(Winter Only) 1-Day Tour From Nozawa Onsen: Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake

Take in some of the highlights of Nagano starting right from Nozawa Onsen with this engaging tour including a morning visit to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park and its world-famous hot spring-bathing monkeys, followed by a warming winter lunch and afternoon exploration of Zenko-ji – one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in Japan. Led by a locally-based English-speaking guide and including a sake tasting experience to bring the tour to an indulgent conclusion this tour is a great way to enjoy the best of Nagano in winter!

Is your preferred tour date not available? Please check HERE for information about availability for a private tour on that day.

Highlights

• Visit the world-famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park and learn all about what makes the resident monkeys so unique
• Enjoy a warming lunch at a nearby restaurant that will highlight the best food of Nagano
• Try ‘sake’ with a tasting and learning experience all led by your guide (non-alcoholic option also available)
• 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.

Description

With two meetup points / times in Nozawa at 08:50 and 09:00, your guide will greet all guests and quickly have on your way to the monkey park! Arriving around 10:00, 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 Nagano’s world-famous hot spring-bathing monkeys, 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! It’s then time for an early lunch!

Your guide will lead you back along the trail and to a nearby restaurant for a warming winter’s lunch – the menu changes depending on the date, but rest assured that our partner restaurant provides options using local Nagano ingredients! Well-fed you’ll then head toward Nagano City and onto Zenko-ji. Established in 642, Zenko-ji is one 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 (time permitting) your guide will give you the opportunity to explore the surrounding precinct of smaller temples, shops, and food by yourself.

The tour concludes with a guided sake tasting. Home to a huge number of breweries, Nagano is synonymous with sake and no visit to the region is complete without delving into Japan’s most famous beverage. Dive into this seductive world as your guide explains the process, terminology, and appreciation of Nagano’s acclaimed sake (non-alcoholic options are also available).

Around 16:30 your guide will say their goodbyes as you board the tour bus and transported back toward Nozawa Onsen at each pickup point in reverse where the tour will end at around 18:00.

MEETUP POINTS

This tour includes two pick-up and drop-off points in Nozawa Onsen:

1  /  NOZAWA GRAND HOTEL @ 08:50

Please wait outside the entrance of Nozawa Grand Hotel and be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag. Please be waiting before the meetup time as the tour will depart by 08:55.

2  /  NOZAWA ONSEN CHUO BUS TERMINAL @ 09:00

Please wait at the Chuo Bus terminal and be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag. Please be waiting before the meetup time as the tour will depart by 09:05.

NOTES

Included

• Transportation fee from / to Nozawa Onsen and all listed activities / attractions
• Snow Monkey Park entrance fee
• Lunch (vegetarian and gluten-free options are available)
• Sake tasting
• English-speaking guide

Excluded

• 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 / 1 mile in both directions) to get to and from the Snow Monkey Park, along an unsealed forest trail so please wear appropriate shoes / boots.
• 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).
• 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.
• Guests are required to follow the Snow Monkey Park rules at all times. Guests are not permitted to touch, hold, feed or bathe with the monkeys at any time.
• There are no barriers separating the monkeys from visitors to the park. Please ensure you keep a minimum distance of 1 to 2 meters between yourself and the monkeys. Your guide will explain the rules prior to entering the park.
• During the winter it is common to see the Snow Monkeys enjoying the hot spring however please note that the monkeys are wild animals and there is no guarantee that there will be monkeys in the water at the time of your visit.
• 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.
• Booking cut-off time is an hour before the pick up time on the day.