Snow Monkey & Shibu Onsen Afternoon Tour (Depart: Iiyama & Nozwa)
Overview
Available languages
4 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Experience the famous Snow Monkeys and historic Shibu Onsen on this scenic afternoon tour! Enjoy exclusive priority entry, while others wait in long ticket lines, our guests receive pre-secured tickets for immediate access.
The journey features a guided drive through beautiful orchards. Reaching the park requires a 30-minute walk (2km) on snowy paths; you will have 50 minutes to enjoy the monkeys. Please note that the monkeys may not always appear in the park, especially in October and November.
Next, visit Tamamura Honten sake brewery (closed Sun/Holidays) in Shibu Onsen and then explore the 1,350-year-old town with our guide-you might even spot local monkeys in the streets! We recommend booking any day except Sunday and Wednesday when many shops close.
Returns to Iiyama (17:10) and Nozawa (17:30) are not guaranteed. Delays of 30+ minutes often occur due to weather or traffic. Please allow a generous time buffer for train or dinner reservations.
Book now to secure your spot!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
It is not allowed to bring Luggage (No luggage space in a vehcile). Please use coin lockers or storage service at the tourist information center in Iiyama Station..
No eating inside the vehicle
In the event of damages (vomiting etc.) which require the vehicle to be out of service for a duration and are caused by your party, a fee of up to ¥30,000 may be incurred.
Pickup time at Iiyama Station may be delayed if the participants are not coming on time at the first pickup point, Nozawa Onsen.
Rain gears are needed to be arranged by paricipants.
Return time at Iiyama Station will be 17:10~17:30 (Purchasing a train ticket before 17:30 is not recommended, the return time is subject to change depending on delays/weather conditions)
Return time at Nozawa Onsen will be 17:30~18:00 (subject to change depending on delays/condition of day)
Most shops in Shibu Onsen are closed on Wednesdays
Tamamura Honten (the brewery) is closed on Sundays
Please be aware that a medium level of fitness is required for about 2 km walk (one-way) to/from the park and anther 2 km walking tour in Shibu Onsen
The type of vehicle for the tour depends on the number of participants and can not be confirmed until the tour date.
The monkeys in the park are wild animals, and their appearance in the park is not guaranteed. In particular, the probability of seeing them drops significantly during October and November
Please be ready at the boarding point at least 5 minutes before departure. The bus will depart strictly on time. Please note that no refunds will be provided for any reason if you miss the departure.
Not recommended for travelers with difficulty walking for 2km (30 mins) to/from the Monkey Park (Total 4 km / 1 hr)
Not recommended for families with infants or small children during winter, due to the added difficulty of the walk up to the monkey park. We also are unable to take strollers onto the bus. For customers who have small children, we recommend the Private Tour.
Cancellation Policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
What To Expect
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
The journey to the park involves a scenic 2km walk along an unpaved forest trail, surrounded by majestic cedar trees, offering a true immersion into Japan’s pristine nature. The park itself is relatively compact; one hour is usually more than enough to see everything. However, please remember these are wild animals. You may encounter monkeys on the trail before even reaching the park entrance. We strongly recommend heading straight into the park first to see the main hot spring area. If you spend too much time with monkeys outside the gates, your time inside may be cut short. For a unique experience, look across the river from the park to the historic inn. In winter, you can often see monkeys and overnight guests sharing the outdoor bath! This facility also offers day-trip bathing for ¥1,500. If your timing is perfect, you might even find yourself soaking in the hot spring alongside a curious snow monkey. Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
Sake Storehouse Art Museum - Gallery Tamamura Honten
[CLOSED on Sunday and New Year Holidays] Sake & Beer brewery. The ground floor is a shop area, 2nd floor is a traditional art gallery. During winter, you may freely visit it instead of the guided walk in Shibu Onsen.
