Mishaka Pond
御射鹿池
Mishaka Pond is a small pond about 1,500 m up in the mountains of Chino, in the Yatsugatake Chushin Quasi-National Park. The still water reflects the forest: green in summer, red and yellow in autumn and white in winter. It inspired "Midori Hibiku", a famous painting by Higashiyama Kaii. The pond was built in the early Showa period as a farm reservoir to warm cold mountain water for rice growing.
Visitor information
- Getting there
By car, about 18 km (about 30 minutes) from Suwa IC.
By bus, take the Alpico Kotsu Oku-Tateshina Shibunoyu Line from JR Chino Station (about 45 minutes) to Meiji Onsen Iriguchi bus stop.
Hours and fees can change. Please check the official website before you go.
Good to know
- Entry inside the embankment is not allowed, so you cannot go close to the water. The pond is a working farm facility; please keep the area clean.
- There are no convenience stores or vending machines nearby. The nearest convenience store is about 10 km away.
- Parking for 31 cars and 5 buses.
Tips for Muslim visitors
- The best time to see the mirror-like reflection is early morning, when the wind is calm and the sun is still low.
- The pond is a farm reservoir looked after by local people: do not drop litter and do not enter the pond.
- Near Oshidori-kakushi Falls (about 10 minutes on foot from the pond), the inn Meiji Onsen also offers day-use bathing.
- Natural sites may have few facilities. Bring water, a travel prayer mat and a qibla app, and check the weather; mountains and lakes can be much colder than the city.
- Restrooms for wudu can be far apart on trails. Many Muslim travellers carry a small water bottle for wudu.
- Plan your visit around prayer times. Below are today's prayer times for Nagano and the verified places to pray nearby.
- Food stalls and shops near popular sights usually do not have halal certification. Check the ingredients, or choose from the verified places on this site.
Prayer times in Nagano
Today (5 Nov 2026)
- Fajr04:36
- Sunrise06:14
- Dhuhr11:33
- Asr14:25
- Maghrib16:47
- Isha18:15
Times are calculated for Nagano City. Times may differ elsewhere in Nagano.
Places to pray near Mishaka Pond
We have not verified a place to pray near here yet. Many large stations, airports and department stores in Japan have prayer rooms.
Halal food near Mishaka Pond
We have not verified a halal restaurant near here yet. Until then, these guides can help you choose food safely:
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Map
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Photo: TAKAO_Tsushima, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Sources (Checked 5 Nov 2026): navi.chinotabi.jp, db.go-nagano.net, go-nagano.net