This magical igloo village in Nagano is actually a pop-up restaurant

In Japan, winter is more of an experience than a season. There’s always something exciting happening somewhere in the country, whether that be amazing illuminations or frozen icicle displays. If you prefer to base your trips around eating, you won’t want to miss out on Restaurant Kamakura Village, a magical restaurant made up of more than 20 pop-up igloos.

You’ll find the restaurant nestled in the snowy Japanese Alps in the small town of Iiyama in Nagano prefecture. The winter restaurant is set up annually, and is open for around a month. For 2025, the restaurant will be running from January 24 to February 25. 

Each igloo fits up to four people and you'll be treated to a hearty meal featuring the local delicacy noroshi nabe, a hot pot made with miso, pork and local veggies. You can choose to dine for lunch or dinner, or opt for a shorter snack plan where you can enjoy a warm cup of amazake (sweet sake) or soup inside the cosy little igloos.

Be sure to visit the igloo behind a small red torii gate – inside you’ll find a frosty Shinto shrine. The grounds around the restaurant are also great for sledding, or you could pop in for a visit during a ski trip to one of the surrounding snow resorts. 

Lunch at Kamakura Village costs ¥6,000 per person (¥4,500 for children), while dinner is ¥7,000 (¥4,900 for children) and includes noroshi nabe, onigiri rice balls and private use of an igloo. A snack plan is also available for ¥2,300 (¥1,700 for children) and includes private igloo use and a small snack. 

You can get to Restaurant Kamakura Village in about two hours from Tokyo Station by taking the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Iiyama Station and then an express bus. For more information on the restaurant and to make a reservation, visit the website.

This article was published on February 15 2021 and updated on November 20 2024.

More from Time Out Tokyo

The best times to see autumn leaves in Japan this year, according to official forecast

Shibuya to cancel 2025 New Year’s Eve countdown celebrations

Universal Studios Japan’s new Donkey Kong attraction opens next month

You can now get Akita inu and Hachiko marshmallows in Tokyo

Shibuya Sky is celebrating Christmas with mirror balls and rooftop light shows

Want to be the first to know what’s cool in Tokyo? Sign up to our newsletter for the latest updates from Tokyo and Japan.