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WINTER-ONLY SHUTTLE SERVICE: YOU CAN NOW JOIN OUR AWARD-WINNING 1-DAY SNOW MONKEY TOUR FROM HAKUBA!
  • WINTER-ONLY SHUTTLE SERVICE: YOU CAN NOW JOIN OUR AWARD-WINNING 1-DAY SNOW MONKEY TOUR FROM HAKUBA!

    Bathing Baby Monkey in a Hot Spring

    Recognised as one of the Top 10 Experiences in Japan with a 2019 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award, guests based in Hakuba this winter will be able to join our most popular tour through use of our winter-only shuttle service from and to the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal.

     

     

    Available everyday from December 1st until March 15th, we look forward to welcoming scores of new guests and forging new friendships, as we guide you on a fun and rewarding day of discovery in Nagano!

    snow monkeys in bath snow

    This tour combines your visit to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park with morning exploration of Nagano’s near-1400 year old Zenko-ji Temple followed by lunch and guided ‘sake’ tasting experience at one of the city’s most popular restaurants, Monzen Terrace Enya*.

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    Serving a delicious choice of beef and vegetable or vegetable-only ‘shabu shabu’ (hot pot) along with mixed vegetarian sushi plates and dessert, we have one aim – to fill you up and get you warm before heading to the monkey park!

    tour lunch 4

    Home to the only troop of monkeys in the world known to bathe in ‘onsen’ (hot springs), visiting the park is a must-do event in winter, when you’re most likely to see the surreal sight of numerous monkeys soaking in the pool or frolicking through the deep snow.

    snow monkey baby with snow

    Led by our locally-based, English-speaking guides our most popular tour can now be joined from Hakuba with pickup from the Happo Bus Terminal at 08:20 and estimated drop-off time of 18:45**.

     

    Why do we visit the temple first followed by the monkeys?

     

    For guests joining us from Hakuba (or coming from Tokyo on the morning of tour), the journey to the Snow Monkey Park takes time. Rather than have you sit on a bus for too long (or train from Tokyo and then a bus!), we first head to the temple where your guide will walk you through the historic precinct explaining the history and myths of its 1400 year history,  before (time-permitting) allowing you to explore for yourself. You can wander and explore, and get that morning coffee or apple-custard pie (trust us, they’re good!), before heading to lunch.

    niomon

    Lunch is a delicious ‘shabu shabu’ (hot pot), vegetable sushi platter, and dessert followed by a guided ‘sake’ tasting experience*. Well-fed and warmed by the smooth buzz of sake, it’s then time to head to the Snow Monkey Park and in the midst of winter, you’ll appreciate not having to wait for your lunch!

    sake tasting hotarutei

    Following this itinerary allows us to avoid the busiest time of day at the monkey park (morning) and temple (afternoon) in winter, and in doing so, we give our guests the best possible experience with more time at the park to enjoy one of Japan’s most curious sights – the hot spring-bathing monkeys of Jigokudani.

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    Once out of the park you can sit back and relax, as we shuttle you back to Hakuba – the perfect time to scroll through those countless monkey photos and of course, post the best of them on the ‘gram!

     

    Why choose us?

     

    Snow Monkey Resorts is Nagano’s No.1 rate tour and charter operator. We pride ourselves on providing our guests fun and engaging tours that highlight the most unique and memorable destinations and experiences in Central Japan.

    TC 2019 WHITE L R@2x

    Recipient of a 2019 TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice Award as one of the Top 10 Experiences in Japan, this tour is our most popular daytrip, which we are now happy to offer to guests based in Hakuba.

     

    We transport you, entertain you and feed you better! Our tours use one of Nagano City’s most popular restaurants – Monzen Terrace Enya – serving delicious and warming ‘shabu shabu’ followed by a guided ‘sake’ tasting experience*. Lunch with us is a tour highlight!

     

    Once we have confirmed your booking, we won’t cancel your tour. We value you choosing us and we guarantee your booking. The only circumstances in which a tour would not operate would be for the safety of our guests and guides i.e. due to extreme weather conditions and if the Snow Monkey Park was closed or inaccessible.

     

    Locally-based, Snow Monkey Resorts operates all year round. With the local know-how and experience to help you get the most out of your time in Nagano, you starting planning your at any time of year. We are here to help!

     

    How do I book?

     

    It’s simple. If you’d like to use our shuttle service from Hakuba and join this tour, use the ‘Select your pick up option’ to choose ‘8:20 @ (Winter-only) Happo Bus Terminal, Hakuba’ on the booking form of the tour page. It’s as simple as that.

    SMP & Zenkoji plus Hakuba shuttle

    Please note that this service is only available from Dec.1st until Mar.15th 2020. Bookings from Hakuba cannot be accepted outside of these dates.

     

    Where do you pick me up/drop me off in Hakuba?

     

    Our Hakuba shuttle service operates from the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal. Situated at the heart of Hakuba, the terminal is easy to access and the most convenient meeting point for our guests in Hakuba.

    hakuba shuttle

    The morning meeting time is 08:20 however we ask that guests are there in advance of the meeting time so that the tour can depart on time. Look for the guide holding a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS sign. We will drop you back at the Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal, with an estimated evening drop-off time of 18:45**.

    Snow monkey resorts Logo

    We’d love to have you join us in Nagano this winter!

     

    *For tours on 2021/01/01 until 2021/01/03 (and possibly on other rare occasions) we will not be able to use Monzen Terrace Enya. On those days we will switch the lunch restaurant to Hotaru-tei, located nearby the Snow Monkey Park. This will push back the tour lunch time to around 12:45 on those days.

     

    **The tour end time can be affected by road conditions in winter – which are likely to be subject to snow and ice – and the pace of the individual tour. We ask for cooperation of our guests in being at the meeting points on-time and following the instructions of your guide, to avoid tours being unnecessarily delayed.