The Restaurant Kamakura Village usually starts around the 20th of January and lasts until the end of February.
In 2024, the event was held from January 20 (Sat.) to February 29 (Thu.).
Restaurant Kamakura Village 2025 will be held from January 24 to February 28.
Buisiness hours during the event period (January 24 - February 28, 2025) are as follows
Restaurant Kamakura Village : Around 11:00 - 14:00 / 16:00 - 19:30 *Application is allowed until the start time of the last section on each day
Kamakura Store : 11:00 - 18:30 *Last Order : 15 minutes after the start of the last session of each day.
*The venue is not closed even after hours, so you are welcome to come and see the kamakura.
There are many other ways to enjoy the Kamakura Village!
= Playing with snow
- Snow Plaza
The snow play area is located across the street from the Kamakura Village.
There are a hill for sledding and an area where you can make your own snowman/snow sculpture, and a snow tunnel.
Sledges can be rented for 100 yen per sleigh (or you can bring your own).
- Snow Tractor
Caterpillar snowmobiles will take you on a snowy ride.
*The snow tractor may be canceled its operation due to the snow condition.
- Snowmobile
Snowmobiles pull you along on the snow, and you can go tubing.
This service will not be provided if the weather conditions or snowfall level is not enough to operate.
= Food shop other than hot pot
- Kamakura Shoten
Light meals such as udon and soba noodles, yaki-imo, oshiruko, amazake, etc... Alcohol and juices are also available!
Souvenir shop is also here😊.
Yes, you can visit the Kamakura Village without reservations.
But you cannot enter the inside of Kamakura other than the designated Kamakura.
Yes, pets are allowed in the Rrestaurant Kamakura Village.
But please notice the following;
- Pets are allowed only outside of the kamakura, not allowed inside the kamakura.
- Please keep your pets on a leash.
- We do not take any responsibility or liability for any troubles or accidents caused by your pets.
- Please be sure to take your pet's excrement home with you.
To construct kamakuras, they start with special balloons, called "Kamakura-kun". These balloons are taller than the average adult’s height, and sturdy enough to hold heavy snow. The process of building Kamakura involves continuously adding snow little by little to the surface of this balloon. By stomping down on the accumulated snow, the kamakura becomes so tight.
It takes about three hours for eight craftsmen to build one kamakura. We usually begins making kamakuras around January 10, and maintenance is performed daily during the event.
Large, heavy snowmachines are used to set up and maintain the kamakura. Because of the danger involved, no one is allowed to enter during the work, except with permission.
The area where the kamakura is located is usually covered with rice fields.
As soon as the event period is over, the Kamakura are dismantled and the locals start preparing for the spring farming season.
= Period: Every day from January 24 to February 28, 2025
= Includes: Use of 1 kamakura for private use (a maximum number of 1 kamakura is up to 6 persons), Noroshi-nabe hot pot, one rice ball per person
*Basically, the application is supposed 2 or more people, but there is a single rate for use by one adult.
= Hours:
- Weekdays: Lunch 2-part system ①11:00-12:30 ②13:15-14:45 / Dinner 1-part system ①18:00-19:30
- Saturday, Sunday and Holiday: Lunch 2-part system ①11:00～12:30 ②13:15～14:45 / Dinner 2-part system ①16:30-17:45 ②18:30-19:45 *Dinner②is only for visitors with their own cars (as it is later than the last bus).
'= Period: Only weekdays from January 24 to February 28, 2025
= Includes: Use of 1 kamakura for a private use (a maximum number of 1 kamakura is up to 6 persons), Yaki-imo (Baked sweet potate), Amazake(Sweet sake) or Oshiruko (Sweet red-bean soup) *One for each person
= Hours: Only weekdays, ① 13:15-14:15 ②15:00-16:00
*There is no single rate, the same price is applied for single use.
