop by Hironobu Tsujiguchi are complemented by cacao and strawberry greenhouses, designed to deliver fruit at its peak ripeness in the best possible condition.

VISON will continue to open in phases, with the second phase in June 2021 and the third in July. The second phase will introduce "Spa VISON," which researches Mie University and Rohto Pharmaceutical's work on "Honzo-gaku" (Japanese herbal medicine) with modern technology and utilizes seasonal medicinal herbs, and "kiond," where children and adults can enjoy woodcraft and forest activities.

The third phase will see the opening of accommodation facilities, including a main hotel offering magnificent natural views, a more casual inn, and luxurious villas with open-air baths.

On the top floor of the hotel, a restaurant partnered with San Sebastián, Spain – a city renowned as the "world's gastronomic capital" – will open, celebrating a "friendship agreement for gastronomy" with Taki Town. Along "San Sebastián Street," named in honor of this agreement, three popular bars from the Spanish city and lifestyle shops like minä perhonen will be featured.

Furthermore, the "Wa VISON" area, dedicated to Japanese culture, will house manufacturers of rice, miso, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi – staples of Japanese cuisine – in a "learning and experiencing brewery" setting. The "Atelier VISON" area will feature studios and shops, produced by the artist and ceramicist Koichi Uchida, aiming to revitalize traditional industries by providing spaces to "create and convey," and "learn and purchase."

VISON, an unprecedented resort where Japan's proud culinary traditions and culture converge, offering a diverse gastronomic experience. This regional revitalization project, celebrating diversity and specialization, is certainly one to watch.