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 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!
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
Options
Start from Nozawa Grand Hotel
Starting point:
Nozawa Grand Hotel, 8888 Toyosato, Nozawaonsen, Shimotakai District, Nagano 389-2502, Japan
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
Reviews
32 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Great well rounded experience with animals, culture, and food!
Evan S,,Jan 29, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Great experience with a very accommodating driver and incredibly informed and energetic guid, Dylan! We had a great time seeing the monkeys, eating delicious food (who knew tour food could be so good?), and exploring a little of Nagano. Exploring was even more enjoyable with Dylan giving context for what we were seeing, and followed by free time to browse the shops and move at our own pace. 10/10 recommend!
Good alternative to snow sports at Nozawa Onsen
Amy W,,Jan 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00There really isn't much to do during the day at Nozawa Onsen if you are not snowboarding or skiing. This full day trip is a good way to spend the day. First stop is the snow monkey park. It's quite a long track through forested trails towards where the monkeys are, which was nice. Some parts of the tracks can be steep and slippery (yes I fell), so do wear ice cleats or shoe spikes if you have them. The monkeys were unexpectedly cute. This was followed by a hotpot lunch. Then the 2nd stop, the temple, followed by sake tasting at a nearby brewery. Our guide, Gurde, did a great job explaining the history of Nagano vis-a-vis the temple history, and also the sakes at the brewery. Personally the brewery visit and sake tasting was the highlight of the trip for me, haha. Overall, a good excursion well worth the money.
Fun day trip
JuliusSpencer,,Jan 20, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00A nice set of experiences with a friendly guide. A good option for a rest day after a couple of days of skiing. Bring shoe crampons if you have some or buy some there, well worth it in winter.
Fabulous family day out with awesome guide
Amanda S,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00My family of 2 adults, 2 kids (12 and 9) had the absolute best time with Dillon our really friendly, extremely knowledgeable, and very passionate about Japan tour guide. We left from Nozawa Onsen and magically scored a tour all to ourselves, no other guests. So lucky. The monkeys were gorgeous, have to come back when there is more snow as it’s been unseasonably warm so not as much snow as I’d hoped, but still awesome. Got to see so many baby monkeys, and were there when they were fed so lots of monkeys appeared out of nowhere. The hot pot lunch with sushi and tempura was the best meal we’ve had in Japan. I’d do this tour again just for the lunch. The temple was so beautiful, could easily have spent a day here. Wish we had at least another hour. Hubby loved finishing the tour with sake tasting. Such a great day. Would 100% seek out this company to tour with again
A perfect tour.
nathanielo947,,Jan 15, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Just a perfect tour. Friendly and knowledgable guide who spoke perfect english. Efficient driver who got us around safely and comforably. Plenty of snow monkeys to enjoy, and the temple in Nagano was a truly enlightening experience. Topped off with an informative and enjoyable sake tasting. I highly recommend this tour to anybody staying in Nozawa Onsen, it's a great way to spend the day experiencing a lot of local culture. I saw more of Nagano than I thought I would, and that was a good thing, because Nagano is just gorgeous. I will remember this tour for the rest of my life.
Monkey magic
Q2166AYchrisd,,Jan 13, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were fortunate to see the entire troupe of monkeys bathing, feeding and fighting. Their willingness to get so close to us made it a truly unique experience. Graeme was a fantastic guide, sharing his insights into Japanese culture. His stories and knowledge about the shrine, monkeys, food and sake made it a memorable day.
Highly recommended
Teresa C,,Jan 5, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00It’s been a wonderful trip, schedule and bus ride was arranged perfectly. Tour guide was being caring and gave very thorough intro of each sites.
Excellent Tour
Rachel F,,Jan 1, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Our guide, Jens, was phenomenal! Extremely knowledgeable and SO friendly. Excellent tour that I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Snow Monkeys
Justin G,,Dec 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00A really enjoyable, fun family experience with a great guide. The walk is icy but beautiful, and the monkeys are special, particularly for the kids. The afternoon was relaxed and fascinating.
Dreamtour to the Snow Monkeys and Zenko-Ji
Weh P,,Dec 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour was awesome. The driver and the guide, Jens, have been highly motivated, to deliver an exceptional experience. And thy did. Very knowledgeable. Saw the apes, had a very delicious lunch at an exclusive restsurant and learned a lot at Zenko-Ji. And now we know, how Sake is brewed. Thanks a lot guys. Totally Excited. Very strong recommendation.
Related Experiences
Operated by Snow Monkey Resorts Tours (Machinovate Japan Ltd.)