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

5.0 | 112 reviews

8 hours Mobile ticket Free Cancellation

Tickets from € 229.48

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December 2024

You can select up to 15 travellers in total

Adult (13 - 90)

Minimum: 1, Maximun: 15

Child (6 - 12)

Maximun: 15

Infant (0 - 5)

Maximun: 15

Take in some of the highlights of Nagano with this engaging tour starting with a visit to Zenko-ji 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!

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

Departure Point

Kurita, Nagano, 380-0921, Japan Your guide will be waiting in front of the large Information Board, directly across from the Shinkansen / Bullet Train ticket gates at 09:35. Your guide will be wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag. Please ensure you are at the meetup point early so that departure is not delayed.

Departure Point

4688 Hokujō, Hakuba, Kitaazumi District, Nagano 399-9301, Japan (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.

Departure Point

Japan, 〒399-9301 Nagano, Kitaazumi District, Hakuba, Hokujō, 大字北城八方5734-1 (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.

Return Details

Zenko-ji Temple, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
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).
120 minutes
Nishimon Yoshinoya, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
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.
30 minutes
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Yamanouchi-machi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan
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.
150 minutes

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 2023/12/15 until 2024/03/31 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 18:45 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 nearby at Nishinomon Yoshinoya. 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

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

W6270GWkarenm

17 Jul 2023

This is a must do tour!! We had an amazing day!! The highlight of this tour is seeing the monkeys! However, the trip to the temple and visit to sake tasting made it even better!! We even had time to stop in different shops in town. The guide led us to a few great shops! We saw hundreds of monkeys! There were quite a few babies so that made it even more fun!! I would suggest going when there are babies! Its a hike to the monkey area so wear good shoes! It is well maintained and easily traversed. Our guide was excellent sharing information and history about the region. Our guide was excellent sharing information and history about the region.

soccercoach18

17 Jul 2023

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to enjoy many great spots in a great town. Our guide was Kei and she was an INCREDIBLE guise that spoke great English and could translate anything needed. You meet on top floor of train station in front of coffee shop(not clear from booking). Our first stop was the Zenko Ji temple and it was a beautiful stop. Lots of history and while there... a must do experience.... find the ???? under the temple. You pay a small extra fee and walk under in pitch black to "feel" the key. Second stop was sake tasting... it was a tremendous education about the national drink and sampling 10 different types. Try them all and then take some with you! We then had a nice lunch at Monzen Terrace Enya. Good menu with lots of choices, great service, and a much needed break. And finally... an hour drive to the mountains to see the monkeys. Once you get there, it is a 30-minute walk thru the woods to the park. The walk is not bad, mostly flat and well maintained. Once you get there, it is surreal. We got to see babies playing, moms watching, everyone else chilling... they are all from same troop so they love the hot spring pools and the creek. You can only see babies in the summer. Words cannot describe the awe of this experience. You cannot feed them or touch them, but they walk among you on the paths. The whole experience was awesome! Kei went above and beyond to make it great and made our day special. We would not have enjoyed Nagano as much without her! Ask for her by name... she is the best!

DayTrip219678

15 Jul 2023

The best day of our Japan trip! First we saw the famous Zenko-ji temple and went to a sake tasting. Nice! Then we had a delicious lunch at a restaurant downtown Nagano, after which we headed to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park! We saw soooo many cute monkeys swimming and lazying around. There were also a lot of baby monkeys. I can warmly recommend this day trip! And thanks to our amazing guide, Lin!

This tour in Japan is organized by Machinovate Japan Ltd.

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

Select your date

You can select up to 15 travellers in total

Adult (13 - 90)

Child (6 - 12)

Infant (0 - 5)

What's Included

Departure & Return

What To Expect

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Cancellation Policy

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