nagano private tour

THE 10 BEST Nagano Private Tours

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1. Private Snow Monkeys Park Zenkoji Temple Full Day Trip with Guide

2. Full-Day Private Nagano Tour: Zenkoji Temple, Obuse, Jigokudani Monkey Park

3. Snow Monkey Park & Zenkoji Temple Nagano Pvt. Full Day Tour.

4. Nagano Full Day Tour Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park Zenkoji Temple

5. 1-Day Private Snow Monkey ZenkoJi Temple & SakeTasting NaganoTour

6. Snow Monkey, Zenko Ji Temple, Sake in Nagano Tour

7. Private Snow Monkey Tour - Conveniently Resort Hop and Sightsee

8. Matsumoto Private One Day Tour from Nagano

9. Nagano All Must-Sees Half Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide

10. Nagano All Must Sees 6 hour Private Tour with Licensed Guide

11. Nagano Private Two Day Tour

12. Snow monkeys from Tokyo: Full-Day Private trip with Local Guide

13. Nagano Like a Local: Customized Private Tour

14. [From Nagano] Private 1-day Kamikochi & Matsumoto Tour

15. 3-Day Private Tokyo and Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Tsukiji Market and Bullet Train

16. Mt.Fuji Full-Day Private Tour By Public Transportation

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What travelers are saying.

• Snow Monkey Park & Zenkoji Temple Nagano Pvt. Full Day Tour.
• Nagano Full Day Tour Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park Zenkoji Temple
• Full-Day Private Nagano Tour: Zenkoji Temple, Obuse, Jigokudani Monkey Park
• Nagano All Must Sees 6 hour Private Tour with Licensed Guide
• Snow monkeys from Tokyo: Full-Day Private trip with Local Guide
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Nagano Private Two Day Tour

Enjoy a 2-day, 1 night trip in Nagano city (in Nagano Prefecture) where you will spend one full day with an English-speaking guide taking you around the city—enjoying attractions such as snow monkeys, the famous Zenkoji Temple and later relaxing at a traditional onsen (hot springs) and enjoying a traditional Japanese multi-course (kaiseki) dinner at a traditional Japanese ryokan (hotel). On the second day after checking out of the hotel, spend the free day snowboarding/ skiing or spend more time exploring the city on your own (without tour guide), or book one of the add-on second-day tours with us.

• Nagano City is well-known for hosting the 1998 Winter Olympic Games and while some of the former Olympic facilities can still be viewed in Nagano, the city has since evolved as a temple town revolving around the famous Zenkoji Temple, and is most visited during the Spring Season (for cherry blossoms), Summer Season (for hiking and other outdoor activities), the Fall Season (for autumn foliage) and the Winter Season (for winter activities and for seeing the snow monkeys).
• On this tour, spend two days in Nagano exploring the city and enjoying what this quaint town has to offer. Your English-speaking tour guide will pick you up Nagano Train Station by 9:15 AM (on the first day only). You will either take public transportation (train and bus) or private chartered vehicle around town based on your booking.
• On the route to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, enjoy the beautiful scenery and landscape of the Chikuma River.
• Before arriving at the entrance of the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, enjoy a 30 – 40 minute leisurely stroll through the forest path. Once you enter the park, you can have some hot tea before spending time with the snow monkeys, many of which are bathing in the hot springs (onsen) to keep warm, especially during the cool months of autumn, winter and some parts of spring.
• After an exciting morning at the park, visit Obuse Town, which is most well-known for being the home town of Japan’s most famous artist and creator of the “Great Wave”, Hokusai Katsushika. Enjoy lunch in the area before walking around to explore the shops and try sake tasting.
• After visiting Obuse Town, head to Zenko-ji Temple (one of the most important and popular temples in Japan). Learn about the temple and how the locals pray for good fortune before heading to your traditional Japanese hotel (ryokan) for the night. Just before your scrumptious traditional Japanese multi-course (kaiseki) dinner at the hotel, bid farewell to your tour guide (as you will have a free day to explore without the tour guide on the second day).
• Relax in a traditional onsen (hot spring) in the area of your hotel just before heading to bed and getting a good night’s sleep. In the morning, enjoy a traditional Japanese breakfast before checking out of your hotel and spend your free day further exploring the city or snowboarding/ skiing (highly recommended) in one of the nearby resorts.
• For those who would like to explore neighboring areas such as Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Hakuba, or other neighboring areas, the option is available as an add-on when you receive our form after you make the booking. Please note that this add-on is not included in the tour price you paid. We will send an e-invoice to your email if you choose the add-on.
• Once you’ve booked the Private 2-day Nagano Tour: Zenkoji Temple, Obuse, Jigokudani Monkey Park tour, you’ll receive a form with a variety of itinerary options to suit your vehicle option and essential information to complete your booking. You will able to choose your interested Add-on itinerary for your 2nd day in the form. If you need help to arrange the Bullet Train ticket from Tokyo as well, you can address it in the form.

