Samegai Trout Farm
Opened in 1878, one of Japan's oldest trout farms, with the breeding ponds open to visitors.
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Samegai Trout Farm
SaveOpened in 1878, one of Japan's oldest trout farms, with the breeding ponds open to visitors.
In the Fureai stream, water sits below a small child's knees and trout swim close enough to touch.
MoreWhat kind of place
Samegai Trout Farm opened in 1878 and is one of the oldest trout breeding operations in Japan, still raising char, amago, rainbow trout and biwa trout in water that comes straight out of a limestone cave at the foot of Mount Ryozen (1,094 m / 3,589 ft) and holds 54°F (12°C) year round.
It also keeps the ito, a fish so rarely seen it is called a phantom, and the hariyo, treated as a marker of clean running water.
Inside the main building, the Fish Study Hall has a small aquarium where sturgeon and big trout can be watched through glass from the side, so there is something to see indoors as well.
Sources and evidence (8)
- A small fish you catch can be grilled with salt on the grounds for 200 yen each, while large fish are meant to be taken home.source
- Pets are allowed in, with the farm adding that owners need to watch their animals' behavior closely.source
- The Fish Study Hall in the main building has a small aquarium where sturgeon and large trout can be watched through glass from the side, and a video corner runs footage about the farm's work and the lives of the fish.source
- It was founded in 1878 and is one of the oldest trout breeding and rearing operations in Japan.source
- Char, amago, rainbow trout, and biwa trout are raised in clear water flowing from a limestone cave at the foot of Mount Ryozen (1,094 m / 3,589 ft), and the water stays at 54°F (12°C) all year.source
- The farm also keeps and displays the ito, a fish so rarely seen it is called a phantom, the sturgeon, which goes back to ancient times, and the hariyo, treated as a marker of clear streams.source
- Heavy rain from a typhoon can raise and muddy the streams on the grounds and force the farm to close without notice, as it did on two straight days in June 2026.source
- Baikamo, a flowering water plant, is usually at its best from early June to late September, though the well-known place to see it is the Jizo River in the old post town of Samegai; the farm is described as somewhere you can also see it.source
With kidsThe part that matters
If your children want to get into the water, they can wade into the Fureai stream here and put a hand on the trout going past, in water no deeper than a small child's knee.
It comes straight out of a limestone cave and stays 54°F (12°C) all year, and the bottom is slippery, so pack a change of clothes; there is generally no changing room.
The bait ponds take no reservation and start at elementary school age: a 150 yen ticket covers a rod and bait, and every fish you catch has to be bought, about 400 to 500 yen for a small one.
Finish fishing by 4:00 and they get to eat what they caught, since a small fish is grilled with salt on the spot for 200 yen.
Sources and evidence (3)
- The stream is 28cm deep and 12C all year: bring sandals, towels, a change. Diaper change and a nursing room on site.source
- The small pond: 150 yen each, rod and bait. Three children landed seven fish; grilling came to 4,500 yen.source
- Two parking lots and two entrances, 400 yen for a car. Third Sunday of the month is free for families living in Shiga.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1Inside the main building, the Fish Learning Hall is a mini aquarium where sturgeon and big trout are seen from the side. A video corner plays films about the farm's work and the fish's lives all day long. It is indoors, so it holds up on a hot day or a wet one.Nowhere on the grounds is off limits to a wheelchair, and there is accessible parking, an accessible toilet and wheelchairs to borrow; a nursing room and a changing table are not mentioned. It is about an hour on foot from JR Samegai Station with no public bus, and no taxis wait at the station, so come by car or reserve a shared taxi with Omi Taxi (0749-52-8200) at least 60 minutes before you set out. Heavy typhoon rain can swell and muddy the streams on site and close the farm for the day.
- Ages 2-3In the Fureai stream you step into the water and touch the fish - they call it Osakana Touching. The water sits below a small child's knees, and no swimsuit is needed. The fish here are raised in spring water from a limestone cave at the foot of Mount Ryozen, and that water stays at 12C all year.The Fureai stream is there for getting close to the fish, not for swimming. There is basically no changing room, so bring a change of clothes. The bottom of the pool is slippery, so a change for the child is a must. Admission is free from elementary through high school and 570 yen for adults. Parking is privately run and costs 400 yen for a car on top of that.
