Last checked: October 24, 2026
Want to try fishing a mountain river without packing a single rod? In Hiruzen Highlands (蒜山高原, Hiruzen Kogen), Okayama Prefecture, you can.
This KKday experience gives you three courses to pick from. You can fish a managed area on a natural river, a pond where KKday promises 5 fish, or a natural mountain stream. Fishing gear and bait are included.
There’s no direct bus, and the nearest JR station is a taxi ride from the meeting point. So we’ve mapped the trains from Okayama, Osaka and Yonago too. We built this guide from the KKday listing and JR timetables, and we flag what we couldn’t confirm.
At a Glance
- Price: from about US$14 on KKday. The three courses cost ¥2,200 to ¥6,600 per person (as of October 2026)
- Length: about 3 hours
- Start: be at the reception house by 14:00 for courses A and C
- Included: fishing gear, bait and consumption tax. Courses A and C also include an instructor
- Ages: adults are 13 and over. Course A has a child price for ages 3–12
- Free cancellation: up to 8 days before
Prices and available dates vary. Check the booking page before you book.
Is This Trip Right for You?
✅ Great if you…
- have never fished a river. Gear and bait are included, and courses A and C come with an instructor
- travel with young children. Course A has a child price for ages 3–12, and KKday says its footing is safe for small kids
- are staying in Okayama or Yonago and can spare an afternoon. The trip starts at 14:00, so you can take a morning train
⚠️ Think twice if you…
- want a morning trip. KKday names only a 14:00 start for courses A and C
- need an instructor you can be sure speaks English. The listing doesn’t say
- plan to come from December to February. We couldn’t confirm that courses A and B run in winter
Which Course Should You Pick?
Prices below are what KKday showed in October 2026 and change with the date and availability.
| Course | Where you fish | Price per person |
|---|---|---|
| Course A, adults 13 and over | Managed fishing area on a natural river | ¥5,500 |
| Course A, children 3–12 | The same area | ¥3,300 |
| Course B | Fishing pond in Hiruzen | ¥2,200 |
| Course C | Natural mountain stream | ¥6,600 |
Source: KKday listing, checked October 2026. Prices include consumption tax.
Here’s how the three courses differ:
Course A: guided and family-friendly
An instructor goes with you. They give a lesson, put the bait on your hook and help you land the fish. It’s about 30 minutes to the fishing spot. The fish are stocked, and the footing is safe for small children.
Course B: the pond
It’s 10 minutes or less to the pond. KKday describes a “guaranteed catch of 5 fish”. No instructor goes with you.
Course C: the natural stream
It’s 5–20 minutes to the stream. An instructor and a lesson are included. KKday says it’s for experienced anglers and takes up to 2 people. It runs only from March 1 to August 31.
Which course is best for a first-timer or a young child?
We’d pick Course A. An instructor stays with you and handles the bait, and the footing is set up for small children. Course B guarantees 5 fish, but nobody guides you, so we’d keep it for people who can manage a rod alone.
Your Afternoon, Step by Step
KKday gives a 14:00 start for courses A and C. It doesn’t give a separate time for Course B, so check the booking page for it.
By 14:00
Reach the reception house
Courses A and C leave for the fishing spot at 14:00. KKday asks you to show your e-voucher on site
To the spot
Short ride
It takes about 30 minutes for Course A, 10 minutes or less for B, and 5–20 minutes for C
Fishing
About 3 hours
The listing title says “3 Hours” and doesn’t say whether the ride is part of it
After
Head back to the station
KKday gives no end time, so see “Getting back” below before you pick a train
Where to meet
CHUGOKU REGION
Hiruzen Highlands, Okayama
Meet: Reception house in Hiruzen (check the spot in your KKday booking)
To the fishing spot: 5 to 30 minutes by car, depending on the course. Exact spots not confirmed
Nearest station: Ebi Station (JR Hakubi Line), about 25 minutes by taxi
The meeting point is the Cottage Mori no Sanpo Reception House (Inside BSR). Its address is 644-149 Hiruzen-Honkayabe, Maniwa, Okayama (岡山県真庭市蒜山本茅部644-149).
KKday’s English page prints “Hiruzen-kamikayabe”. The Japanese page says 本茅部, which is Honkayabe, so use that. We couldn’t pin down the exact building from the address alone. Check the location in your KKday booking confirmation before you set off.