Seasonal Recommendations for This Tour:

Spring Cherry Blossom (Sakura) Viewing: Mid-April to Early-May

Summer Outdoor Activities: Late-May to Late-September

Autumn Foliage (Koyo) Viewing: Early-October to Late-November

Winter Festivities: Early-December to Late-March

• Transportation within Nagano City on the first day (either public transportation or private chartered vehicle for your group only) Note for “Private Vehicle” option only: The tour guide and driver will pick up guests from hotels located within a 10km radius of Nagano Station.
• A private tour with English-speaking local tour guide
• Overnight accommodation at traditional Japanese hotel (ryokan) – 3 Star or 4/5 Star Hotel options available
• Kaiseki dinner (traditional Japanese multi-course meal) at ryokan on the first day
• Traditional Japanese breakfast at ryokan on the second day
• Onsen (hot springs) experience at ryokan. Please note that the onsen is in the hotel and may not be connected to your room, but there may be a designated time for guests to enjoy the onsen privately for a small fee at the ryokan. 
• Round-trip bullet train from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station (free for visitors with JR pass). Train tickets (for those who do not have JR pass) available as add-on at checkout.
• Entrance fee to Zenko-ji Temple,  Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park for the guests
• Meals, snacks and drinks that are not mentioned in inclusions
• Other optional activities for guests (the guests would also have to cover the entrance fee for the tour guide for locations guest would like to visit that is not on the itinerary)
• Tour to Kamikochi on second day
• Tour to Matsumoto on second day
• Tour to Hakuba on second day
• Ski/Snowboarding trip on second day

  Availability:

• All year round, but especially recommended during Spring (for cherry blossoms), Fall (for autumn foliage) and Winter (for snow monkeys and winter festivities).
• The monkeys enter the onsen all year round, but sometimes the park wardens will encourage the monkeys by throwing food into the pool, especially during the warmer seasons of the year.

  Location:  Nagano City, Nagano Prefecture

  Start time: 8 :45 AM (may be earlier depending on availability, or later depending on location of hotel). The full day tour on the first day lasts for a duration of 8 hours.

  Requirements:

• Must provide names of all guests and birth dates
• A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
• Children must be accompanied by an adult (same room as adults, up to 3 children in one room)
• PLEASE FILL OUT THE TOUR FORM: After your booking, you will receive a link to the Nagano Form (within 48 hours) that asks for pertinent information required for this booking. Please ensure that this Nagano Form is completed accurately at least 7 days before  your tour date.

