Discover two of the top attractions on a day trip in Nagano, Zenko-ji Temple and Snow Monkey Park. Watch the monkeys playing and then finish the day with a delicious lunch, and sake tasting.

About this activity

Free cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Reserve now & pay later: Keep your travel plans flexible — book your spot and pay nothing today.
Duration 8 - 10 hours: Check availability to see starting times
Live tour guide: English

Highlighted reviews from other travelers

Yvan – Switzerland

Had an amazing time on the Nagano tour! 🏯🍶🐒 Started the day with the peaceful Zenkoji Temple — beautiful, full of history, and a perfect way to soak up some Zen vibes. Then moved on to a sake tasting session (let’s just say my appreciation for rice reached a whole new level!). And of course, the highlight — watching the snow monkeys chill like pros in the hot springs. Nature’s VIP spa treatment. Huge thanks to our guide Jens — super knowledgeable, fun, and made the whole trip smooth and memorable. Highly recommend!

Jessica – Australia

The whole day was one of the many highlights of my trip. I travelled to and from Tokyo by train and that worked seamlessly. We were picked up and taken to see one of the oldest temples that had remained Buddhist for over 700 years. It was spectacular, and l enjoyed the path to enlightenment (just hoping it works). After the sale tasting we drove out to lunch and then spent a couple of hours with the snow monkeys. It was hard to pick whether lunch or the snow monkeys were the highlight of the day. Although it was raining that was the best time to see the monkeys gamboling in the hot springs and there were plenty of them. There was about a 20 minute walk uphill from the car park to the monkeys so this may not be the best tour for people with mobility issues. Well worth it. The guides were knowledgeable, spoke excellent English and answered all our questions. It was a great day.

Itinerary

3 starting location options:
Hakuba Tokyu Hotel, Nagano Station, Happo Information Center & Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal
Bus/coach
(25 minutes)
Zenko-ji Temple
Visit, Guided tour (1.5 hours)
Secret stop
Guided tour, Food tasting (30 minutes)
Bus/coach
(1 hour)
Local restaurant
Lunch (1 hour)
Jigokudani Monkey Park
Visit, Guided tour, Walk, Wildlife viewing (2.5 hours)
Bus/coach
(1 hour)
3 drop-off locations:
Happo Information Center & Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal, Nagano Station, Hakuba Tokyu Hotel

Main stop

Other stop

For reference only. Itineraries are subject to change.

Highlights

Visit Zenko-ji Temple - one of the oldest and most important temples in Japan
Take photos of the world-famous snow monkeys
Enjoy a delicious lunch designed to highlight the best of Nagano
Taste various sakes and learn more about the iconic Japanese beverage

Full description

Take in some of the highlights of Nagano on this engaging tour starting with a visit to Zenko-ji Temple – one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in Japan – followed by sake-tasting and lunch at a local restaurant. It’s then time to head to the world-renowned Snow Monkey Park! This troop of monkeys are the only monkeys in the world known to bathe in hot springs. Watching them live their best life in close proximity is a wonderful experience unlike any other. Led by a locally based English-speaking guide, this tour is a great way to see the best that Nagano has to offer.

Meet your tour guide at Nagano Station at 9:35 AM. For guests traveling from Hakuba, from December through March, your journey can begin with a shuttle from Hakuba Tokyu Hotel (Wadano area) at 7:40 AM OR Hakuba Happo Bus Terminal at 7:55 AM. Please be at your chosen pickup point in advance of the meetup time as the tour must depart on-time.

(WINTER ONLY) Once the 09:35 timeslot is fully booked out for the standard Nagano Station pickup option at 09:35, we will potentially open an additional timeslot to join the tour from Nagano Station at 09:00 so please double check your booking timeslot when joining from Nagano Station, as it may be this earlier 09:00 start.

This tour is scheduled to conclude at Nagano Station by 17:30 (and by 18:45 for guests joining from Hakuba in winter).

Includes

Transportation from Nagano to the Snow Monkey Park and between activities/attractions
English-speaking guide
Snow Monkey Park entry fee
Lunch (vegetarian options available)
Hakuba shuttle service (winter only)
Sake tasting

Bullet train tickets
Optional entry to the inner sanctuary of Zenko-ji Temple
Additional food, snacks, and drinks

Not suitable for

People with mobility impairments
Wheelchair users

Meeting point

Meeting point may vary depending on the option booked.

Important information

Not allowed

High-heeled shoes

Know before you go

Please note that this is not a private tour and you cannot be picked up/dropped off in destinations other than the designated meeting points.
This tour includes ‘sake’ tasting. You must be a minimum of 20 years of age to consume alcohol in Japan. For those underage OR guests who do not consume alcohol, non-alcoholic sakes are available.
There will be a substantial amount of walking involved (1.6km walk to and from the park).
Please wear suitable shoes for walking the forest trail (no heels) and a bag that is easy to carry. Although routes will be generally flat and easy to walk, the forest trail may be slippery in the winter.
There are a few days in the year that the monkeys might not come down to the park.
Please let us know of any food allergies and we will arrange lunch accordingly.

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Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip