the restaurant kamakura village features 20 pop-up igloos

the restaurant kamakura village welcomes guests into the snowy nagano landscape

open for a limited time (january 21, 2022 – february 27, 2022), the yearly restaurant kamakura village has now taken over japan’s nagano prefecture with its 20 igloo huts spread across a charming, snowy landscape. the pop-up village offers private lunches and dinners in each igloo, as well as access to its kamakura shinto shrine. guests can also visit a local shop and play in the sledding area.

naturally, in light of the pandemic, a new covid-19 measure was put in place by local organizers and authorities — allowing only a maximum of 4 people to gather in a hut at any time.

all images via shinshu-iiyama tourism bureau

enjoying a local hot pot specialty and visit to a sacred shine

for lunch and dinner in the igloos, visitors can enjoy a local specialty that dates back centuries, known as noroshi nabe. it is a hot pot made from locally grown vegetables, mushrooms, and miyuki pork. lunch costs 3,700 yen per person while dinner is set at 4,200 yen, and children aged 0-5 years get a free meal (reservations can be made here).

meanwhile, at the edge of the restaurant kamakura village sits the bright red tori gate of the shinto shrine. the latter houses a sacred object known as a ‘shimenawa’ (or divine rope) that is believed to ward off evil, and an offering box. guests can visit the shrine for free at any time.

a bright red tori gate sits outside the kamakuro shinto shrine