= Price:
- Reservation on the website (Web credit card payment) : Adult 2,300 yen (tax included) Child 1,700 yen (tax included) Preschool child (no meal) free
- Reservation by telephone or walk-in use (Cash payment) : Adults 2,600 yen (tax included) Children 2,000 yen (tax included)
Ingredients used for Noroshi nabe are as follows
*** Seasoning ***
Miso seasoning based on bonito (miso contains wheat / sake and mirin)
*No seafood, nuts, kiwi (including sauces), or sesame seeds are used.
*** Local Vegetables ***
Chinese cabbage, radish, carrot, rape blossoms, Iiyama's traditional vegetables (burdock and taro)
Mushrooms (enoki mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms)
*** Local pork ***
Iiyama brand Miyuki pork
*** Jagamaru-kun ***
Steamed potatoes mashed and kneaded with starch
Payment methods are limited depending on the reservation method.
Advance web reservations: Credit card payment only
Phone reservations: Cash at the Restaurant Kamakura Village reception only
Walk-in reservations: Cash at the Restaurant Kamakura Village reception only
= Reservation start date
Dec. 20: Web reservations begin
January 16: Reservations by phone begin
*Reservations via website or by phone are acceptable up to 4 days prior to the tour date. (500 yen discount for the web reservation and payment by credit card.)
*If less than 3 days prior to the tour, reservation by phone call or walk-in use are acceptable.
=Reservations via the website
Credit card payment is required in advance.
Credit card payment will be made at the same time as the reservation is completed.
Please confirm the date, time, and number of people before making a reservation.
*There is no waiting list function.
*Availability of seats will be updated immediately. Please be sure to refresh the page on the official website before making a reservation.
*Please note that an additional single fare will be automatically calculated for a single adult.
*Reservations and cancellations cannot be made via the application form more than 4 days prior to the tour date.
=Reservations by phone
Please call the Shinshu Iiyama Tourist Bureau directly after the reservation start date.
If seats are available, we will reserve them for you. (We are open on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays during the event of the Restaurant Kamakura Village.)
Only cash payment at the Restaurant Kamakura Village reception is acceptable.
= For customers using Hotmail/outlook/auone,ezweb,docomo,icloud,softbank (carrier mail)
We have confirmed a situation in which our system mail is judged as spam and automatically deleted by your mailing system.
We apologize for the inconvenience, but please consider using an e-mail address other than those listed above.
= For iPhone users
If your iPhone's setting is to “collapse or omit some contents of the email,” you may receive the email with the password omitted or deleted. If your password is not displayed in the email, please check your device settings.
If you have applied with an address or device other than those listed above, but have not received the password, it is most likely that you have registered a wrong e-mail address.
Normally, you will receive an e-mail containing your 4-digit password for reservations within 5 minutes from the system.
If you have any food items that you wish to remove from the menu due to allergies, religious reasons, vegetarianism, etc., please tell us at the time of application.
*We cannot arrange to the offers made on the day of the event. Advanced offer is required.
= Example
- Vegetarian arrengement (no extra charge): Pork → removed, more vegetables, bonito soup stock → kelp soup stock
- Hapal arrangement (additional 7000yen will cost for 1 pot): Pork → Halal chicken, change to a pot in which pork has never been boiled, no use of sake or mirin (available for up to 2 couples per part).
In the case of web reservations, you can cancel but not change your reservation after completing your application.
If you wish to change the date, time, or number of people, please cancel your reservation once and then make a new reservation.
*The deadline for applications and cancellations from the website is 4 days prior to the event.
*After the deadline, you will not be able to make a reservation or cancellation via the form.
Please note that when you cancel or change your reservation, there is a possibility that the reservation is already full and we may not be able to meet your request.
= Cancellation fee
From 3 days prior to the reservation date to the day of the reservation: 100%.
*The cancellation fee will be refunded to your credit card once you have completed the cancellation procedure via the cancellation URL provided in the payment confirmation email.