Additional information:

• For this tour, if we provide train tickets from Tokyo and return (add-on cost when booking) : We will send train tickets to the guest’s hotel in Tokyo (the hotel which guests are staying at before their Nagano trip). Below is the information in needed: 1) Hotel Name in Tokyo 2) Name of guest who booked the hotel 3) Confirmation Number 4) Dates of Stay at the hotel in Tokyo.
• Private tour with English-speaking tour guide is for the first day of the tour only. On the second day, the customer is free to explore Nagano on their own (the tour guide will not be present).
• Snow Monkeys in warmer seasons: The snow starts to melt in March, and the Snow Monkeys Park may not bathe as often as they did in the winter to keep warm. Guests may see the snow monkeys taking a swim as the park staff gives them lunch, but unlike winter months, there are definitely days when the monkeys just do not feel like entering the bath. When it is warm and the sun is out, the monkeys tend to be more active and move around the area. The monkeys are more likely to be grooming in the warmer seasons. While Winter is not the only time to see snow monkeys, please note that they are wild animals and it is difficult to predict their behavior. You can still visit the Snow Monkey Park, but seeing the snow monkeys and watching them bathe is not always guaranteed.
• Guests must provide information (name, age) of each guest for us to arrange accomodation. A current valid passport is required on the day of travel.
• Age Requirement: Guests of all ages can attend this tour, but a booking must be made for each person. Adult pricing applies to guests age 12 to 99. Child pricing applies to guests age 6 – 11. Young child pricing applies to guests age 1 – 5. In this private group tour, there must be at least one person that is 18 years or older.

Additional Information

In winter the walking trail to Snow Monkey Park may get slippery, so please wear winter shoes. The temperatures in Nagano are much colder than Tokyo, so prepare warm clothes.

A moderate amount of walking is involved. Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately.

Non-smoking: All the rooms are non-smoking in ryokan (otherwise requested), there are designated areas outside for those who would like to smoke.

All bookings is payable via Stripe (Booking Checkout) or Flywire. Confirmations regarding your booking will be sent at least 10 days before your activity date.

Cancellation Policy

Firm Cancellation Policy:

• Cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled 7 days or less before event.
• Cancellation fee of 75% if booking is cancelled 14 days or less before event.
• Cancellation fee of 50% if booking is cancelled 30 days or less before event.
• Cancellation fee of 25% if booking is cancelled 45 days or less before event

How far in advance should I book?

Nagano  is a popular destination from Tokyo. We recommend making a reservation as early as possible and ideally, at least a month in advance.

Why am I charged a service fee if I make a cancellation after you started planning the trip?

Booking request.

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Nagano Private Tour Guides

Contact a private tour guide to plan your nagano itinerary and book online..

View all 66 reviews

Popular Nagano Tour Guides

Hello! My name is Keiichi. Please call me Kei. I was born and raised in Joetsu City, located in the southern part of Niigata prefecture. Joetsu was the former capital city of Echigo Province until the mid 19th century. It has a lot of historic sites and scenic spots, and most of all good people. I love my city very much. I worked for the Joetsu City office for over thirty years. During my time there, I was in charge of international relations for about ten years. After retiring from the office, I began working as a licensed tour guide. I am very excited to introduce my city to people all over the world.                                                                                                                                  

Hello!My name is Chinami. I have a national licence as a tour guide. I know well not only the nature of Mt Fuji area, but also history of Mt Fuji as a world cultural heritage site.I like to talk with people from all aver the world.So I want to have great time with you and enjoy local meals, wine, and so on. Let's share a wonderful moment in Japan!                                                                                                                                  

