Adventure

Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

4.8 / 5

78 reviews

Activity provider: Machinovate Japan Ltd.
Adventure

Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

Activity provider: Machinovate Japan Ltd.
Likely to sell out

From US$ 116.71 per person

Likely to sell out

Visit the heart of the region, Nagano's near-1400 year old Zenko-ji Temple, filled with history and legend. Enjoy lunch and a sake tasting at one of the most popular restaurants, followed by an afternoon at the world-famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park.

About this activity

Free cancellation
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 8 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights
  • Go to Zenkoji, the first temple to house a Buddha statue in Japan
  • Take photos with the world-famous snow monkeys
  • Enjoy lunch at the restaurant nearby the Snow Monkey Park
  • Enjoy the vibrant shopping street of Nakamise
  • Try Japanese sake at the local sake brewery
Full description

A great tour for all seasons, this is a 1-day guided tour of the most famous attractions of Nagano City and Jigokudani or “Hell’s Valley”, home of the Snow Monkeys. Take a scenic route to see the cutest monkeys in the world, then experience the tranquility of Zenkoji Temple and lively Nakamise shopping street.

For guests traveling from Hakuba, from December through March, your journey can begin with a shuttle from Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal at 7:55 AM; otherwise, meet your guide at Nagano Station at 9:35 AM (please be at your chosen pickup point in advance of the meetup time as the tour needs to depart on-time).

Famous for being the temple to hold the first Buddhist statue in Japan. Zenkoji Temple has a special energy and welcomes people of all faiths and religions. The temple grounds are beautiful and tranquil; there are hidden gems to explore, such as the dark tunnel running under the temple, said to be where you can gain enlightenment by finding the “Key To Paradise”. After lunch, return to Nagano Station again by public transport and take local bus from there to the Snow Monkeys. World-famous for their rare habit of soaking in the hot spring and living in the snow, these amazing macaques will let you get really close to them for some great photo opportunities and an unforgettable experience. After saying goodbye to the snow monkeys, stroll back along the tranquil forest trail to a delicious lunch at the restaurant near the trail exit. After seeing the Snow Monkeys, head to the local Japanese sake brewery to try various types of sake maybe even find a nice souvenir for yourself.

Includes
  • Snow Monkey Park entrance fee
  • Lunch
  • Personal tour guide
  • Transportation between attractions
  • Sake tasting
  • Hakuba shuttle service (winter only)
  • Bullet train ticket
  • Optional attraction entrance to Zenko-ji Temple

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meeting point may vary depending on the option booked.

Important information

Know before you go

  • Please note that this is not a private tour and you might be together with other travelers, depending on the day
  • There will be a substantial amount of walking involved, although routes will be generally flat and easy to walk. In winter the forest trail can get slippery
  • Please wear suitable shoes for walking the forest trail (no heels) and a bag that is easy to carry. A small rucksack is recommended
  • There are a few days in the year that the monkeys might not come down to the park. In such case the park is closed and we will provide an alternative activity
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 78 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.8/5
  • Transportation
    4.9/5
  • Service
    4.9/5
  • Organization
    4.9/5

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Fabulous tour! Wish we could've booked our entire trip with Get Your Guide. So informative, very organized, friendly guide. Lynn was lovely. Great communication and the meeting point couldn't be easier to find with the pic of the area. Sometimes Travel can be stressful and confusing; this was a relaxing, wonderful experience. Navigating the bullet Train on my own make me anxious so it was so helpful to get help with which trains/times were right. It would be lovely if you had an option that included the train as well.

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March 30, 2023

The trip didn’t start as planned as the meeting point is not very clear, meet at Nagano Station, it should actually be more precise and say meet where the Shinkansen trains arrive at Nagano Station we then wouldn’t have missed the first hr. However after a phone call by our hotel a very apologetic guide met us and took us straight to the first stop.

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March 30, 2023

My son and I had a wonderful experience, despite being so hot on that day. Chieko is a wonderful guide, not only knowledgeable, but very thoughtful. She made sure that we are comfortable, even provided us with fans, wipes, etc. :) My son thoroughly enjoyed the conversations with her and the origami making. We were able to just enjoy everything since Chieko made things very smooth for us. The lunch provided was delicious and wonderfully presented! We really appreciate everything she taught us about the area, Zenko-ji temple, monkey park and sake! I highly recommend this tour, it exceeded my expectations!!

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March 30, 2023

Product ID: 54964