Visiting Suns’ Komoro Shelter: A Dog Rescue and Hotel in Komoro, Nagano
Suns’ Komoro Shelter is a small dog rescue and dog hotel tucked down a quiet forest road on the outskirts of Komoro, about 25 minutes by car from Karuizawa. It's been run by a husband and wife team for around eighteen months; the shelter came first and the hotel followed. They take their time with every dog, so that each one can go on to meet its next family feeling safe and settled.
We visited because this kind of place is close to our hearts. Umi, our own dog, came to us as a rescue dog too. Since moving to Karuizawa, we’d learned that there are people here supporting dogs in the same way, and we wanted to see their work for ourselves.
The shelter
Seven dogs are currently in residence, though the number is always changing, as some are staying with foster families while they wait to meet a new family.
Most are taken in under the jurisdiction of the Saku Health Center, but when there is room at the shelter, they also help with requests from other prefectures. It’s also not unusual for the shelter to take in dogs whose owners can no longer keep them, often because the owners are getting older.
During our visit we met Riku, a Shiba-type boy who had been living almost wild in the mountains of Tochigi Prefecture before he was rescued. He kept a little distance at first, but after a while he quietly watched us. Still a little wary but calm, he was settling into his new surroundings at his own pace.
The facility
The standout is the outdoor dog run: large, gently hilly and surrounded by forest, so the dogs can run around at their own pace. The team told us that being able to get out and move here every day is an important part of keeping the shelter dogs well in body and mind.
The indoor area is shared by the shelter dogs and the hotel guests. During the day the dogs stay where the staff can keep an eye on them, with care taken over each dog’s personality and who they get along with.
If you’re considering adopting
Finding a new family isn’t something to rush. The process starts with a conversation about your lifestyle and home, followed by a visit to the shelter to meet the dog, then a trial period of one to two weeks to make sure you and the dog can live together comfortably before the adoption is confirmed.
The dog hotel
Dogs staying as hotel guests share the same building and the same dog run as the shelter dogs. It isn’t a separate boarding facility: guests spend the day in a calm, forest setting, with attention paid to how each dog is doing and who they get along with.
If you’re based in or visiting Karuizawa and need overnight or day care for your dog, it’s one to consider if you’d like them to have room to relax and play in nature.
Suns’ Komoro Shelter is not a big place, but it’s one doing quiet, careful work, giving every dog the attention it needs on the way to a new family.
It’s worth a visit if you’re considering adoption, looking for a dog hotel, or simply interested in this kind of work. You’ll find a calm, gentle atmosphere that’s all its own.
If you’d like to learn more or make a donation, visit their website here.
