1-Day Tour: Traditional Igloo "Kamakura" Festival & Snow Fun Activities

Kamakura are traditional igloo-like houses that are built in the snowy regions of Japan. From the last week of January through the end of February, the rural town of Iiyama hosts “The Kamakura Village”, which has become one of the most spectacular snow festivals in Nagano. This tour includes a visit to this Kamakura festival site, combined with a morning of fun simple snow activities in the area that everyone can enjoy. Including lunch and led by a locally-based, English-speaking guide, this tour is perfect for those who wish for an authentic Japanese winter experience!

Highlights

• Visit the local ski resort in Kijimadaira – and enjoy activities in the beauty of the snow-covered landscape
• Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant at the above ski resort
• Explore “The Kamakura Village” and have an authentic Japanese winter experience during this winter festival
• Easily accessible via multiple the pick-up / drop-off points of Nagano and Iiyama Station – which are both very accessible from Tokyo and Kanazawa, through the use of the Hokuriku Shinkansen

Want to joint this tour from Tokyo? It’s easy to do! Scroll to the bottom for our FAQs including train services that can you use to join the tour!

Description

This tour has meet up points at both Nagano and Iiyama Stations. Your guide will greet you and once all of the guests are present, you will board the bus and make your way to the Kijimadaira Ski Resort to start the day off with a morning of Snow Fun activities.

You will be transported to a local ski resort – The Kijima Snow Park – for a morning of snow fun, with an area to enjoy activities such as sleds and tubes, or even just simple snow play and creation, making it a perfect experience for the whole family.

While there, you’ll have time to have lunch at a nearby restaurant which looks onto the ski field. Your guide will provide you with a lunch coupon which can be used to select your lunch at the restaurant with options including Japanese curry, katsudon, ramen, soba noodles, and other delicious local cuisine. Plenty of choice to warm yourself before heading out toward your next stop, “The Kamakura Village” of Iiyama.

Arriving at “The Kamakura Village” at around 15:00 your guide will lead you into the festival site, and you will have time on your own to explore the area. There are around 20 large sizes kamakura that are about 3 meters high, and you will have a chance to actually enter some of the igloo! There are also snacks and beverage stalls available, so you can keep refreshed as you take in the sights.

You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the Kamakura before heading-out and boarding the bus around 16:20 with the tour concluding back at Nagano Station around 17:35 with drop-off at Iiyama Station (if required) along the way. (Please note, due to weather and road conditions in winter, tour end times cannot be guaranteed and may end later than listed).

MEETUP POINTS

This tour operates from multiple pick-up points with Nagano Station being the main / default meetup point. This is a group tour therefore please ensure you are at your selected meetup point prior to the meetup time to avoid any chance of missing the tour bus. The tour will need to depart on-time:

1 /  NAGANO STATION @ 09:30 — MAIN MEET-UP POINT

The meetup point is inside Nagano Station, in front of the Information Board directly across from the Shinkansen ticket gates. Please be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag and please be waiting before the meetup time as the tour will depart on-time.

2 /  IIYAMA STATION @ 10:40

The meetup point is inside Iiyama Station, in front of the Tourist Information Center on the ground-floor. Please be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag and please be waiting before the meetup time as the tour will depart on-time.

NOTES

Included

• Transportation from / to Nagano Station and all listed destinations
• Snow activity fees in The Kijima Snow Park
• Entrance fee to “The Kamakura Festival”
• Lunch (vegetarian options are available)
• English-speaking guide

Excluded

• Shinkansen / ‘Bullet Train’ ticket to / from Nagano
• Rental boots (available for rent)
• Rental clothing including snow jackets & pants (available for rent)
• Skiing or snowboarding at The Kijima Snow Park
• Additional snacks, food & drinks
• Accommodation

What to bring

• The temperature in the Iiyama area could be very low during this season. Please be dressed in warm, waterproof clothing and boots for snow activities. If required, clothing including snow jackets, snow pants, and snow boots can be rented from us (JPY 500 per piece). Please note that there is limited availability for snow outfits, so if you have waterproof, warm clothes fit for snow activities, please bring these with you on the day of the tour. 
• Snow fun activities also require guests to be of reasonable fitness and mobility to enjoy. If you have concerns about your or a member of your groups ability to handle the conditions, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.

Other Information

• This tour is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for mobility-impaired travelers. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
• This tour does not include skiing or snowboarding, nor is there the time to arrange your own skiing and snowboarding while at the resort.
• If snow conditions are inadequate to conduct the tour, we will endeavour to notify guests in advance of the day and provide the option of switching to our 1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake Tour.
• Infants (0-5) are free of charge. An infant lunch is not included and the order will be made directly to the restaurant according to your needs. We also cannot guarantee that a seat on the tour transport will be available for infants and they may be required to sit in the lap of an adult.
• This tour is insured for aspects such as injury during transport, however as the guest, you are required to have your own travel insurance which covers personal injury during snow activities using snowdrives, sleds, and tubes. Please confirm that your insurance policy covers this activity prior to the tour.
• The tour application deadline is 1 day before the tour date at 17:00.