Pension Owl Himegi
Reference price as of September 12, 2026 (stay date 2026-10-03). Please check the booking site for actual rates.
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forumWhat families say
Guests rate the food, a full-course French dinner, especially highly, and they praise the onsen and the hospitality as well. Some describe it as "like a three-star auberge with an onsen," and families and couples value it as a place to enjoy good cooking and hot-spring bathing in the quiet of the highlands.
Kids Facilities
Playroom and manga corner
Playroom and manga corner
The playroom inside the pension has toys, picture books, a Famicom, Disney videos, billiards, air hockey, table soccer and an electronic piano. On the second floor there is also a manga corner of about 500 volumes, which guests can read as they like. It is a play space parents and children can enjoy together on rainy days and in the evening.
Two private-hire baths (Takayama spring source and radium-ore bath)
Two private-hire baths (Takayama spring source and radium-ore bath)
There are two baths, a koyamaki wooden tub filled with onsen water from the Takayama spring source and an ore bath lined with radium ore, and both can be used as private-hire baths for your family. The spring water is a weakly alkaline simple spring, gentle on the skin, and because families bathe in separate time slots you can take your time without worrying about other guests, even with a baby or young children. In the green season you can open the windows for the openness of a semi-open-air bath.
- •There is one indoor bath each for men and women, used as private-hire baths for families. Bathing hours are from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
- •Because the source temperature is a cold spring of 30 to 35°C, the water is heated and diluted before use. Depending on conditions, such as freezing at the source, the onsen water may not be able to be changed.
- •Whether children who are not yet out of diapers may bathe is not stated on the official website, so please confirm with the pension in advance.
Categories
Overview
Pension Owl Himegi is a small onsen pension in Himegidaira, at an elevation of about 1,500 m north of Lake Shirakaba. There are two baths, both available as private-hire baths: a koyamaki wooden tub bath filled with water from the Takayama spring source, and a radium-ore bath that warms you from the core. Because families take the baths by time slot, you can bathe without worrying about other guests even with a baby or young children. The full-course seasonal French dinner made with local ingredients has earned a fine reputation, and the pension has a playroom with a Famicom and picture books as well as a manga corner of about 500 volumes. In winter the slopes are close by, and at night the sky fills with stars.
A family-run onsen pension in Himegidaira, north of Lake Shirakaba, at an elevation of about 1,500 m and surrounded by nature. It sits in a quiet mountain setting visited by deer, squirrels and wild birds, and the okami (proprietress) welcomes guests in keeping with the pension's "at home" concept.
Baths and Onsen
■Two private-hire baths There are two baths, and both can be used as private-hire baths for your family. One is a koyamaki wooden tub filled with onsen water from the local Takayama spring source, where you can take your time surrounded by the scent of the wood. The other is an ore bath lined with radium ore that warms you from the core. The water comes from the Takayama spring source, and the spring water is a weakly alkaline simple spring (radium onsen). Because the source temperature is a cold spring of 30 to 35°C, the water is heated and diluted before use. Being a simple spring that is gentle on the skin, it is easy to bathe in with a baby or young children. Bathing hours are from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. and from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., and in the green season you can open the windows for the openness of a semi-open-air bath.
Rooms
■Guest rooms There are five room types: twin rooms, triple rooms, Fours rooms (for 4 to 5 guests), family rooms (for 3 to 5 guests), and a Japanese-Western room with twin beds plus a 6-tatami Japanese-style tatami room. That tatami space suits families with a baby at the crawling stage. Depending on the number of guests, a sofa bed is used. The rooms with bunk beds are a hit with children.
Play Spaces and Kids' Areas
■Playroom and games The playroom inside the pension has toys, picture books, a Famicom, Disney videos, billiards, air hockey, table soccer and an electronic piano. On the second floor there is also a manga corner of about 500 volumes, which guests can read as they like.
Dining
■Meals Dinner is a full-course of seasonal French cuisine made with local ingredients. The main meat dish is beef cheek, domestic duck or Shinshu pork (standard), and with the upgrade you can choose an A5-grade Shinshu beef steak.
Activities and Experiences
■The area and winter leisure The ski areas are easy to reach: Echo Valley Ski Resort's slopes are within a 5-minute walk, Blanche Takayama Ski Resort is about 10 minutes by car, and Kurumayama Kogen Ski Resort is about 15 minutes by car. Kurumayama Kogen has Adventure Land, a snow-play area just for children. In summer you can enjoy insect collecting, walks along the nature trails and firefly viewing, and with its high rate of clear weather the location is well suited to stargazing.
Access & Information
| location_onAddress | 3518-2638 Daimon, Nagawa-machi, Chiisagata-gun, Nagano 386-0601 |
|---|---|
| directions_carAccess | From Chino Station on the JR Chuo Main Line, take the bus bound for Lake Shirakaba, get off at Nishi-Shirakabako, and continue about 15 minutes by taxi. By car, it is about 40 minutes from the Suwa IC on the Chuo Expressway via Route 152, or about 50 minutes from the Saku IC on the Joshin-etsu Expressway via Route 142 and Route 152. For car navigation, search for Echo Valley Ski Resort and then follow the directions to Street 8 of the Himegidaira Pension Village. |
| trainNearest station | Chino Station |
| local_parkingParking | Free parking for 10 cars. |
| callPhone | +81-268-69-2676 |
| languageOfficial site | https://pension-owl.com/open_in_new |
Map
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Reference price as of September 12, 2026 (stay date 2026-10-03). Please check the booking site for actual rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
What ages is Pension Owl Himegi best suited to?
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It has facilities that work especially well for babies and toddlers (ages 0 to 2) and children aged 3 and over. There is no age limit, and families with children of any age can stay.
Is there parking at Pension Owl Himegi?
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Parking: Free parking for 10 cars.
How do you get to Pension Owl Himegi?
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From Chino Station on the JR Chuo Main Line, take the bus bound for Lake Shirakaba, get off at Nishi-Shirakabako, and continue about 15 minutes by taxi. By car, it is about 40 minutes from the Suwa IC on the Chuo Expressway via Route 152, or about 50 minutes from the Saku IC on the Joshin-etsu Expressway via Route 142 and Route 152. For car navigation, search for Echo Valley Ski Resort and then follow the directions to Street 8 of the Himegidaira Pension Village.
What is there to play with in the playroom?
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The playroom has toys, picture books, a Famicom, Disney videos, billiards, air hockey, table soccer and an electronic piano.
Are there meals for children?
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Yes. At the full-course dinner you can enjoy an A5-grade Shinshu Premium beef steak, and hearty, generous dishes for children are prepared as well.
Is there an amusement park nearby where children can play?
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There is an amusement park in the forest nearby, where children can spend the whole day on the adventure karts, Kids Street, children's attractions and climbing play structures. There are also special events in summer.
Can you accommodate food allergies?
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No. The pension does not accommodate meals for allergies.
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Information on this page was compiled by directly consulting Official website, Rakuten Travel, Jalan (last verified: August 2026). Prices, availability and seasonal operations change. Please check each booking site for the latest information.
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