Raptor Encounter & Introduction · ¥7,700 per person
Come away understanding how a hawk and an owl see the world
Ninety quiet minutes in a small group with our resident birds, at your own pace, with no experience needed.
Back to the welcome page
The promise of the morning
You will meet our captive-bred Harris's hawk and barn owl, hear how a falconer reads their body language, and learn why daily weighing and careful feeding keep them well. If you wish, you may hold a bird on the falconry glove. If you would rather watch from a seat, that is just as welcome.
Most people leave feeling a little quieter than when they arrived, and a good deal more curious about the birds they pass every day.
If birds of prey have always felt out of reach
Hawks and owls are easy to admire and hard to get close to. Most of us see them as a shape on a wire or a photograph, and it is natural to wonder what they are actually like. Crowded displays rarely help. They tend to be loud and brief, and the questions you carry home stay unanswered.
You do not need to be an enthusiast to want something gentler: time, space and someone patient to explain what you are seeing.
A small group and a slow pace
We keep each session to six guests at most. That means quiet handling for the birds and a clear view for you. Our falconer explains how raptors see and hear, how they fly, and what a raised feather or a shifted foot is saying.
Harris's hawk
Wingspan about 1.0–1.2 m
Sociable and attentive, a fine first bird to watch up close.
Barn owl
Wingspan about 80–95 cm
Calm and watchful, with extraordinary hearing to talk about.
Barn owl · about 80–95 cm
What the session feels like
- 01
Arrival. We settle into the mews and meet the birds from a comfortable distance.
- 02
Understanding. Sight, hearing and flight are explained simply, with the birds in view.
- 03
Care. See how daily weighing and diet keep each bird healthy, and how a falconer reads body language.
- 04
Glove, if you wish. Hold a bird under close supervision, or watch from a seat.
- 05
Tea. Green tea in our visitor room, and your printed field card to take home.
Suitable for adults and for children aged 8 and over accompanied by a guardian.
The investment
¥7,700
The fee covers a small-group session with our falconer, care for the birds who take part, and the keepsakes below. Practical details such as payment are settled personally when we reply to your enquiry.
Included
- Use of a falconry glove
- A printed field card of the birds you met
- Green tea in our visitor room afterward
- Groups of up to six guests
How we know it works
We measure this the way we measure most things, by looking carefully. A good encounter shows in small signs: guests asking better questions as the hour goes on, breathing slowing as a bird settles, and a field card that someone wants to keep. We watch the birds as closely. If a bird seems tired or unsettled, we ask it to rest, and the session carries on with a different one or changes shape.
Realistically, ninety minutes will not make you a falconer. It will give you a clear sense of how these birds live and a strong base for further curiosity.
Our commitment to you
Sessions are paused in heavy rain or strong heat for the birds' comfort, and we rebook them at no charge. If you have questions before deciding, write to us and we will answer them personally. There is no expectation attached to asking.
Getting started
- Send a short enquiry with a preferred date, group size and whether children will attend.
- We reply personally within two working days.
- We agree a time, and you come to the mews in Nagano.
Would you like to meet the birds?
We would be glad to hear from you, whenever it suits.
Plan an encounter