- Ages 4-6The Fish Learning Hall keeps the near-mythical itou, the ancient sturgeon, and the haryo, emblem of clean streams. The bait fishing pond needs no reservation, and a ticket is 150 yen a person including rod and bait. A small fish you catch can be grilled with salt on site for 200 yen.The bait fishing ticket - 150 yen a person, rod and bait included - is for elementary-school age and up. The lure pond does not admit anyone below elementary school, so with a preschooler head for the bait pond or the Fureai stream instead. The bait area has a pond of small fish (200-300 g) and one of large fish (1-2 kg); with a small child, choose the small-fish pond. Everything you catch must be bought at 240 yen per 100 g, roughly 400-500 yen for a small fish. To have it grilled, finish fishing by 16:00.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayThe only indoor room is the Fish Study Hall in the main building; the fishing areas and the Fureai River wading pool are outdoors, and heavy typhoon rain that swells or muddies the on-site river can close the farm for the day.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed3 h
How was it with your kids?
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Family checks✓ easy for your family
- ElevatorElevator：not checked
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：not checked
- RentalStroller rental：not checked
- NursingNursing space：not checked
- ChangingDiaper changing table：not checked
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：not checked
- EnglishEnglish support：not checked
Tap a mark for details
* Other not checked (8)
Best-fit ages (guide), Diaper disposal bin, Kids' toilet seat & step stool, Child switch (rider swap), Official family-friendly certification, Quietness (guide), Crowding (guide), Lost-child support
Green = we confirmed it. Gray = not checked yet. Gray with a line through = the place does not have it.
Worth a look before you go
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
The stream is 28cm deep and 12C all year: bring sandals, towels, a change. Diaper change and a nursing room on site.
Lure fishing all year at Samegai Trout Farm, plus fishing, water play and a mini aquarium for children
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
The small pond: 150 yen each, rod and bait. Three children landed seven fish; grilling came to 4,500 yen.
Fun to catch, good to eat: a day at Samegai Trout Farm
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
Two parking lots and two entrances, 400 yen for a car. Third Sunday of the month is free for families living in Shiga.
More than fishing: a river-fish theme park in the wild, and the days you get in free
Samegai Trout Farm · Links & reads ▾
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Where it is
1570 Kaminyu, Maibara-shi, Shiga 521-0033source
Before you go
- The Fureai stream is built for getting close to the fish, not for swimming; the water sits below a small child's knees and no swimsuit is needed, but there is generally no changing room, so bring a change of clothes.source
- In the Fureai stream you can step into the water and touch the fish, and since the bottom is slippery, children need dry clothes waiting for them.source
- Barbecuing is not possible here: the farm has no setup for it, and barbecue equipment cannot be brought in.source
- The bait fishing ponds take no reservations, and everyone who goes in buys a 150 yen fishing ticket, which includes a rod and bait and is for elementary school age and up.source
- During the summer school vacation there is a fish class for elementary and junior high students; for 2026 it was booked by phone only, with reservations opening at 9:00 on July 2.source
More notes (6)
- It is about an hour on foot from JR Samegai Station, with no public bus and no taxis waiting at the station, so reserve a shared taxi with Omi Taxi (0749-52-8200) at least 60 minutes before you want to go.source
- The lure fishing area does not admit children below elementary school age, elementary and junior high students must have a guardian with them, and no tackle is rented out.source
- Fishing the natural Sotani River costs 3,300 yen per person and has to be booked by phone the day before; anyone junior high age or younger needs a guardian along, and children below elementary school age are generally not permitted.source
- Group trout fishing in the Fureai stream is for parties of 10 or more, booked by phone a week ahead, and costs 1,500 yen a person for 30 minutes of unlimited catch-and-release fishing with one salt-grilled trout per person included; it is not offered during Golden Week or Obon.source
- Even group trips do not need a reservation, unless you want to watch the introductory video about the trout farm in the seminar room.source
- Over the Obon holiday, August 11 to 16 in 2026, the farm keeps its weekend and holiday hours, and it warns that roads on the way are expected to be backed up.source
Basics
- Fee：Admission is 570 yen for adults and 340 for university students; elementary, junior-high and high-school students get in free, as do prefecture residents aged 65 and over and visitors with a disability, on showing proof. Prices changed on 1 April 2025. Parking is run privately and charged separately - 400 yen for a car, 200 for a motorbike. Fishing costs more again: a 150-yen ticket at the bait ponds (rod and bait included, elementary school age up), with every fish you catch bought at 240 yen per 100g, and 200 yen a fish to have a small one grilled on the spot. Groups of 30 or more get 20 per cent off admission, 300 or more 30 per cent.source2