We, KGS, are a group of English-speaking tour guides based in Karuizawa Town, Nagano Prefecture. We send English-speaking tour guides to private groups. We provide various guiding services based on customers' requests. We can guide Karuizawa, Nagano Prefecture as well as some places outside Nagano. Karuizawa is one of the most famous mountain resorts in Japan at the height of 1000 meters and within easy access from Tokyo. It takes only 60 to 70 minutes by Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station. Karuizawa is an ideal place as a resort with everything you expect --- stunning nature including waterfalls, mountains and forests, a ski resort, a famous Prince outlet mall, cozy small and large hotels, hot springs, very good restaurants and cafes, museums, sport facilities, historic buildings, parks, and more! We are also delighted to guide other places in Nagano. Nagano, known as the venue of the 1998 Winter Olympic Games and for the Japanese Alps, has many attractive destinations including Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Zenkoji Temple, Matsumoto Castle, Obuse and more, while providing interesting experiences such as soba noodle making lessons, skiing lessons, sake / beer / wine brewery visit, fruit picking, hiking, cycling, etc. We have some fixed plans, but if you wish to make your own trip, just ask for customized plans. We hope you will have a lot of fun with our friendly and knowledgeable local guides in Japan's beautiful highland area. *Please note our guides include both men and women with various ages. Whoever serves you, your guide will try his/her best to make your time in Japan special and comfortable.                                                                                                                                  

I am a guide specialized in horse riding tour in Nagano area. By joining my horse riding tour, you can walk with a horse in a beautiful forest in quiet rural area, where you can see seasonal flowers and beautiful views. I am happy to take you to Soba restaurant where many locals love.                                                                                                                                  

Hello! My name is Takeshi. I am a National Licensed Guide Interpreter in English. I was born in Tokyo. I worked for Canon for more than 30 years including a 5-year assignment to the U.S. office. Before joining Canon, I received a master's degree in engineering in the United States. After retiring from the company, I began working as a volunteer guide for foreign visitors in Kamakura and Yokohama for a while. However, I became fascinated by the beautiful nature of Nagano prefecture and decided to move here to the Yatsugatake Mountains, 1000m above sea level in Nagano a few years ago. Since then I go out to look at the breathtaking mountains, lakes, and shrines every day. I would like to guide you to these special sites and also share with you the Japanese culture in my guided tours. I am flexible and can customize the tour based on the customer's request. I am also a Certified Travel Service Administrator. My hobby is Aikido and I hold the 2nd Dan black belt. Hope to see you soon.                                                                                                                                  

Hello, Everyone. I am a National Licensed Guide Interpreter for English. It is my pleasure of introducing what I am doing as the guide to you. I can offer the following services through my career and experience: a) Tour Guide - Nagoya, Takayama, Ise, Nara and Kyoto areas. b) Plant Tour Guide - Metal, Casting, Automobile, Chemical and Machinery c) Interpreter for Business and Basic Engineering Meetings d) Bicycle or Mountaineering Guide Tour I am 62 years old now but quite healthy. I love bicycle ride and go on cycling for 70-100 km/day every weekend. That is why I have included bicycle ride tour in the above selections. Sorry, due to present working conditions of my primary job, I can only offer you weekend tour, but I am planning to expand available date and tour into more attractive ones in the next year. Check my present tour first ! It's your choice to wait until the next year or to take a chance now. I am sure I will not disappoint you.                                                                                                                                  

Nice to meet you. I am a national government certified guide interpreter, Emi. I just started this business under the COVID-19 pandemic. Before that, I had worked for more than 30 years as a teacher. Nagano is a cozy city surrounded by a beautiful mountain range. I enjoy strolling around its center, driving in the countryside, visiting some beautiful spots such as Zenkoji Temple, Togakushi highlands, Matsumoto Castle and so on. I also enjoy local dishes with fresh ingredients. I'd like to introduce our lifestyle to you as well as historical places and nature. According to your expectations, I will make your tour tailor-made, not ready-made!                                                                                                                                  