What You Might Catch
KKday doesn’t say which fish live in which course. The area’s fishing cooperative (旭川北漁協) lists amago (Oncorhynchus masou ishikawae) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) among the fish of its mountain rivers.
Treat both as possible, not promised. KKday doesn’t name a rig or lure either. It says gear and bait are included, and the instructor on courses A and C teaches you how to fish.
When You Can Go: Month by Month
KKday gives months only for Course C, the natural stream. The calendar below shows that course.
📅 When Course C runs
Open Part of the month Closed
KKday says Course C runs from March 1 to August 31.
Source: KKday listing, checked October 2026.
KKday doesn’t say which months courses A and B run. Check dates on KKday before you plan. We couldn’t confirm whether they run in winter.
The weather figures below explain why winter is a question mark.
| Month | Average temperature | Deepest snow (average) |
|---|---|---|
| December | 2.7°C | 39 cm |
| January | 0.3°C | 62 cm |
| February | 0.7°C | 73 cm |
| March | 4.1°C | 39 cm |
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency normals for Kaminagata (上長田) in Hiruzen, checked October 2026. August averages 23.7°C.
KKday uses Hiruzen Bear Valley Ski Resort (ひるぜんベアバレースキー場) as a landmark for directions. The resort runs from late December to early March, according to Okayama’s tourism site.
If you plan to come from December to February, we’d wait until KKday shows a date before buying train tickets. Snow reaches 73 cm deep in February on average.
How to Get to Hiruzen Without a Car
The nearest JR station is Ebi Station (江尾) on the Hakubi Line (伯備線). From there it’s a taxi of about 25 minutes to the meeting point. The Yakumo limited express doesn’t stop at Ebi, so you change trains.
Times below come from searches for Saturday, November 7, 2026. Check your own date on Jorudan or Yahoo! Transit, because the timetable can change.
From Okayama Station
9:16
Take the local
Change at Niimi (新見, arrive 10:56, leave 11:02) and reach Ebi at 12:32. The fare is ¥2,310
10:13
Take Yakumo 7
Get off at Neu (根雨, arrive 12:01), change to a local at 12:24 and reach Ebi at 12:32. The fare is ¥4,900, or ¥4,700 on weekdays
About 13:00
Ride the taxi
It’s about 25 minutes from Ebi to the meeting point
Both trains reach Ebi at 12:32, so the Yakumo saves no time. Our pick is the 9:16 local: it costs up to ¥2,590 less. If you’d rather start an hour later, the 10:13 Yakumo still gets you there before the 14:00 start.
From Osaka
Leave Shin-Osaka at 9:17 and you reach Ebi at 12:32. On the way back, the 18:56 from Ebi reaches Shin-Osaka at 22:28 and costs ¥11,670, according to Jorudan. That’s a long day, so the trip suits Osaka visitors only if you don’t mind a late return.
From Yonago
This is the shortest ride. The 11:15 from Yonago reaches Ebi at 11:44 and costs ¥510. Going back, trains leave Ebi at 17:48 and 18:55.
From the airports
- Okayama Airport: the limousine bus to Okayama Station takes about 30 minutes and costs ¥1,000
- Yonago Airport: the connecting bus to Yonago Station takes about 25 minutes and costs ¥640
If you’re also fishing elsewhere with your own rod, our guide to bringing fishing rods to Japan covers the airport side. This trip doesn’t need one.
If you drive
KKday says the meeting point is 5 minutes from Hiruzen IC on the Yonago Expressway, toward the Bear Valley Ski Resort.
Getting back
After the trip, the trains that work best leave Ebi at 17:48 and 18:56. All fares are for the whole trip to Okayama.
| Leave Ebi | Arrive Okayama | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| 17:48 | 20:29 | ¥6,080 |
| 18:56 | 21:35 | ¥4,900 |
| 18:56 | 22:46 | ¥2,310 |
Source: Yahoo! Transit and Jorudan, checked October 2026, for November 7, 2026.
The 17:48 changes at Yonago to Yakumo 28. The 18:56 reaches 21:35 by changing at Shoyama (生山) to Yakumo 30. It reaches 22:46 on local trains via Niimi.