∟Please make sure that you have received the cancellation completion e-mail.
∟If you did not receive the cancellation email, please be sure to contact us. (There is a possibility that your cancellation is not completed.)
*Please be sure to read the detailed cancellation policy before submitting your application.
Click here for cancellation policy (PDF)
*If the event is cancelled due to the organizer's circumstances or for some other reason, a full refund will be given.
Access
Hokuriku shinkansen JR IIYAMA Station.（北陸新幹線 JR飯山駅）
It is a 20-minute bus ride (15 minutes by cab) from JR Iiyama Station (JR Hokuriku Shinkansen) to the Restaurant Kamakura Village, or a 15-minute cab ride from JR Togari-Nozawaonsen Station (JR Iiyama Line).
The winter bus schedule is usually announced in December, and information will be updated on our website as soon as it is announced.
We are very sorry, but we are unable to assist with taxi reservations during the winter months. (They only accept applications directly from the respective taxi companies and users.)
Please use the local buses running from Iiyama Station ⇄ Kamakura or the “Kamakura-no-sato” bus that runs between Kamakura and Iiyama Station.
The winter bus schedule is usually announced in December, and will be updated as soon as it is announced.
【Taxi companies】
Nagano Kotsu Corporation TEL: 0269-62-2013
Nagaden Bus / Hire Iiyama Office TEL：0269-63-3232
Togari Hire TEL: 0269-65-2129
Please use “4WD + winter tires” or “2WD + winter tires (with chains)” to visit Iiyama City during winter.
Normal tires (summer tires) and all-season tires are not recommended due to icy ground and snow accumulation.
It takes 25-minute by car from the Toyota-Iiyama Interchange on the Joshinetsu Expressway.
Although the roads in Iiyama City are fully equipped with snow removal systems and snow evacuation functions, road conditions in other areas may cause traffic restrictions, speed restrictions, and accidental traffic congestion due to snowfall.
Please allow plenty of time for driving on snow-covered road.
When using a car navigation system, please search for “Restaurant Kotobukimura” or the address below.
Address: 807-2 Kotobuki, Iiyama City, Nagano Prefecture
Late arrivals
Up to 20 minutes after start: We will wait for your arrival even if you do not contact us.
After 20 minutes: If we do not get any contact from you, we will cancel your reservation. No refunds will be made for the reservations.
Please note that we are unable to extend the end time for late arrivals.
If your arrival will be delayed due to public transportation delays caused by snowfall, etc., please contact us as soon as you know that you will be late.
Please note that public transportation in Iiyama City is accustomed to snowfall, and most of the time, the train will be running normally from Iiyama Station onward.
In case of delayed arrival due to highway closures, etc., we may be able to reschedule the tour if there is seat in the next schedule.
The roads in Iiyama City are fully equipped for snow removal and clearance.
However, road conditions in other areas may be subject to closure due to snowfall, speed restrictions, and accidental traffic congestion due to snowfall.
Since you may have to drive on unfamiliar snow-covered roads, please drive well in advance of your scheduled time.
Others/Contact
The policy regarding the handling of personal information is in accordance with the Shinshu-Iiyama Tourism Bureau's policy.
Please click here for more information.
= Contact us by e-mail
info@iiyama-ouendan.net
*We usually reply to your questions and inquiries on the next business day, but it may take more time to reply you for some reasons.
= Contact by phone
Shinshu Iiyama Tourism Bureau, Team Kamakura
0269-62-3133
Buisiness hours:
- Weekdays 8:30-17:15
- Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays (during the event of the Restaurant Kamakura Village only) 10:00-16:30
*Please be careful not to dial the wrong number.
*Sometimes we do not have any staffs who can speak English so e-mail inquiries are more reliable.
Shinshu-Iiyama Tourism Bureau
1110-1 Iiyama CityHall, Iiyama City, Nagano 389-2292 Japan
TEL 0269-62-3133 FAX 0269-62-7003