Japanese Snow Monkey Tour with 1 Night in Nagano (One-way)
Experience Nagano Prefecture's unique Jigokudani Monkey Park, where you can watch Japanese snow monkeys bathe in a warm hot spring bath surrounded by snow. After you are done, check out an old sake brewery, and then relax and re-heat your feet in an ashiyu, a hot spring for your feet. On this tour with accomodation, you can spend the night in a hotel in front of Nagano Station, allowing you to explore the area freely on the 2nd day.
Please note that this version of the Snow Monkey Tour includes one night's accommodations in Nagano and does not include a return trip to Tokyo. For this tour without an overnight stay in Nagano and with return transportation to Tokyo, please click here. For this tour without an overnight stay in Nagano or return transportation to Tokyo, please click here.
What exactly are snow monkeys?
The Macaca fuscata, or Japanese snow monkey, is the world’s most northernmost living non-human primate. Native to Japan, these monkeys are known for their intelligence, which can be displayed by their affinity to washing food as well as making snowballs. You can find these special creatures bathing in the onsen (hot springs) of Jigokudani Monkey Park, located in the mountains of Nagano.
Jigokudani Monkey Park
Jigokudani Monkey Park is extremely popular not only with the native Japanese, but also foreign tourists. As this park is inaccessible by car, this tour will take you to Kanbayashi parking area, where you will walk along a snow-covered road for about 30 minutes in order to reach Jigokudani Monkey Park. When you arrive, you can watch the monkeys descend from the steep cliffs of the parks and sit near the warm hot springs.
Sakagura, Sake Brewery Art Gallery
Sake brewing has flourished in Shiga-Kogen in great part due to the bountiful springs available in the area. During this tour, you can visit the 100-year-old Sakagura Sake Brewery, which has been renovated and reopened as art gallery. At this facility, you can watch how sake and beer are made while sampling Japanese sake and buying sake souvenirs.
Yudanaka-Shibu Onsen Street
Ryokan (Japanese-style hotels) and souvenir shops line the narrow streets of Yudanaka-Shibu Onsen. While experiencing the unique atmosphere of this traditional Japanese onsen town, relax your feet in an ashiyu, or a Japanese hot springs for your feet.
Itinerary
DAY 1
9:00 a.m. |
The tour departs from Hamamatsucho Bus Terminal for Nagano by bus (approx. 240 minutes).
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| Lunch |
After arriving in Nagano, enjoy a Japanese-style lunch. |
| Jigokudani Monkey Park |
Walk to the Jigokudani Monkey Park and check-out the snow monkeys as they escape the cold by lounging in hot springs (approx. 30 minutes).
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| Sakagura Art Gallery |
Visit an old sake brewery which has been converted into an art gallery (approx. 20 minutes). |
| Ashiyu |
Before heading back to Tokyo, relax and rejuvenate (and re-heat!) your feet in an ashiyu, or hot spring foot bath (approx. 15 minutes).
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| 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. |
Arrive at hotel. |
| DAY 2 |
Free time after checkout.
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Enjoy the rest of your trip! |
*Please note that the tour ends on checkout and that no guide service on Day 2.
*Return to Tokyo is NOT included with this version of the Snow Monkey Tour.
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Prices
| Departure |
Adult
(12years & older) |
Child
(6-11 years) |
Tokyo
20/12/2010 - 10/03/2011
Mon and Thu
(excluding 30/12/2010, 03, 27 and 31//01/2011) |
from £163 |
from £138 |
Extra charge for single occupancy: £8
**Remarks: For some tours, other tour fare will apply according to different age group for child. Please read price list or remarks of each tour for your clarification. |
Information:
- Meals : Lunch is included.
- Pick-up service: Please ask more info.
- Drop-off service: Not available.
- Guide: English-speaking guide service is included.
- Baggage: No baggage carriage service is included. Please carry your baggage on your own.
Remarks
- As this tour takes participants from Kanbayashi Parking Area to Jigokudani Monkey Park on a hike over a snow-covered road for roughly 30 minutes, you will need to bring warm clothes, gloves, and appropriate footwear (snow boots or slip-resistant shoes are recommended).
- Please bring a towel to dry your feet off with after the ashiyu (Japanese-style foot hot springs). A full-size bath towel is not necessary; a hand towel should be sufficient.
- Depending on road conditions, sightseeing times at the tour locations may be shortened and/or arrival time in Shinjuku may be delayed.
- If the arrival time back to Tokyo will be severely delayed due to snow or other conditions, the stop at the Sakagura Art Gallery may be skipped.
- Vegetarian and Western-style meals are available upon request. Please inform us when you book this tour.
- eturn to Tokyo is not included in this plan. If you are returning to Tokyo after this tour, you will need to arrange your own transportation. Nagano to Tokyo by Shinkansen: approx. JPY 8,200 per person, 2 hours. Nagano to Tokyo (Shinjuku Station) by highway bus: approx. JPY 4,000 per person, 4 hours.
- Depending on the number of participants, there may be cases when a shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Nagano is used instead of a bus.
How to Book
Please fill in and send the dedicated tour application form by clicking on the image below. Once we have received your details, we will get back to you as soon as possible with information regarding your tour!