A 14:00 start plus about 3 hours plus a 25-minute taxi leaves very little margin for the 17:48. We’d pick the 18:56 with Yakumo 30, which gets you to Okayama over an hour earlier than the local.
⚠️ No direct bus from Okayama — There is no through bus from Okayama to Hiruzen right now. The WILLER bus from Osaka arrives at 15:15, after the 14:00 start
- The free shuttle is for overnight guests — KKday notes a free ride to the nearest station for guests who stay overnight. Don’t count on it for a day trip
- The taxi fare is unknown — We couldn’t find a fare for the Ebi to meeting-point ride. Call ヒルウン交通 (Hiruun Kotsu) at 0867-66-5570 (+81-867-66-5570) before your trip and ask. We couldn’t confirm English support or card payment there, so carry cash and have the Japanese address ready
Moving around Okayama by train or private car? Klook lists these options for the area. Klook sets the prices, and they change by date.
Booking, Cancellation and Bad Weather
KKday confirms your booking 2 days after you order. You show the e-voucher when you arrive.
KKday’s notice says “Reception will be limited to 2 people.” It doesn’t say if that covers every course. Message KKday before you book for a group.
Cancellation
KKday’s cancellation policy (as of October 2026):
Weather
⚠️ The experience can be canceled for weather — KKday says it may not be available depending on the weather. The listing doesn’t spell out the refund, so ask KKday before you book
What happens if rain or snow cancels the trip?
KKday says the experience may not be available depending on the weather. It doesn’t say what happens to your payment, so ask KKday before you book.
What’s Included and What to Bring
KKday lists these as included:
- Consumption tax
- The experience fee
- The instructor fee
- Fishing gear and bait
It excludes anything not listed, and no instructor goes with you on Course B. Your trains and taxis aren’t listed, so budget for them separately.
What to bring
- Your KKday e-voucher
- Clothes you don’t mind getting wet or dirty. The operator says that’s the advice for the natural river, and any clothes are fine for the managed area
- Cash for the taxi
- A phone with data for maps and train searches. Our eSIM guide compares your options
We couldn’t confirm toilets at the reception house or the fishing spot, so go before you get in the taxi.
Do I need a permit to fish a river here?
It depends on the course. KKday’s list doesn’t say whether Course C’s river permit is in the price, so ask KKday before you book it. Our fishing license guide explains the rules.
Around Hiruzen
The best trains back from Ebi leave at 17:48 and 18:56, and a day trip from Okayama gets you back between 20:29 and 22:46. If that sounds long, we’d pick a night in the highlands.
Fairfield by Marriott Okayama Hiruzen Highland is on Klook. Klook lists it 2.0 km from the Hiruzen Kogen Center amusement park. We couldn’t confirm how far it is from the meeting point.
For another day in the area, Klook has a full-day bus tour of Hiruzen Highlands. It’s one way to see the area without a car.
More to see in Okayama Prefecture, from Klook. Klook sets the prices, and they change by date.
FAQ
QCan beginners do this?
Yes. Gear and bait are included, and courses A and C come with an instructor. Course B has none.
QCan my kids join?
Yes. Course A has a child price for ages 3–12, and KKday says the footing is safe for small children. We’d pick Course A for families.
QDo I need to bring a rod?
No. KKday includes the fishing gear and bait.
QIs there a bus from Okayama?
No. There’s no through bus right now, so the trip is a train plus a taxi from Ebi Station.
QHow long does it take?
About 3 hours. Courses A and C leave for the fishing spot at 14:00.
QCan I do it in winter?
We couldn’t confirm. Course C runs only from March 1 to August 31, and KKday doesn’t say whether A and B run from December to February. Snow reaches 73 cm in February, so check KKday’s dates first.
QDoes the instructor speak English?
The listing doesn’t say. We’d write your questions down before you arrive.
Sources
The KKday listing for this experience. JR timetables from Yahoo! Transit and Jorudan for November 7, 2026. The Japan Meteorological Agency. Okayama’s tourism site. The Okayama Airport and Yonago Airport bus pages. Klook listings. All checked October 2026.
Ready to Book?
Hooked yet? If you want your first river-fishing afternoon with the gear handled, Course A is the easy start. Check KKday for your dates, then plan the trains around the 14:00 start.
