1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

Winter is also the best time to see the monkeys in their hot spring.

Led by a locally-based guide, visit the famous hot-spring bathing monkeys of Nagano.

The only troop of monkeys in the world known to bathe in hot springs - a naturally-learned behaviour.

This tour combines a visit to the monkeys with a guided tour of Zenko-ji - one of Japan's oldest and most important Buddhist temples.

Lunch varies between seasons - in winter, your choice of beef, chicken or vegetarian hot-pot along with appetisers and a dessert.

Nagano is synonymous with Japan's national beverage 'sake' (rice wine). Enjoy a guided 'sake'-tasting experience, especially warming in the midst of winter.

Guests in winter will enjoy the scenic walk along the forest trail to the park.

Highly intelligent and adaptable, the monkeys have learned to live and thrive in the cold of winter.

Always popular, the monkeys attract visitors from all over the world.

They are just as reliable outside of winter and in spring, we welcome the year's babies!

An adorable time of year to visit, the baby monkeys appear from late-April onward.

Summer is hot and memories of the long, cold winter are now long gone.

Known as 'koyo' in Japanese, the autumn leaves are an attraction in themselves.

With an abundance of wild food in the mountains, autumn is a happy time for Nagano's famous monkeys.

But before getting to the monkeys, we first head to the temple followed by lunch nearby.

At the temple, your guide will walk you through the near-1400 year history of Zenko-ji before allowing you free-time to explore for yourself.

From spring to autumn, the tour lunch is your choice of grilled chicken and vegetables or grilled vegetables-only, with appetisers and a dessert.

Duration8h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Group sizeUp to 45 travelers

Overview

Take in some of the highlights of Nagano with this engaging tour starting with a visit to Zenkoji Temple – one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in Japan - followed by sake tasting and lunch at a nearby restaurant. It's then time to head to the Snow Monkey Park and its world-famous hot spring-bathing monkeys! All led by a locally-based English-speaking guide, this tour is a great way to see the best that Nagano has to offer and get up close and personal with its most famous furry residents!

Options

Start from Tsugaike bus stop

Join from Tsugaike Kogen: Join from the Tsugaikekogen Heights bus stop. Departing at 7:20 AM, our staff will be holding a Snow Monkey Resorts sign
Starting point:
Tsugaike Kogen, Chikuniko, Otari, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9422, Japan

Start from Hakuba Tokyu Hotel

Hakuba Tokyu Hotel: Join this tour from Hakuba Tokyu Hotel. Departing at 7:45 AM, our staff will be holding a Snow Monkey Resorts sign
Starting point:
Hakuba Tokyu Hotel, 4688 Hokujō, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9301, Japan

Start from La Vigne, Echoland

Join this tour from the bus lot next to La Vigne. Departing at 8:10 AM, our staff will be holding a Snow Monkey Resorts sign
Starting point:
HOTEL LA VIGNE HAKUBA by Onko Chishin, 1116 3020 Hokujō, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9301, Japan

Start From Nagano Station

Meetup location: Nagano Station at the Information Board, directly across from the shinkansen (bullet train) ticket gates at 09:00
Starting point:
Nagano Station, Kurita, Nagano, 380-0921, Japan

Start from Nagano Station

Meeting Point Nagano Station: Nagano Station at the Information Board, directly across from the shinkansen (bullet train) ticket gates at 09:35
Starting point:
Nagano Station, Kurita, Nagano, 380-0921, Japan

Start from Happo Bus Terminal

Happo Bus Terminal Hakuba: Join this tour from Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal. Departing at 7:55 AM, our staff will be holding a Snow Monkey Resorts sign
Starting point:
Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal / Happo Information Center, Japan, 399-9301 Nagano, Kitaazumi District, Hakuba, Hokujō, 大字北城八方5734-1

What's included

Hakuba shuttle service (winter only)
Lunch (vegetarian and vegan options available, please try to let us know in advance)
Snow Monkey Park entry fee
English-speaking guide
Transportation to and between all activities/attractions
Sake tasting

Shinkansen/bullet train tickets
Entry to paid attractions at Zenko-ji
Additional food, snacks and drinks

What to expect

Zenko-ji Temple
1h 30m

As one of the oldest, largest, and most important Buddhist temples in Japan, Zenko-ji is the spiritual heart of Nagano.
The temple's near-1400 year history is full of legend and myth which your guide will help you unlock as they guide you around the temple precinct followed by free time (time-permitting).
Nishimon Yoshinoya
30m

Home to a huge number of breweries, Nagano is synonymous with sake and no visit to the region is complete without delving into Japan’s most famous beverage. Your guide will treat you to sake tasting and introduce you to the fascinating world of this classic Japanese beverage.
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
3h · Admission ticket included

After a filling lunch at a local restaurant, be ready to be WOWed by the monkeys!

Established in 1964, Nagano's world-famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park is home to the only troop of monkeys in the world known to bathe in hot springs. With no barriers between you and the monkeys (don't worry, they are very calm) this is a unique opportunity to observe these curious creatures in close proximity as they walk around you, wrestle with each other, endlessly groom, and of course, soak in their favorite hot spring! Your guide will introduce you to everything that makes them so unique and famous while giving you plenty of time to explore for yourself.

Please note that estimated time at the monkey park includes walking in and out along the forest trail - 1.6km each way / 25 minutes each way in summer, slightly longer in winter. We endeavor to give our guests 1 hour in the park to observe the monkeys.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

Please wait at the bus lot directly next to La Vigne Hakuba, not at the hotel entrance. Make sure you arrive before 08:10 and look for the guide carrying a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour sign or badge. The tour cannot wait and will need to depart on-time, so please be punctual.

