Shigisan Nodoka Village Agricultural Park is a spacious farm and recreation park in Ikoma District, Nara Prefecture. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, it offers visitors the chance to enjoy seasonal produce, outdoor activities, and traditional food-making experiences throughout the year.
The park features fruit and vegetable picking, barbecue facilities, athletic activities, and hands-on workshops such as soba noodle making and konjac preparation. Whether you are visiting with children, spending time with friends, or simply looking to enjoy the countryside, the park offers a wide variety of ways to experience rural life in Nara.
The park’s expansive lawn covers approximately 12,000 square meters, providing plenty of room to relax beneath the open sky and breathe in the fresh country air. Families and groups of friends can spread out a picnic blanket, enjoy a leisurely meal, or let children run and play in the grass.
For visitors seeking more active recreation, the park also has a field athletic course, a fishing pond, and a grass-skiing slope. These facilities make it easy to combine a peaceful outdoor break with a day of adventure.
The field athletic course is especially popular with children. It consists of 11 activity stations where visitors can test their balance, coordination, and physical strength while having fun outdoors.
The fishing pond is home to fish such as crucian carp, common carp, and goldfish. It offers a relaxing opportunity for parents and children to enjoy fishing together. Turtles and crayfish can sometimes be spotted around the water, adding to the experience of discovering local wildlife.
At the park’s grass-skiing slope, visitors can glide down a natural grassy hillside on a sled. Sleds are provided by the facility, so you can enjoy the activity without bringing your own equipment. It is an appealing option for families and anyone looking for a little excitement in the open air.
Strawberry picking is available from January through late May, giving visitors the opportunity to enjoy freshly harvested fruit during the cooler months and into spring. The experience typically includes 30 minutes of all-you-can-eat strawberries.
Popular varieties include Kotoka, Asuka Ruby, and Yumenoka, all known for their distinctive sweetness, color, and aroma. The park also grows a premium variety called Nodoka Village Tenkū Strawberry in collaboration with the Faculty of Agriculture at Kindai University. This special strawberry is cultivated with particular attention to flavor and fragrance.
Nodoka Village Tenkū Melons are harvested twice a year, around late June and mid-November. They are cultivated using Nara Kindai ICT Farming, a method that applies information and communication technology to agricultural production.
The melons are prized for their rich sweetness and excellent texture, making them a special seasonal treat for visitors interested in tasting locally grown produce.
Autumn brings a variety of harvest experiences, including sweet potatoes, chestnuts, and mandarins. Sweet potatoes are popular for their soft, fluffy texture when cooked, while the mandarins offer refreshing sweetness and juicy flesh.
Mushroom picking is also available during the appropriate season. Freshly harvested shiitake mushrooms can be cooked with butter, allowing visitors to enjoy their earthy flavor while still at the park.
During summer, visitors can harvest seasonal vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and eggplants. Sweet corn, with its plump kernels, is another highlight, along with fresh, juicy blueberries.
These seasonal ingredients are ideal for enjoying alongside a barbecue, making summer a particularly appealing time for families and groups to visit.
The soba noodle-making workshop uses fresh buckwheat flour and welcomes beginners. Participants learn how to prepare and shape their own noodles, gaining an appreciation for the skill involved in this traditional Japanese food.
One of the highlights is being able to taste the soba you have made yourself. The combination of hands-on learning and a freshly prepared meal makes this a rewarding experience for visitors of different ages.
Another popular activity is making konjac, a traditional Japanese food prepared from the konjac plant. The workshop uses konjac tubers grown at Nodoka Village and makes use of the peel as well, helping participants understand how the ingredient can be processed with minimal waste.
The workshop takes approximately one hour, and participants can take their finished konjac home. It is a practical way to discover an ingredient commonly used in Japanese cuisine while learning about traditional food preparation.
The park has a barbecue house where visitors can enjoy a meal without bringing their own equipment. Because the facility is covered, it can be used in a range of weather conditions. It can accommodate groups of up to 400 people, making it suitable for family outings, group trips, and larger gatherings.
Barbecue ingredient sets featuring meat and vegetables are available, allowing guests to enjoy a convenient outdoor meal. Other highlights include pizza baked in a traditional stone oven and rice cooked in a large traditional cooking hearth. These dishes add a distinctive countryside flavor to the dining experience.
A day-camping area is also available for visitors who prefer to bring their own ingredients. Reservations are given priority, so booking in advance is recommended, particularly for busy periods and group visits.
March to November: 9:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
December to February: 9:30 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
Fruit and vegetable harvesting periods, workshops, and other activities vary by season. Visitors planning a particular experience should check availability before their trip.
By public transportation, take a Nara Kotsu bus from Shigisanguchi Station on the Kintetsu Ikoma Line to Shigisanmon. From there, a shuttle bus takes approximately five minutes to reach the park.
By car, the park is approximately 30 minutes from the Horyuji Interchange on the Nishi-Meihan Expressway.
The park provides approximately 700 free parking spaces, making it convenient for visitors arriving by car.
Shigisan Nodoka Village Agricultural Park combines the pleasures of the countryside with opportunities to discover seasonal produce and traditional Japanese food culture. From strawberry picking in winter and spring to summer vegetables and autumn harvests, each season brings something different to enjoy.
Families can spend time on the lawn, try the athletic course, or go fishing, while food lovers can join a soba or konjac workshop and enjoy a barbecue featuring fresh ingredients. With its open landscapes and varied activities, the park is an inviting destination for a relaxing day out in Nara Prefecture.