- Hours：Gates open at 8:30, but at 9:00 on weekdays. Closing is 17:00 from February to June and September to November, 18:00 in July and August, and 16:00 in December and January. Closed every Wednesday - except during the Japanese school summer holidays, when it stays open - and from 28 December to 4 January. Heavy rain that swells and muddies the river inside the grounds can close it at no notice; that happened for two days running in June 2026.source2
- Time to allow：3 h
- Booking：You can just turn up, groups included; the one thing that needs booking is the screening room, if you want to watch the farm's introductory video. The fishing is split: the bait ponds take no booking, but the natural river beat has to be booked by phone the day before, and the group trout fishing in the Fureai river needs ten people and a week's notice. The summer children's fish class is phone booking only.source2
Basics in detail (9)
Fees
- Admission is 570 yen for adults and 340 yen for college students, and free for elementary, junior high, and high school students; Shiga Prefecture residents aged 65 and over and visitors with disabilities also get in free by showing proof.source
- Admission prices were revised on April 1, 2025, so the figures in older articles no longer apply.source
- The parking lot is privately run and has 200 spaces, at 400 yen for a car and 200 yen for a motorcycle, charged separately from admission.source
- Every fish caught at the bait ponds has to be bought at 240 yen per 100 grams, which comes to roughly 400 to 500 yen for a small fish and 2,000 to 4,000 yen for a large one.source
- Lure fishing prices were revised on April 1, 2026: weekdays cost 4,000 yen for men, 3,000 yen for women, and 1,500 yen for elementary through high school students, while a weekend or holiday day pass is 4,500 yen for men, 3,500 yen for women, and 2,000 yen for students.source
Hours and closures
- The farm opens at 8:30, or 9:00 on weekdays, and closes at 17:00 from February to June and September to November, 18:00 in July and August, and 16:00 in December and January.source
- It closes every Wednesday, though it stays open on Wednesdays through the Japanese school summer vacation, and it also closes from December 28 to January 4.source
- The bait ponds run 9:30 to 16:45 from February to November, with entry to the fishing area by 15:30 and fishing finished by 16:00 if you want your catch grilled; in December and January, entry is by 14:30 and fishing ends at 15:00.source
Getting there
- By car it is about 10 minutes from the Maibara interchange on the Hokuriku Expressway, or about 20 minutes from the Sekigahara interchange on the Meishin Expressway.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (5)
- Official: Steps & slope caution, Family restroom, Outside food allowed
- Official: Stroller access notes
- Official: Indoor / outdoor
- Official: Outside food allowed
- Official: Stroller access notes
Spring water from a limestone cave under Mount Ryozen feeds the ponds, and it stays at 12C all year. The Fureai stream is not for swimming; it reaches about knee height on a small child. No swimsuit is needed, but there is nowhere to change, so bring dry clothes. Bait fishing needs no booking; a 150-yen ticket includes rod and bait. Every fish you hook must be bought, so with small children pick the pond of smaller trout. Small ones can be grilled on the spot.
| Steps & slope caution | Barrier-free | There is nowhere on site a wheelchair cannot go, the fishing areas included. There is dedicated accessible parking, an accessible toilet, and wheelchairs to borrow. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | samegai.siga.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family restroom | Yes | An accessible toilet on site. Changing table inside it: not stated. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | samegai.siga.jp |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | Most of it is outdoors - ponds, the Fureai river, the fishing areas. The indoor part is the Fish Study Hall in the main building, with its mini aquarium and video corner. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | samegai.siga.jp |
| Outside food allowed | Not checked yet | Barbecues are out: there are no barbecue facilities and bringing your own equipment is banned, in the parking lot and the riverside open spaces as well. Ordinary packed lunches: not stated. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | samegai.siga.jpsamegai.siga.jp |
| Stroller access notesExtra info — guide only | Yes | This is a place to reach by car - about 10 minutes from Maibara IC on the Hokuriku Expressway, 20 from Sekigahara IC on the Meishin. From JR Samegai station it is about an hour on foot, there is no public bus, and no taxi waits at the station; the shared taxi has to be booked with Omi Taxi (0749-52-8200) at least 60 minutes before you want to leave. Note the station is written Samegai with a ga, the farm without. The private parking lot holds 200 cars at 400 yen. Obon brings heavy crowds and traffic on the approach roads. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | samegai.siga.jpsamegai.siga.jp |
| Best-fit ages (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Stroller friendly | Not checked yet | ||||
| Stroller rental | Not checked yet | ||||
| Diaper changing table | Not checked yet | ||||
| Nursing space | Not checked yet | ||||
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| English support | Not checked yet | ||||
| Child switch (rider swap) | Not checked yet | ||||
| Official family-friendly certificationExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Quietness (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Crowding (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Lost-child supportExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet |
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