Meeting point

Please wait at the Tsugaikekogen Heights Bus Stop. This is a group tour with multiple pickup points to follow. Make sure you arrive before 07:20 and look for the guide carrying a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour sign or badge. The tour cannot wait and will need to depart on-time, so please be punctual.

Meeting point

(WINTER ONLY) Your guide will meet you inside the terminal at 07:55 and will be wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag. Please note, other tour operators use the terminal so make sure you ask that the guide confirms your booking. Please be at the entrance early so that the tour can depart on-time.

Meeting point

(WINTER ONLY) Your guide will meet you at the hotel entrance at 07:40 and will be wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag. This is group tour, not a private tour and your guide will not have time to search for you / call your room. Please be at the entrance early so that the tour can depart on-time.

Meeting point

Your guide will be waiting in front of the Information Board, across from the Bullet Train ticket gates at 09:35. Your guide will be wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tag.

NOTE: If you have booked the 09:00 pick up option, your guide will be waiting for you at the above mentioned location from 09:00

End point

Please wait at the bus lot directly next to La Vigne Hakuba, not at the hotel entrance. Make sure you arrive before 08:10 and look for the guide carrying a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour sign or badge. The tour cannot wait and will need to depart on-time, so please be punctual.

End point

Please wait at the Tsugaikekogen Heights Bus Stop. This is a group tour with multiple pickup points to follow. Make sure you arrive before 07:20 and look for the guide carrying a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour sign or badge. The tour cannot wait and will need to depart on-time, so please be punctual.

End point

(WINTER ONLY) Your guide will meet you inside the terminal at 07:55 and will be wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag. Please note, other tour operators use the terminal so make sure you ask that the guide confirms your booking. Please be at the entrance early so that the tour can depart on-time.

End point

(WINTER ONLY) Your guide will meet you at the hotel entrance at 07:40 and will be wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag. This is group tour, not a private tour and your guide will not have time to search for you / call your room. Please be at the entrance early so that the tour can depart on-time.

End point

Your guide will be waiting in front of the Information Board, across from the Bullet Train ticket gates at 09:35. Your guide will be wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tag.

NOTE: If you have booked the 09:00 pick up option, your guide will be waiting for you at the above mentioned location from 09:00

Additional information

Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
This tour includes a reasonable amount of walking including to and from the monkey park along a 1.6km (1 mile), unsealed forest trail. Please sure your footwear is appropriate and you are dressed accordingly for the season. The trail includes 2 different staircases, and therefore is not wheelchair accessible.
Guests are required to follow the Snow Monkey Park rules at all times. Guests are not permitted to touch, hold, feed or bathe with the monkeys at any time. There are no barriers separating the monkeys from visitors to the park. Please ensure you keep a minimum distance of 1 to 2 meters between yourself and the monkeys. Your guide will explain the rules prior to entering the park.
This tour uses different forms of transport. Tours can be conducted by microbus or a large bus depending on the season and size of the group.
From mid-December until early-April the trail and park are likely to be affected by snow and ice. Please ensure that you are wearing suitable shoes/boots and warm clothing. If required, rental boots are available close to the monkey park and crampons (metal spikes that attach underneath your shoes/boots) can also be purchased. From mid-December until early-March please wear suitable clothing for temperatures potentially below 0°C (and as low as -10°C).
During the winter it is common to see the monkeys enjoying the hot spring however from spring up to autumn there will be times where the monkeys play or eat in the water, however please note that the monkeys are wild animals and there is no guarantee that there will be monkeys in the bath.
There are a few days in the year that the monkeys might not come down to the park, arrive late or leave early. While this is unlikely, it is possible and is outside of our control.
*Winter only* Guests in Hakuba can join this tour using our shuttle service from / to Hakuba Tokyu Hotel in Wadano and Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal. This service is only available from mid December until end of March and may not be available every day between those dates. We apologize that bookings from / to Hakuba cannot be accepted outside of these dates. When using this shuttle service please note that your guide will join and depart the tour at Nagano Station.
*Winter only* This tour is scheduled to conclude at Nagano Station by 17:30 (and by 19:00 for guests joining from Hakuba in winter). However, due to weather and road conditions in winter we cannot guarantee the end time. For guests booking shinkansen tickets to travel to Tokyo after the tour in winter, we ask that you do not book any service earlier than the 17:56 Kagayaki (reservation only) or our recommendation of the 18:23 Hakutaka. For guests booking onward tickets to other destinations we also recommend doing so for times of 18:00 or later.
This tour includes lunch at one of Nagano's outstanding restaurants. Please note that the restaurant may change their menu from time-to-time. Please let us know of any food allergies in advance so we can arrange accordingly.
This tour includes ‘sake’ tasting. You must be a minimum of 20 years of age to consume alcohol in Japan.
Infants (0-5) are free of charge. An infant lunch is not included and the order will be made directly to the restaurant according to your needs.
Train schedule from Tokyo station to Nagano station| Tokyo: 07:20 –> Nagano: 08:43 by Kagayaki (reservation required*)| Tokyo: 07:24 –> Nagano: 09:14 by Asama| Tokyo: 07:52 –> Nagano: 09:30 by Hakutaka
Train schedule from Nagano station to Tokyo station| Nagano: 17:55 –> Tokyo: 19:20 by Kagayaki (reservation required*)| Nagano: 18:22 –> Tokyo: 20:00 by Hakutaka
Please note, there may be possible changes in the itinerary/included experiences due to local events, weather, restaurant availability, or other unforeseeable factors.
Please note that it is the responsibility of each guest to secure their own way back to their specific hotel after being dropped off at one of the four possible drop off points in Hakuba during the winter period, as our large bus cannot drop off at individual accommodations.

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

4.9 (1,159)