What‘s Included
WiFi on board
Air-conditioned vehicle
Guided walks in Shibu Onsen
Monkey Park Entry Tickets
Stop over at the spring water spot (Green season only)
Luggage Space
Lunch
Umbrella / Rainwear
Options
Iiyama Station Pickup
Duration: 5 hours: Winter (Dec~Mar): Depart 13:20 / Return 17:10 (4 hours) Green Season (Apr~Nov): Depart 13:20 / Return 17:40 (4.5 hours)
Nozawa Onsen Pickup
Duration: 5 hours: Winter (Dec~Mar): Depart 13:00 / Return 17:30 (4.5 hours)
Green Season (Apr~Nov): Depart 13:00 / Return 18:00 (5 hours)
Starting point:
Nozawa Onsen (Chuo Terminal), Toyosato, Nozawaonsen, Shimotakai District, Nagano 389-2502, Japan
Reviews
54 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
I really enjoy the tour,...
Valerie F,,Jan 24, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00I really enjoy the tour, going to see the snow monkeys but also a little japanese village was a great experience. The guide was very nice and knowlegeable. If you have little time, I definitely recommend it. I have already recommend to my colleagues, as when we are in Tokyo, we spend only 2 nights.
Great tour
Jacqui S,,Jan 18, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Interesting sites, easy access with viator. Fantastic guide! History. Beautiful scenery. Loved the hike and monkeys.
Great Tour ! Highly recommend.
Kerry D,,Jan 5, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00The guide was very knowledgeable and super friendly. The snow monkeys were great to see and particularly the ones chilling in the Onsen! The tour through Shibu Pnsen area was also great. Highly rate this tour. Thank you to our guide and the bus driver.
Nice family outing
Ildiko F,,Dec 25, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Very kind guide. Nice program. Loved both the tour to the monkeys and the site seeing. Small group, everyone could ask questions.
Will remember this forever
Mikayla M,,Dec 14, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Definitely worth it! One of my favourite days durning my Japan vacation so far! Our tour guide was amazing :)
This was a great...
Susan P,,Dec 9, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00This was a great experience. Tommy our guide was friendly and informative. He made sure all participants were catered for. The trek to the park is pretty through the woods and the reward of the monkeys at the end is worth it. The visits to the brewery and Shibu Onsen were nice add ons. Recommend.
Won’t see monkeys in Oct/Nov
189ariadnet,,Nov 17, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
1.00DON’T BOOK IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER! It would be a great tour, it’s a gorgeous area and walk, but in these months you’re almost guaranteed not to see monkeys, as they go up into the forest during this time. We didn’t see a one, and you can see how many days of the month they were there from this calendar. Wouldn’t recommend booking. We came such a long way for just this experience, to have our hopes dashed…. They should really let you know how unlikely it is you’ll see monkeys during this time.
Snow Monkey
Cindy L,,Nov 16, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Long walk, a good thing that we had weared the walking shoes. The apple pie was very good. The tour guy, Tome was very nice, friendly and respectful.
Rainy Day Monkeys
Danielle S,,Nov 10, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Despite some rain, my husband and I had a fantastic afternoon tour with Tommy. We were the only two participants which made it even better. We started off at the Monkey Park and were able to see a few monkeys right away, which was awesome. We stopped at the cafe for some apple pie and ice cream on the way down, highly recommend. Our stop at Tamamura Honten was a nice bonus. Tried some great beer and sake. And the walk through Shibu Onsen was perfect. It’s definitely worth a visit. Tommy was our guide and he was great. He was waiting for us at the train station ready to go. Super knowledgeable and gave us great tips and great info throughout the day. Highly recommend booking this tour. Despite the weather we had a fantastic time.
Awesome adventure with the Snow Monkeys
Rhonda F,,Nov 6, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00What a magical day we had visiting the snow monkeys. It exceeded my expectations. Our tour guide was awesome. We enjoyed an apple ice cream on the way down from the monkeys and then a delicious well deserved beer at a local brewery. The tour was well-rounded and I would highly suggest you check it out. Keep in mind that the monkeys don’t come down to the hot pools everyday until mid November when the weather gets colder. We were there November 6th.
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