Looking for a unique dining experience in Japan in the age of covid? From late January through late February, a section of Iiyama (Nagano prefecture) is transformed into a magical igloo restaurant where a local hot pot specialty called noroshi-nabe is served. Situated in the northernmost part of Nagano Prefecture, Iiyama is merely an hour and a half away from Tokyo via the Hokuriku Shinkansen.
Restaurant Kamakura Village operates from January 21 – February 27 and offers private lunch or dinner dining inside one of their 20 igloos. On the menu is noroshi-nabi, a local specialty that dates back hundreds of years to the warring states period when signal fires (noroshi) would be lit on nearby Mt. Kuroiwa. The dish is made entirely from locally grown and sourced ingredients: miso, mushrooms and pork.
Lunch is 3,700 yen per person while dinner is 4,200 yen (discounts for children are available). You can learn more about accessing the restaurant, as well as make reservations, on the website.
