Family Village Villagedest Imazu

A mountaintop family village looking down on Lake Biwa

Family Village Villagedest Imazu is a publicly run outdoor facility of about 700,000 square meters, spread across a mountaintop in Takashima, Shiga. Camping, barbecuing, lodging and dining all happen on one site, and as the name suggests, the place is built with family visits in mind. It operates seasonally from April 1 to the end of November and closes for the winter. On arrival, a village entry fee is required: 300 yen per person, for elementary school age and above.

Three types of accommodation, so you can choose how to stay

Mori no Koryukan is a mountain-lodge-style small hotel with Japanese-style tatami rooms where you can stretch out on the tatami (8 Kyoma-size mats, for 3 to 4 guests), Western-style twin rooms (2 to 3 guests) and two-room suites that work well for three-generation trips (two 8-mat rooms, for 5 to 8 guests). The Japanese-style tatami rooms have few changes in floor level, and are described as a layout where small children can move around with peace of mind. The Family Cottage (2 to 10 guests; 6 for comfort) is a whole-house rental with two Japanese-style tatami rooms of 10 and 6 mats plus a dining kitchen. It has an induction cooktop, a microwave, a rice cooker, a refrigerator and pots and pans, so you can prepare baby food or cook for yourselves; note that there is no tableware, so you will need to bring paper plates and the like. An en-suite bathroom with a bidet-equipped toilet is included. The Kinoko no Yakata cabin sleeps up to 10 guests on a 20-mat floor and suits groups; even with 5 guests or fewer, the minimum charge for 5 guests, 16,000 yen, applies.

One thing to be aware of: the washbasins in the guest rooms at Mori no Koryukan, meaning the Japanese-style tatami rooms, Western-style rooms and two-room suites, only run cold water. For preparing formula or washing hands at night, a cottage with its kitchen and en-suite bathroom is easier to manage with babies and toddlers.

A shared bathhouse for baths, and a drive for water play

Bathing is at the shared bathhouse on the first floor of Mori no Koryukan. It is free for Mori no Koryukan guests, from check-in until 11 p.m.; guests staying in the cottages, the cabin or at the campsites pay 400 yen per person and can use it from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. The changing room is described as generously sized and easy to use with children. Two things worth knowing: it is not an onsen, and it is a 7-to-8-minute walk from the cottages, with about 180 steps along the way, so going by car is recommended. Beside Kinoko no Yakata there is also a coin-operated shower available 24 hours a day (300 yen for 5 minutes, from late April to the end of October). Because the facility sits at the top of the mountain, there is no river you can play in freely; in summer there is a fish-catching experience in a stream about 30 cm deep, but it is for groups and requires reservations. Makino Sunny Beach, a swimming beach on Lake Biwa, is about 25 minutes away by car. Bringing an inflatable kiddie pool is not permitted, because of how the water is sourced.

A covered barbecue site and a restaurant with kids' meals

The covered barbecue site (up to 200 people, usable in the rain) offers a barbecue order that includes both ingredients and equipment. In a nice touch befitting a family village, there is a Kids' Set (100 g of domestic beef, sausage, grilled vegetables and a rice ball; 2,500 yen per person) that only families with children who have not yet started elementary school can order. Lunch at Resthouse Akasakadaira includes a kids' meal (750 yen) and a children's curry (540 yen), and you can also try tonchan teishoku, a local Takashima dish, in limited quantities on weekends. Dinner options are sukiyaki, shabu-shabu, chanko nabe and a steak course, all with domestic beef, at 3,800 yen each, and must be reserved at least 3 days in advance. Breakfast can only be ordered together with dinner; breakfast alone is not available.

Insect displays, stargazing and other nature programs

The hands-on programs make the most of the 550 m elevation. There is an insect display where children can get a close look at rhinoceros beetles and stag beetles from Japan and abroad, stargazing under a sky full of stars, birdwatching with binoculars you can borrow, field bingo that takes you around the grounds looking for nature, cooking rice outdoors in a mess tin, and a workshop on stag beetle behavior and how to raise them. Giving children plenty of chances to encounter nature is very much the character of this place. During the summer holidays, the World Insect Exhibition and Rhinoceros Beetle Village is held, where children can freely handle rhinoceros beetles (admission 500 yen per person, free for ages 3 and under, no reservation needed). The Zekkyo Buranko swing, set on a hill at 550 m elevation, looks down on a spectacular view of Lake Biwa, though it is described as a thrilling spot, so it may or may not suit younger children. Fish catching, the treasure hunt game and the water survival game are for groups and require advance reservations.

Outdoor facilities and practical details

The grounds include Hatsuratsu Hiroba, a recreation field, along with 2 tennis courts, a ground golf course and a putting golf course, and the dedicated area for handheld fireworks (with buckets available to borrow for putting out fireworks and candles for sale) is a place to make summer memories. Check-in is at 2 p.m. (last check-in 5 p.m.; 3 p.m. for the cabin) and checkout is at 10 a.m. Pets are not allowed. Shopping means a 20-minute drive down to the convenience stores and supermarkets at the foot of the mountain, so it is safest to arrange food and children's essentials before you set out.