Snow Monkey Resorts offers a variety of tours throughout Japan, and while our main focus is group tours with set itineraries and schedules, we also offer customized private tour itineraries, multi-day tour packages, and tour packages with accommodation and private charters, to match your unique preferences. For example, if your group has a specific itinerary in mind, needs a different start location/pick-up time, or you simply want to combine multiple day tours into a single package deal, we can customize it for you!

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Customized Tour Itinerary

If you have a specific tour itinerary in mind that isn’t available on our website, or you want to combine different locations into one tour, we can match your preferences with a custom private tour!

Or, if you would like to make any of our group tours into a private tour with pick-up at your preferred location and time, we can do that for you as well! For example, we can pick you up and drop you off at your hotel(s), and adjust the start and finish times of the tour to fit your travel schedule.

Here are some examples of custom tour itineraries we have provided:

1-Day Ski & Snow Monkey Tour

Sample Itinerary:

7:30 - Meet up with your tour guide at Nagano Station and board your private bus for the day. Learn about Nagano and spot landmarks from the 1998 Olympics as you drive up into the ski resort!

9:00 - Arrive at Shiga Kogen Ski Resort, try on your rental gear and prepare to hit the slopes.

9:30 - Begin skiing! There is plenty to explore as this is the largest ski resort in Japan.

12:30 - Return your rental gear and depart Shiga Kogen.

13:00 - Arrive at our restaurant Hotarutei and enjoy Japanese-style lunch in a historic building.

14:00 - Head towards the entrance of the Snow Monkey Park, and prepare to walk along the mountain trail towards the park. (This can take up to 45 minutes one-way in winter due to snow and ice.)

14:45 - Enter the park and watch the Japanese macaques in their natural habitat!

15:45 - Leave the park and walk back along the trail towards the bus.

17:00 - Board the private vehicle, depart the Snow Monkey Park area and head back towards Nagano Station (or your chosen drop-off location).

18:00 - Arrive back at Nagano Station and say goodbye to your guide.

1-Day Togakushi Shrine & Matsumoto Castle Tour

Sample Itinerary:

9:30 - Our tour guide will meet you at your hotel in Nagano City, and your group will board the private bus for the day. Hear about the local specialties of Nagano, such as apples and grapes, as you drive up into the mountains!

10:30 - Arrive at the Chusha Shrine or "Middle Shrine" of the Five Shrines of Togakushi, and learn about the history of this 1,000-year old shrine complex and its deep roots in Shintoism.

10:55 - Depart the Chusha Shrine and head towards the Okusha Shrine or "Deep Shrine" of Togakushi.

11:00 - Arrive at the entrance to the path that leads to the Okusha Shrine. This is the famous trail lined with massive 400-year old cedar trees, with a beautiful red gate "Zuijinmon" halfway along the trail that gives this area its mystical quality. The whole trail takes 45 minutes to walk. (Please note the trail to the Okusha is partially closed in winter due to snow.)

12:00 - Reach the Okusha Shrine at the end of the trail, and get ready to walk back down.

12:45 - Arrive back at the trail entrance, and board the bus towards Matsumoto. You can eat a "bento" lunch box on the bus, or wait to eat in Matsumoto.

14:30 - Arrive at historic Matsumoto Castle, and learn about the history of the Edo Period as your guide takes you to the top of the castle.

16:00 - Exit the castle and walk towards the shopping street called "Frog Street" in the town of Matsumoto, with some free time to enjoy the shops.

17:00 - Board the bus and head towards your accommodation in Matsumoto City.

17:15 ~ 17:30 - Arrive at your hotel in Matsumoto and say goodbye to your guide.

Multi-Day Tour Package

Booking several of our tours together in a single package is an easy way to plan activities throughout your trip in Japan! We have some pre-made multi-day tour packages on our website, such as our 4-Day Ultimate Central Japan Tour or our 2-Day Tour from Nagano to Takayama via Matsumoto, but we can customize a unique multi-day trip for you as well! You can mix-and-match tours to suit your travel schedule and specific interests, and even use tours to travel between destinations, without needing to book a train or bus ticket.

