Nagano Snow Monkey Tour: Thermal Baths & Sukiyaki Lunch
4.6
41 Ratings
Shinjuku City
Escape the bustling city of Tokyo and embark on a thrilling 1-day tour to Nagano Prefecture. Witness the famous snow monkeys bathing in thermal water and marvel at the illuminated kamakura snow huts. Don't miss out on this unforgettable adventure!
Duration: 13 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park - Witness the renowned snow monkeys as they soak in hot springs!
    (It requires a walk of over 30 minutes from the Parking Area to reach Jigokudani Yaen-koen)
What's Included
  • Lunch
  • English guide
Additional Information

Leave Tokyo for a day and head north to Nagano Prefecture!

Depart from Shinjuku area (LOVE OBJECT) at 08:00 (please gather within 07:45).

Enjoy Japanese style set for lunch!

After lunch, it will be time to see the famous monkeys of the Jigoku Valley, bathing in thermal water!

Finally, behold the magic created by the kamakura snow huts being lighted up! Kamakura no Sato is only for January 20th to February 26th

Arrive at Shinjuku around 20:00 (For January 20 to February 26, as the group will visit Kamakura no Sato, the tour will arrive at Shinjuku around 21:00)

  • This tour will be guided in English.
  • As it is stipulated by the law of Japan, please wear your seat belt on the tour bus.
  • After the scheduled departure time, we will depart at the discretion of our staff, so please strictly observe the meeting time.
  • Scheduled times and contents are subject to change depending on road conditions.
  • Please note that the monkeys of Jigoku Valley are wild animals and might not be present when we visit the Jikoku valley. Do not engage with the monkeys and do not stare them in the eye as they might become violent.
  • Please note that the monkeys do not spend the majority of their time in the water.
  • Please note that the lunch described above might have a different menu according to provisions.
  • Please note that the Kamakura no Sato Festival Kamakura no Sato is only for January 20th to February 26th. -There is snow and ice. Please prepare equipment such as snow boots and anti-slip.
  • If the minimum number of participants (15) is not met, by 4 days before the scheduled date, the tour on that date might be cancelled.
  • Depending on the number of participants, the coach size may vary (medium or small size)
  • Please note that it will takes more than 30 mins by walking from the Parking Area to Jigokudani Yaen-koen
  • Please come prepared with non-slip shoes
Location
“LOVE” (Robert Indiana)
Shinjuku LOVE Object please be there by 7:45am
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(41 Ratings)
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Karenmm6294yt
Mar 16, 2024
Monkey memory's - Worth going again , wonderful experience, would get shoe clamps at the shop before the climb as the path was very slippery ,wrar shoes that don't slip on ice path.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
969burtg
Mar 12, 2024
Delicious lunch. Cute monkeys. - Despite the long drive, it was worth it to see the really cute monkeys. They are definitely not shy, though only one was taking advantage of the hot springs. The sukiyaki lunch was one of the best of our stay in Japan. I would recommend renting the spikes if the path is icy. I got away with trail shoes, but other people were slipping and sliding.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jeffrey_r
Mar 10, 2024
Exciting and memorable experience with snow monkeys - When we got to the snow monkey park there were so many monkeys in the hot spring and running around it was quite amazing. Better than expected. The 1.7km walk through snowy woods was all very beautiful
Review provided by Viator
Neil_m
Feb 29, 2024
Snow Monkeys 🐒 - It was quite cold and a little slippery on the icy walking track. You could get a grip that strapped to your shoes for $10 hire. How the monkeys survive in such a harsh environment.
Review provided by Viator
D3580dqliams
Feb 22, 2024
Monkey 🐒 - Guide was awesome, lunch was amazing and monkeys were cute. Long day but well worth it. Even got a surprise trip to the snow dome park in Kamakura village!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelle_m
Feb 3, 2024
Once in a Lifetime Experience! - This was a brilliant tour! We travelled as a family (2 adults, 2 teens) in 2023. The bus pick-up was easy to find and the bus itself was comfortable and cosy for a December 24th long drive with a cold early-morning start. It took about 4 hours with a few rest stops along the way to reach the lunch destination around 11:30am, and the Beef Sukiyaki was absolutely delicious. One of the nicest meals we had in Japan! After lunch, we reached the starting point of the Snow Monkey Park walk at 1:00pm, and it's about a 45 minute walk through a gorgeous forested area. This was particularly lovely the day we went as it was so snowy. Take cleats and sensible shoes if you're going in Winter - lots of people were slipping on the ice so we were very grateful for ours, and they weren't at all expensive. The guide sets off first to organise the tickets and then you make your own way in your own time, just knowing to factor in around 1.5 hours for the round trip walk, and that you need to be back at the bus by 3:30pm. This gives you a good hour with the monkeys if you walk at a decent pace. A few sections of the walk can be steep and with (icy the day we were there) stairs, so make sure you're in good health. The Snow Monkeys themselves were just amazing - absolutely a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we were thrilled to see so many in the Onsen. The whole valley is spectacular - we hadn't expected it to be as large and beautiful as it was. We departed back to Tokyo right on time but weren't back in Shinjuku until closer to 8:00pm due to Sunday traffic. My only criticism of the whole day was there was an overabundance of rest stops, at least 2 more than necessary, and had we not done that we'd have been back a lot earlier. Our tour guide was lovely and gave us just the right amount of information without overloading us or speaking constantly and the bus drivers (two!) were safe, friendly, and considerate. We'd recommend this trip to anyone - so much easier to do it as a day trip from Tokyo than organising transport yourself and the lunch really was lovely (and a fun apple-themed gift shop included too!). Thank you Viator for such a great experience!
Review provided by Viator
Anthony_h
Jan 31, 2024
Great guide - Leaving aside the Snow Monkeys, our guide was a highlight of the tour. His name was Masa, he was always helpful and informative, and with a sense of humour. A long enjoyable day made better by Masa.
Review provided by Viator
266cherf
Jan 28, 2024
So very worth the drive for a really fun experience - An amazing day trip from Tokyo! Yes, the drive is long and so worth it to walk in the snow and see these wonderful animals. Truly the highlight to this visit. Our guide, Masa, was wonderful and let us relax on the drive with a well timed stop at the halfway mark of the drive in each direction. The drivers were so friendly, too. The Sukiyaki lunch was fresh and delicious. Everything was setup and ready for us upon arrival which helped us keep to the schedule. The snow monkey park was enchanting with fresh snowfall. Definitely check the weather and come prepared for cold and slippery footing. Crampons are available at the shop for those who show up in sneakers. The monkeys are fun to watch as they scramble around the hillsides and play in the hot water. They really don't care about the humans walking around. Since I visited in late January, we also got to visit Kamakura snow huts. Hard to believe you'd want to enjoy dinner in a snow hut, but they are cool, especially as night fell and the lights were brought in.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susansk7935dq
Jan 20, 2024
Snow Monkey Tour was awesome! - One of the highlights of our Japan trip! Travel to the Snow monkey park takes around 4hrs and then it’s a 30min walk before you actually see any monkeys. The walk can be icy so ensure you wear appropriate shoes. The sukiyaki lunch was delicious and filling. Our tour guide Keiji was engaging and played a Japanese trivia quiz with us while on the bus to pass some time. Once at the park, you are free to roam, observe and take pics while the monkeys are not at all intrigued by the humans. A very well organised tour - highly recommended!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Eliezer_a
Mar 9, 2024
Not a monkey business. Good experience - Headed early in the morning to catch the monkeys on time. A good amount of hike going to the onsen for snow monkeys. Worth the long drive back and forth.
Review provided by Viator