Hello! I am Seiko, National Licensed Guide since 2007. I was born and raised in Kurashiki (Okayama pref.), spent my college days in Kyoto, lived in Osaka for more than 15 years and recently moved to a city near Nagano (guiding in Kyoto, Osaka, Nara etc during peak season). I studied in Wisconsin, USA and worked as a translator/interpreter, market researcher, and executive assistant for global companies for many years where I enjoyed spending a precious time with people from different backgrounds and cultures and broaden my world and horizons. I myself am a traveler for life, been to more than 30 countries and all the prefectures in Japan, and always excited to help my clients with their planning. I am also a hiker, kayaker, scuba diver, and snowboarder enjoying myself mostly outdoors in every season. Besides city tours in Osaka and Kyoto, my tours can stretch to introducing local food and drinks, sake/beer brewery visit, visiting less-touristy areas, excursions to enjoy the nature such as walking/hiking tours, baseball games, tours for kids, onsen day-out, and more! Let's have a fun time and unique experience with me! Important Notes before booking: 1. Please check availability with me, even for open dates, before booking! 2. Transportation fee, entrance fee, and lunch/dinner for you and guide during the tour are NOT INCLUDED in the guide fee and to be paid at each site. Please bring enough cash to separately pay them during the tour. (Licensed guides get free admission at temples/shrines/castles and most tourist attractions, except for some facilities like aquarium, zoo, amusement parks, etc.) 3. Please let me know IN ADVANCE if anyone in your group has any physical challenge and/or food allergies. Thank you!                                                                                                                                  

Day trips from nagano.

Nagano Tour Reviews

Customized Tour in Karuizawa

“ Private trip to Komoro ”

Booked a personalized trip for cherry blossoms. After much discussion with the guide before booking they insisted on visiting komoro's Sakura festival. Had a great lunch, and a side excursion but the recommended site was extremely underwhelming. I felt if they visited the site before hand to see how the blossom conditions are and new before hand how there was only two trees throughout the park that blossomed. They could have repivot a better experience or be upfront to say yeah there's only two trees in blossom before I pay for admission to the park and not after I pass the admission gate. It just builds a negative experience overall. I did like the guide, I just felt things could have been done better or communicated better beforehand.

Please accept our sincere apology for not having met your expectations for cherry blossoms. We highly appreciate your honest opinions and taking the time to write them. Though it was difficult to estimate the timing of blooming, we admit that we should have conveyed the situation before entering the park. From this experience, we intend to improve our procedures including more investigation and better communication. We are sorry again. Finally, we wish to welcome your booking again in the future.

Snow Monkey Park and Zenkoji Temple in Nagano

“ The most gorgeous man and guide ever ”

Such a gentleman who went above and beyond for our family, even going so far as to arrange luggage pick up with our hotel so we didn’t have to walk around with our bags. His tour was also excellent, giving us enough time to see everything and he was so incredibly knowledgeable when answering our questions. We really loved the snow monkeys and it was Takeshi who spotted the first one! Thank you for the best day of our trip so far!

Thank you for your review. I was glad that everything went smoothly as planned. The photo is very nice.

“ Fantastic Tour ”

Takeshi was a great host... good communicator and very friendly and helpful during the tour. Great english speaker!

Thank you for your review. I'm glad everything went good according to plan.

The best tours and activities

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• MEETUP POINTS

[START FROM NAGANO CITY] Private Snow Monkey Tour

All Year Round

09:00 to 17:15 ~ 18:30

Meeting Place

Any location in Nagano City

Home to the world-famous Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani and host of the 1998 Winter Olympics, Nagano is a favorite destination for international visitors . Known for its high mountain peaks and abundant snow, ubiquitous hot springs and delicious food, bountiful farmlands and wild nature, Central Japan is a region with so much to offer!

• Starting from Nagano Station or any Nagano City Hotel, we will pick your party up in our private vehicle to take you on your private tour and drop you off in the Nagano City area or any of Nagano’s 5 Main Ski Resorts !
• Visit the famous Jigokudani Monkey Park and learn all about what makes the resident monkeys so unique.
• Enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant and experience Nagano’s renowned food culture.
• Stroll the charming streets of the historic town of Obuse, and enjoy viewing its remaining Edo period buildings.
• Explore Zenko-ji, one of Japan’s oldest and most important Buddhist temples, and home to the first known Buddhist statue to be brought to Japan.
• Try ‘sake’ with a tasting and learning experience all led by your guide (non-alcoholic options also available).

