1-Day Winter Tour From Nozawa Onsen: Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake
Overview
Available languages
Mobile ticket
Take in some of the highlights of Nagano with this engaging tour starting with a morning visit to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park and its world-famous hot spring-bathing monkeys, followed by a warming winter lunch and afternoon exploration of Zenko-ji - one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in Japan. Led by a locally-based English-speaking guide and including a sake tasting experience to bring the tour to an indulgent conclusion this tour is a great way to enjoy the best of Nagano in winter!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Specialized infant seats are available
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
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 approriate and you are dressed accordingly for the season.
This tour is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for mobility-impaired travels. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
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.
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 outside of our control.
This tour includes lunch at 'Japanese Dining GOEN', a popular local restaurant. On rare occasions it may not be possible to use this restaurant in which case we would switch to another, comparable location. Please note that the restaurant may change their menu from time-to-time and the tour lunch may different to images shown on this page.
This tour is scheduled to conclude at Nozawa Onsen by 18:00. However, due to weather and road conditions in winter we cannot guarantee the end time.
All listed events, activities, and experiences are subject to availability. Please note that while certain tour options may appear bookable through our platforms, this does not guarantee that every experience can be carried out as scheduled in the tour itinerary. Many activities require direct confirmation with our partner venues, and availability may vary based on the date and other factors. Should any part of your ordered itinerary require adjustment or deviation from the original schedule, or if a specific experience is unavailable, we will contact you promptly to discuss suitable alternatives or amendments.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What‘s Included
Lunch
Guided 'sake'-tasting
Transport from / to Nozawa Onsen and all listed destinations
Guided tour at Zenko-ji Temple
Jigokudani Monkey Park entry ticket
Additional food, snacks & drinks
Optional entrance fee to the inner sanctuary of Zenko-ji Temple
Shinkansen / 'Bullet Train' tickets
Accommodation
What To Expect
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
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 the walk about you, wrestle with each other, endlessly groom, and of course, soak in their favourite 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 / 35-minutes each way in winter. We endeavour to give our guests 1 hour in the park to observe the monkeys however this depends on your pace in and out of the park. Please also note that during winter the trail and park will be affected by snow and ice so please ensure you wear good quality shoes or boots.
The tour includes a warming winter lunch at 'Japanese Dining GOEN'. Located around 5 minutes drive from the monkey park, GOEN serves a tasty selection of Japanese and Western favourites with your choice of different rice bowls such as 'oyakadon' (chicken and egg), 'kaisen' (seafood) or 'tempura' (lightly battered and fried vegetables) with a side serve of hot 'soba' (buckwheat noodles) and more!
Options
Start from Chuo Bus Terminal
Starting point:
Chuo Terminal, 県道 38 号線, 豊郷 野沢温泉村 下高井郡 長野県 389-2502, Japan
Start from Nozawa Grand Hotel
Starting point:
Nozawa Grand Hotel, 8888 Toyosato, Nozawaonsen, Shimotakai District, Nagano 389-2502, Japan
Reviews
21 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great guide and amazing apple pies
P6453IAnicolag,
Mar 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had such a wonderful time at the snow monkeys. It was snowing when we were there and everything looked so pretty. The lunch was one of the best we had all trip and in a beautiful hotel. Our guide was super friendly and knowledgeable about all things. Local to the area and spoke great English. We had a small group and he was kind enough to shuffle the times around for just the two of us so we could get to Nagano station in time for our train. The apples pies he showed us in Nagano were the best I’ve ever eaten!
Best Tour with all the Best Things to do and see in Nagano!
J5813DGcourtneyg,
Mar 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00The absolute best tour have ever been on, was just incredible! Ryusei (Yama) our tour guide was 5 stars and so engaging, insightful and accommodating!!
We had an exeptional tour with Jens!
466daenac,
Mar 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful day with Jens and Umematsu. Both were professional and full of great information to share. In addition, they were extremely patient and flexible, and accommodated us in every way. Our time with them exceeded our expectations, and we could not have been happier with our tour. Thank you, Jens and Umematsu, and we hope to see you again on our next visit to Japan!
Cute monkeys, elegant lunch
vebicae,
Mar 21, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Monkeys were very cute, scampering around. Lunch was amazing, very elegant restaurant, and I enjoyed walking around the Temple areas.
Best 1 day tour by Snow Monkey
Chomeh Alex,
Mar 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had an amazing experience with tour guide Ryusei (Yama), who was knowledgeable, friendly, and attentive. He shared fascinating insights, making the journey smooth and enriching. Watching the snow monkeys soak in the hot springs was unforgettable, and Yama ensured a comfortable trek. Zenko-ji Temple’s history came alive through his storytelling. Lunch featured delicious local specialties, and the sake tasting was a perfect way to end the tour. Well-organized and stress-free—highly recommend this tour for an enriching Nagano experience!
Great tour and great experience
PoWeiL4,
Mar 1, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It’s a great tour! It’s an amazing experience to see many snow monkeys in a close range. You can even found them playing besides you! The lunch was in a restaurant modified from an ancient house. The Japanese style lunch was delicious and the atmosphere was great too.Our guide Kieron is very kind and helpful. He and our driver Umematsu-san even provided some antiskid shoe covers crampons for the group for helping us better walked in the trail to the Snow Monkey Park. Kieron is also very knowledgeable to introduce various aspects about the snow monkeys, Zenko-ji, and sake. Strongly recommend the tour!
Amazing
LANCEKAREN,
Feb 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Guide was very friendly and knowledgable. x. Monkeys were amazing and so was the temple tours. Lunch was good - don't forget to say if you are vegetarian! Take walking boots if you have them as trek to monkeys is slippy and dress for very cold weather
Worth every Yen!
karakabaykid,
Feb 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This was a fantastic day tour by Lin our guide. She was an excellent communicator, delivered all the information to a high standard and gave clear instructions on meeting times during the tour. Lin also had academic knowledge of the history of the local shrines, traditions and Buddhism’s history in Japan, which topped off an amazing day. Lunch was excellent in a beautiful restaurant. This tour is worth every yen!
Great tour, 10/10
alliev562,
Feb 14, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Absolutely loved this day trip from Nozawa Onsen! Yama was a fantastic tour guide and was able to answer all our questions about the region. The snow monkey park was incredible. Recommend wearing good snow shoes as it gets icy at certain parts. The lunch was really great in an old Japanese style home that felt very authentic. The tour in nagano at the temple and sake tasting area was incredible. Recommend the oyaki and apple pie at Zenkoji. Finally, our driver Nishi was also incredible! 10/10 experience that I’d recommend to anyone traveling from nozawa onsen
A Tour Worth Doing
cactc51,
Feb 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A great tour with a very knowledgeable guide. The monkeys were on show and after the walk back it was suggested we try an apple pie from the coffee shop - they are delicious!! The hot pot lunch with all the Japanese side dishes was a wonderful treat. The temple tour was very informative, and the sake tasting was great - about 6 different ones!!! A wonderful day.
From ¥22,900
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Operated by Snow Monkey Resorts Tours (Machinovate Japan Ltd.)