Here are some examples of multi-day tour packages we can create for you:

1. Winter Itinerary in Nagano

Day 1: Snow Monkeys & Zenkoji Temple

Day 2: Ski Tour Package from Nagano Station

Day 3: Matsumoto Castle & Narai-juku Tour

2. Summer Itinerary in Takayama, Kanazawa, and Nagoya

Day 1: Takayama & Shirakawa-go Tour

*Note: you can end this tour in Kanazawa, so you don't need to book a train there!

Day 2: Amaharashi and Shogawa Valley River Cruise

Day 3: Nagoya and Ise Jingu Shrine

As we offer tours throughout the country, from Hiroshima to Hokkaido, you can book several of our day-trip tours in a single package that includes activities for all areas of your trip in Japan!

Tour & Hotel Package

We have several partner hotels in the Nagano area, and are happy to offer custom tour & hotel packages! We have some pre-made itineraries on our website, such as our 2-Day Snow Monkeys & Nagano Cultural Tour inc. Luxury Onsen Hotel, but we can customize these for you as well.

Here is an example of a custom tour & hotel package we have provided:

4 Night 5 Day Nagano Stay with Tours, Ski Package & Accommodation at Hotel Kokusai 21


Day 1 : Half-Day Zenkoji Tour with Tea Ceremony
12:15 - Meetup with your guide inside Nagano Station and walk toward Zenkoji Temple, with a few stops
along the way.
12:40 - Enjoy a simple snack of 'oyaki' at Ogawa-no-sho and sake tasting at a local Nagano brewery!
13:40 - Begin your guided tour of historic Zenkoji temple.
14:30 - Experience a 'goma' prayer fire ceremony inside the Daikanjin temple complex within Zenkoji.
15:00 - Enjoy some free time around the temple and surrounding shops.
16:00 - Combining tradition with modern style, you will get to make your own matcha while discovering the art and performance of this authentic Japanese experience.
17:00 - Tour concludes, where your guide will say their goodbyes, leaving you to enjoy more time around the temple or walk back to Nagano Station or your accommodation.


Day 2 and 3 : 1-Day Ski Tour Package from Nagano Station
07:40 - Meet up at Nagano Station
07:45 - Visit our office and select your preferred ski gear and wear to bring to the slopes!
08:15 - Depart toward the day's chosen ski resort. Enjoy the sights of the Nagano countryside rolling by out your window!
09:30 - Arrive at the chosen ski resort. Our staff member will distribute and activate your lift passes, and help you unload equipment from the bus, and point out any necessary information.
10:00 - The two hour lesson geared toward first timers and beginners starts from here! The lesson is expected to end at 12:00, and from there those new learners can begin to explore on their own until 15:45.
16:00 - Depart back for Nagano Station from the chosen ski resort.
17:15 - Arrive back at the equipment storehouse to return your rental equipment.
17:30 - Projected end time for the tour. Once equipment is returned, and you have checked out with our
staff member, you may proceed toward your next destination as you wish.


Day 4 : Snow Monkeys & Togakushi Private Tour
8:30 - Your guide for the day will meet you in the lobby of Hotel Kokusai 21!
9:15 - Arrive at the entrance to the forest trail to the Snow Monkey Park and enjoy the peaceful 30~45 minute walk towards the park.
12:15 - Depart the Snow Monkey Park
13:20~14:20 - Enjoy lunch at a local soba restaurant in Togakushi.
1430~14:50 - See the "Chuusha" or middle shrine of the Togakushi Shrine complex
15:00~17:00 - Visit "Okusha" or deep shrine area of Togakushi, where you can walk down the forest path
towards the deep shrine (~45 minutes). Snow shoes are also available for rental.
18:00 - Return to Hotel Kokusai 21 and say goodbye to your guide.

If you are interested in a custom tour & hotel package for yourself, here is a list of all of our partner hotels in the Nagano area that you can choose from:

Hotels in Nagano

*Please note that we only offer accommodation in Nagano, and cannot offer hotel stays in Takayama, Kanazawa, Nagoya, Tokyo, Kyoto/Osaka, Hiroshima or Hokkaido.