This tour offers amazing value for those keen skiers wanting to hop between ski resorts for their Nagano ski vacations, while seeing some of the best of what Nagano has to offer along the way!

What’s typically included?

• Although this particular page pertains to a start from Nagano City, we also offer this one-day private tour starting from any of Nagano’s 5 Main Ski Resort s (Nozawa Onsen, Madarao, Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, and Myoko Kogen) with drop-off in Nagano City or any of Nagano’s 5 Main Ski Resorts

A one-day tour (typically) includes:

• Private vehicle/driver for the duration of the tour
• Private English-speaking guide for the duration of the tour
• Entrance to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
• Lunch 

A private tour provides a different atmosphere from offered group tours, as you can truly enjoy this intimate time with your party to enjoy these amazing locations with no interruptions or unexpected happenings.

The tour cost is calculated per person (aged of 6 years and over) with infants (under 6 years of age) included free of charge. Infants are included free of charge and therefore do not receive lunch (if required, please order directly to the restaurant according to your needs).

Depending on your pick-up and drop-off location, the price will change to account for differences in distance between tour locations. Please understand this when choosing your tour pick-up and drop-off points in the order window.

Tour Description

Once your tour begins, you will board our private tour vehicle and begin your journey to the Snow Monkey Park, located in the onsen town Yudanaka at the foot of the mountains. Your guide will take you along the forest trail which leads to the park and into Jigokudani – rather dramatically translating to ‘Hell’s Valley’. Home to the only troop of monkeys in the entire world known to bathe in hot springs, there are no barriers separating you from the wild monkeys, making this a unique and memorable experience.

Your guide will introduce these truly curious creatures and provide you time to enjoy the unique experience of observing them in close proximity. Make sure to bring your camera as you`re going to need it!

Your guide will then accompany back along the trail and you will enjoy a traditional layered Japanese ‘Bento’ Box Lunch with variety that is sure to please any tastes. This specially prepared bento is locally sourced and offers a visually pleasing and decadent experience that will leave you wanting more! This lunch is designed to match the season and highlight the best of Nagano’s renowned food culture.

The exact contents and presentation of the lunchbox may not exactly match the pictures provided.

Layer one of the meal features homemade rolled omelettes with seasoned fish with steamed vegetables and beef with sauce, and a bowl of green tea soba noodles.

With a mixed mushroom salad, konjac, deep friend tofu, konjac, and mixed dish that changes with the season, layer two offers tastes that are specific to Nagano prefecture and the former Shinshu Province.

Filled to the brim with charming onigiri of various varieties, salmon, and miso soup, layer three will allow you to experience just how varied these simple pleasures can taste with different preparation.

Well-fed and content, it’s time to head-out of Yudanaka to explore the picturesque town of Obuse, and its remaining Edo-style buildings. Known for its  historic character, chestnut delicacies and sake breweries , walking the streets of Obuse provides an incredible opportunity to sample some local specialties and appreciate the local culture of Nagano and Japan as a whole in this stroll through time.

After spending some time in Obuse, you will once more board the private vehicle bound for Zenko-ji Temple. As a registered National Treasure, the temple is the most important cultural site in Nagano and one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in the entire country! A place of true historic importance, full of legends and myths, you will be guided around the temple before your guide will give you the opportunity to explore the surrounding precinct of smaller temples, shops, and food by yourself.

As Japan’s second largest producer of sake, Nagano is synonymous with sake and no visit to the region is complete without delving into Japan’s most famous beverage. Your guide with lead your party to a local producer of sake, and introduce how to differentiate one brew from another as you taste a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The information provided by your guide will allow you to continue to enjoy sake in a meaningful way even after the tour concludes.

