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.

This tour takes you from JR Nagano Station to the world-famous Jigokudani snow monkeys and to some of the most beloved cherry blossom viewing spots in Nagano. Seeing the blooming cherry blossoms (called hanami in Japanese) is one of the most Japanese things one can do whilst being in the land of the rising sun. Located in a chilly, mountainous region, northern Nagano’s blossoms start blooming later than those in cities like Tokyo or Kyoto. Every year, the blossoms normally come into bloom from the middle of April. Nagano is not as famous as an aforementioned city but has many lovely places where you can see the brightly colored flowers. If you wish to get off the beaten track and see the wild monkeys and cherry blossoms on the same day, this tour is perfect for you. First, you will be taken to Jigokudani Monkey Park, where you can observe the wild Japanese macaques at an incredibly close distance. April is generally the month when newborn babies arrive to the Jigokudani monkey troop. Usually there are 20 to 30 babies born every spring, and it’s endearing to see the newborns taking their first step and climb. After being filled by a Japanese lunch, the tour will take you to the hanami spots where cherry blossoms can be seen. The spots are selected depending on the degree of bloom of the blossoms on the tour date. Each spot has different types of cherry blossoms with overall more than 500 to 1000 sakura trees. Experience the yearly tradition to welcome spring in full. After enjoying the cherry blossoms, you will be taken to the train that takes you back to JR Nagano Station. The tour is scheduled to conclude at JR Nagano Station by 6:30 PM. Don’t miss this special opportunity to witness Japan’s beautiful spring.

Your guide will meet you at Nagano Station at 11:00 and once all guests have arrived, get the tour started by heading toward the Jigokudani Monkey Park. You will be dropped as close as possible to the park before your guide takes you along the forest trail leading into the park itself – 1.6km each way – taking approximately 30 minutes. With no barriers between you and the monkeys, you are free to enjoy watching them bathe, play, fed, and endlessly groom each other – remember to bring your camera, you’re going to need it! From there your guide will take you back along the forest trail and to a nearby restaurant for a well-earned late lunch. Hotaru-tei is housed in a 160-year old merchant family mansion which has quickly established itself as one of the region’s best. In the historic surroundings of this traditional building, you can enjoy Japan and Nagano’s renowned food culture. Leaving the restaurant it’s time to head back to Nagano and get seated for the largest autumn fireworks display in Japan! Held of the banks of the Sai River, this stunning display has been held since 1899, when a group of local merchants first held a bargain sale and daylong fireworks to express their gratitude toward Ebisu – one of Japan’s seven lucky gods – and pray for prosperous business and harvest to come. Over the years the fireworks have grown to what they are today – Japan’s largest autumn fireworks display which attracts an audience of more than 400,000 people! This tour includes reserved seating to ensure you have an uninterrupted view of the fireworks and can enjoy the show in comfort. Running from 18:00 to 20:00, the crisp autumn sky radiates in the light of more than 15,000 individual pyrotechnics, culminating in the dazzling main event which closes out the show. Once done your guide will help you navigate to the crowds back to your bus for the short drive to Nagano Station where the tour concludes at approximately 21:00 to 21:15*.