Tour & Charter Package

Lastly, we also offer private charter services in Nagano prefecture and the surrounding prefectures, and can combine these into your tour package, making for the most convenient way to travel around central Japan!

For example, if you are heading to Hakuba for a ski trip and need transportation from Nagano Station, and you also want to join our Snow Monkey Tour from Hakuba, we can put these together into a package for you. See a sample itinerary below:

Private Charter Service from Nagano Station to Hakuba and Snow Monkey Tour Package

Day 1 : Private Charter Service from Nagano Station to Hakuba
12:00 - Pick-up in Nagano Station; one of our staff members will meet you inside the station, next to the Information Board outside of the bullet train exit gates, and take you to the private vehicle.
13:30 - Arrive at your hotel in Hakuba and check-in.

(Day 2 ~ 5 : Skiing in Hakuba)

Day 6 : Snow Monkey Tour from Hakuba to Nagano Station
7:20 ~ 8:10 - After checking out from your hotel, our tour bus and tour guide will pick you up in Hakuba from one of 4 different locations (pick-up time depends on which location you choose). You can bring all of your luggage on the bus and put it in the dedicated luggage storage space.
10:00 - Arrive at Zenkoji and explore the precinct with your guide followed by (time-permitting) 25-30 minutes of free time.
11:30 - Taste various sakes at Yoshinoya Sake Brewery (nearby the temple) and learn more about the iconic Japanese beverage.
12:00 - Enjoy a delicious lunch designed to highlight the best of Nagano.
13:00 - Depart Nagano and head toward the Snow Monkey Park.
14:00 - Arrive nearby the Snow Monkey Park area. Prepare and walk along the forest trail (25-30 minutes) into the park.
14:40 - Arrive at the park and enjoy watching the wild macaques bathing in the onsen and going about their lives.
15:40 - Depart the park and walk back out along the forest trail.
16:20 - Leave the Snow Monkey Park area and begin your return journey to Nagano.
17:35 - Tour concludes at Nagano Station, where the guide will say their goodbyes. You can retrieve your luggage and head to the station, and board the train to your next destination.

If you would like to create your own custom private charter & tour package, please see our list of private charters below to discover all of your options!

How to Book

Simply reach out to us by clicking the “Request a Quote” button on the right side of the page, and let us know what you would like in your custom tour package! We will reply to you with a custom quote as soon as possible.

We look forward to welcoming you on your journey through Japan!

FAQs

How does the customized itinerary process work?
Please send us your desired itinerary, with the tours, charters, or hotels that you are interested in, along with your travel dates and number of guests. Based on this, one of our staff will create a custom quote for you and send it to you by email. If you accept the quote, we will send you a digital invoice that can be paid directly online.
How many days can a multi-day tour include?
As many days as you like! We have made custom tour packages from just 1 day up to 1 week in length. Feel free to ask our advice on how many days you should stay depending on your interests and other travel plans.
Is there a minimum or maximum group size?
For private customized tours, there is no limit to group size, as we have tour buses that can hold up to 45 guests. If the group size were larger than 45, we can use multiple vehicles and provide multiple tour guides.
Are the private charters available for airport transfers or long-distance travel?
Yes, we can provide long-distance private charters, for example to and from the airports in Tokyo. However, please note that our charters must begin or end in Nagano prefecture, or a surrounding prefecture. For example, we can provide a charter from Narita Airport to Nagano Station, but not from Narita Airport to Osaka.
How far in advance should I book a customized or multi-day tour?
We recommend booking 2 months in advance or more, to ensure availability of our vehicles and tour guides. If you have a last-minute request, please do reach out to us, but know that we may not be able to provide the service depending on our availability at that time.
Can I request specific destinations, themes, or activities?
Yes, please let us know your specific interests, such as art, architecture, Japanese history, or religion, and we can recommend tours to suit your preferences! Or, if you have a specific destination in mind, let us know and we can customize the itinerary for you.

(Travel Agency License No: Nagano 2-562)
Snow Monkey Resorts Tours
2159 Kurita, Nagano City, Nagano, 380-0921 Japan
Tel: (+81)26-219-6272
Member of All Nippon Travel Agents Association
Travel Service Supervisor: Azusa Fukuhara