After sake tasting concludes, the guide will say their goodbyes as you board the bus to your selected drop-off location. The ride back is the perfect time to sit back, relax, and look through all those monkey photos before you finally arrive safe and sound at your destination!

• Private vehicle with driver
• Snow Monkey Park entrance fee
• Lunch (vegetarian options are available)
• Guided tour at Zenko-ji, ‘sake’-tasting, Obuse, and at the monkey park
• English-speaking guide
• Additional food, snacks & drinks
• Optional entrance fee to the inner sanctuary of Zenko-ji Temple
• Shinkansen / ‘Bullet Train’ tickets
• Accommodation

Other Information

• There will be a significant amount of walking required (1.6 km one way) to get to and from the Snow Monkey Park, along an unsealed forest trail so please wear appropriate shoes/boots.
• This tour is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for mobility-impaired travellers. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
• This tour uses different forms of transport. Tours can be conducted by microbus, larger coach or train depending on the season and size of the group.
• 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.
• This tour includes lunch at Monzen Terrace Enya. 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 includes ‘sake’ tasting in Nagano City. The venue can change depending on the time of year. You must be a minimum of 20 years of age to consume alcohol on the tour.
• Infants (0-5) are free of charge. An infant lunch is not included and the order will be made directly to the restaurant according to your needs. We also cannot guarantee that a seat on the tour transport will be available for infants and they may be required to sit in the lap of an adult, especially during winter i.e. from December to March.

Why choose us?

Awarded a 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award for our  1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake Tour  – recognised as one of the Top 10 Experiences in Japan – we have the local knowledge and experience to help you get the most out of your time in Nagano and Central Japan.

We want all of our guests have the best possible time in Nagano, so good, that we hope you’ll come back again! We love our home region and want you to love it to… we’d love to see you here in Nagano!

(Travel Agency License No: Nagano 2-562) Snow Monkey Resorts Tours Nagano City Kurita 1015-7, NK Copo 202, Nagano, 380-0921 Japan Tel: (81)26-219-6256 Member of All Nippon Travel Agents Association Travel Service Supervisor: Tomoko Kasahara

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Nagano Jigokudani Private Tour

Rosary Blessing and Spa Loving Monkeys

Nagano Jigokudani with a Local Guide

Nagano City (長野) is a Monzen-machi, a town that developed around a temple. With the venerable Zenkoji Temple at its heart, and its passion inspired by the majestic peaks surrounding it, the city has been attracting pilgrims for over 1,400 years.

Zenkoji Temple (善光寺) is one of the most important temple in Japan and is said to be a required visit at least once in everyone’s life. It was founded in the 7th century and stores the first Buddhist statue ever to be brought into Japan.

The original statue is hidden while a copy of it is shown to the public every six years for a few weeks. The next opportunity will be in April/May 2027.

There are also 39 shukubo ( temple lodgings ) in Zenkoji, where you can stay the night and learn about the monastic lifestyle and taste the shojin Buddhist vegetarian.

Jigokudani Yaen Koen (地獄谷野猿公苑), also known as the Snow Monkey Park, is home to a very special troop of Japanese macaques and a unique place which offers visitors the unique experience of seeing world-famous wild monkeys going about their daily lives including the unique behavior of bathing in onsens (natural hot springs).

Japanese macaques have the northernmost range of the world’s non-human primates.

The tour will take you to

• Zenko-ji Temple
• Zenkoji History Museum
• Jigokudani Hell Valley
• Jigokudani Monkey Park

Custom Tour

Depending on what you want to visit (temples, shops, museums, monuments, etc.) or participate in a cultural experience, we will build a personal tour plan just for you, in line with your interests, travel styles, schedule and other requirements, to ensure that your visit will be an unforgettable experience.

Contact us for a tailor-made visit .

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Rates (group of up to six (6) guests)

Please be sure to read our FAQ to see what is included in the tour fee and other details.

Booking request

¥ 49,500