This article is a guide based on official, local government, and booking information as of 2026-08-12; we have not interviewed the inn. Resident cats have been confirmed, but please ask the inn about interaction arrangements.
Added 2026-10-10: We checked the official accommodation page’s cat information and booking method, and the STAY JAPAN listing’s status. Other information retains the original confirmation date above.
About the photo: it does not show this inn or its resident cats
This illustration does not document the rooms or cats currently in residence.
Illustrative image (not a photograph of the resident cat or building) / Photo: MikeGz, Pexels
“Sanno Chigura” in Oe, Ibara City, Okayama Prefecture is a farm guesthouse run in a detached house in Satoyama. This is a small inn where you can experience life with cats, cooking with local ingredients, and interacting with the hosts.
Cats live in the inn
The inn’s official accommodation page introduces 2 sibling cats, Chigu (ちぐ) and Gura (ぐら). The older STAY JAPAN listing mentions 1 cat and advance consultation for people with cat allergies, but the page was marked non-public when checked on 2026-10-10. This does not mean the inn has closed. If you have a cat allergy, ask the inn directly about its current acceptance conditions. The official walking map around the inn also introduces places where cats spend relaxed daytime hours.
However, whether guests may hold or pet the cats, or whether the cats enter guest rooms, remains unconfirmed. The inn is listed as C without inferring close contact from its name. Follow the host’s instructions when interacting with the cats.
One group per day stays in a separate Japanese-style room
The guest room is described as a 10-tatami Japanese-style room on the second floor of a separate building. If you stay as one group per day, you can spend time in Satoyama without worrying about other overnight groups.
Unlike a typical hotel, the staff are not stationed in shifts. Before booking, read the information about arrival times, bathing times, bedding, and amenities, and plan to follow the farm guesthouse’s daily rhythm.
Boar and Asian cuisine
Gibiet interview introduces the characteristics of the inn, such as hot pot made with wild boar hunted by the host, dishes that use local ingredients, and Asian cuisine. Hearing stories about hunting and satoyama is also an attraction that goes beyond just staying the night.
Meal contents change depending on season, purchasing, and plan. If you don’t like wild game or have food allergies, please let the inn know when making a reservation.
Please confirm in advance for access
The location is 38 Oe-cho, Ibara City. It is located on a hill about 1.7 km from Ibara Railway Izue Station, so if you are walking from the station with your luggage, you need to check the route and slope. If you’re heading there by car, it’s a good idea to ask your inn for final directions and where to park.
Basic information
| Item | Contents |
|---|---|
| Facility name | Sanno Chigura |
| Location | 38 Oe-cho, Ibara City, Okayama Prefecture 715-0023 (local address: 〒715-0023 岡山県井原市大江町38) |
| Distance with cats | Cats live at the inn. Contact range/guest-room visits are unconfirmed |
| Guest room | 10-tatami Japanese-style room on the second floor of a separate building, one group per day |
| Meals | Boar dishes, Satoyama ingredients, Asian cuisine, etc. Please check the contents |
| Reservation | Official accommodation page and booking form. Booking is confirmed by the inn’s reply |
Location and Google Maps
Sanno Chigura (ねこのひたいの宿 山王ちぐら)
〒715-0023 岡山県井原市大江町38
Summary
Sanno Chigura is not a themed inn featuring only cats, but a farm guesthouse where you can experience food and life in a home in a rural village with cats. The conditions for contact with cats are unconfirmed, so do not assume close interaction is available; consider the inn as a place to enjoy its food and way of life as a whole.
Related articles
Don’t just decide on this inn, it will be easier to choose by comparing the distance to the cat and transportation conditions with other inns in the same region. Before making a reservation, please check with the inn about the conditions that can change, such as the presence of cats and where you can meet them.
