Snow Monkey Park and Miso Production Tour Bullet Train from Tokyo
About this activity
Highlights
- Experience the famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
- Enjoy a scenic bullet train ride from Tokyo to Nagano
- Participate in an authentic miso production workshop
- Taste various miso products and learn about their history
- Capture memorable photos of snow monkeys in their natural habitat
Full description
Included / Excluded
- National Government Licensed English Guide Interpreter
- Shinkansen (bullet train) tickets round trip from Tokyo
- Monkey park admission fee
- Other admission fees and transportation costs included in the tour
- Guide (during train ride between Tokyo and Nagano)
- Lunch
- Fees other than those listed in Includes
Itinerary
Please make your own way to Tokyo Station. Board the Hokuriku Shinkansen (ordinary car reserved seating) and head to Nagano. There is no accompanying National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter while on board the Shinkansen.
Pass by: Please meet the guide holding a JTB Sunrise Tours sign at Nagano Station Concourse (2nd floor) in front of the Nagano City Tourist Information Center by 9:50 AM. The tour will depart at 10:00 AM towards the first destination.
See the manufacturing process of miso, the indispensable ingredient of miso soup and is said to be synonymous with washoku (Japanese cuisine), which has been designated as an intangible cultural property. After the tour, experience Japan’s food culture by sampling some miso soup and amazake.
Enjoy your stroll around Obuse. Obuse is the town where renowned ukiyo-e artist Katsushika Hokusai spent his twilight years. It is also famous for chestnuts. Relish the beautiful traditional townscape while strolling around, check out some shops featuring chestnut products, and take some time for lunch (meal charges not included in the tour).
Here, you can get to see wild Japanese monkeys up close amidst scenery that changes with the season. Delight in the adorable sight of cute baby monkeys during their birth season in spring, young monkeys full of life playing in the summer, or wild monkeys taking a comfortable soak in the hot springs in winter.
Depart from Nagano Station on the Shinkansen train (ordinary car, reserved seating) to Tokyo. There is no accompanying National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter while on board the Shinkansen.
Important information
Know before you book
- The tour involves approximately 1.6 kilometers of walking to reach the snow monkey park; ensure you're comfortable with this distance.
- Meals and beverages are not included; consider bringing snacks or purchasing food during the tour.
- The tour operates in English; proficiency in the language is recommended for full participation.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes suitable for forest trails.
- Dress in layers to accommodate varying temperatures throughout the day.
- Bring a camera to capture the unique wildlife and scenic landscapes.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Accessibility
- Easy Public Transport
- Infants Required On Laps
Good to know
- Please go to Tokyo City i and pick up the tickets on your own. Pick-up at Tokyo City i is possible starting from 3 days before the tour departure date until the day prior to departure. However, pick-up is not available on the day of booking and the day after booking (business days only)
- Tokyo City i (Tourist Information Center) Address: B1F KITTE JP Tower, 2-7-2 Marunouchi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo. Open Hours: 9:00 - 19:00. Facility may be closed without notice due to sudden changes. For more details, please check the website. Pick-up is not available at Tokyo City i outside of open hours. Tickets cannot be issued or changed at Tokyo City i
- Tickets and the final itinerary may be picked up at Tokyo City i. The designated Shinkansen may not be changed at the pick-up location
- The order of activities and arrival times may differ depending on road conditions and congestion at destinations
- Seats on the bus may not be designated
- Depending on the number of participants, a sedan or taxi van may be used instead
- This is a hard walking tour covering about 50 minutes of walking each way between the Shiga Kogen Roman Museum and Jigokudani Monkey Park
- As Jigokudani Monkey Park is situated 850 meters above sea level, temperatures are cooler than on the plain, so please participate wearing warm clothing. Also, the walking path may be frozen and slippery if there is snow in winter. Please wear winter boots or other non-slip footwear. If it is determined by the accompanying guide that cold weather measures, etc. are insufficient, customers may be recommended to rent equipment from a rental shop near Jigokudani Monkey Park. In such cases, expenses must be shouldered by customers
- Observe the Japanese macaques’ way of life and behavior that vary by the season
- The sight of Japanese macaques soaking in hot springs can be seen until around March. While it may also not be seen depending on the weather or time, etc., refunds will not be issued for this reason
- As monkeys are wild animals, their behavior can be unpredictable, and they cannot be fed or touched. The park may be suddenly closed due to weather or seasonal conditions, Japanese macaques’ behavior, or other reason. Please note there may also be a sudden tour cancellation. Thank you for your understanding. A full refund will be issued if the tour is canceled
- Please note that we are unable to provide special support for those with trouble walking, or small children
- The Shinkansen schedule may vary slightly due to unforeseen conditions
- No refunds will be issued even if the Shinkansen tickets are not used. In such cases, please use public transportation to the destination on your own
- If you must cancel your tour after receiving the Shinkansen tickets, please send the tickets back to: Address: 2-3-14 Higashi Shinagawa, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo (JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc.)
- Changes may not be made to the scheduled Shinkansen. Customers who miss the designated Shinkansen may board a later departing Shinkansen in the non-reserved car section only (same day only)
- Customers will carry their own baggage. Please be aware that there is not much space on board the Shinkansen
- Parental permission in writing is necessary for all tour participants under the age of eighteen. Any participant under the age of fifteen or not yet enrolled in middle school must be joined by a parent or guardian on the tour
- There is also a tour operating round-trip from Nagano
- Photos ©地獄谷野猿公苑 Jigokudani Yaen koen Inc All Rights Reserved.
- 2025 Update: The tour now includes a miso production tour and Obuse town visit instead of Zenkoji Temple, offering a more diverse cultural experience
Traveler reviews
A wonderful experience!
An activity that ticked off several boxes. Our first ride on the Bullet train, our first visit to a miso production facility and the crowning glory of this trip was the visit to the Snow Monkey Park. Seeing these adorable creatures frolicking with their babies in such a lovely setting was just magical!
Snow Monkeys galore!
What a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We were lucky to be the only people on the tour and thoroughly loved the entire experience. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and went out of her way to make sure we had a great time. The Miso factory and town tour were great, but the highlight of the tour was definitely the snow monkeys! We saw so many of them and had ample time for pictures. Thank you for a wonderful time.
Average
Overall, Viator was excellent in their prompt responses via messaging. The tour company even sent the Shinkansen train tickets to our hotel before we arrived to our hotel just in case we had arrived late on a weekend. The miso and soy sauce segment of the tour was OK. It keeps the tradition alive. As per the Monkey Park aspect, I wish we had done it first and early, so that the monkeys may have been in the onsen, instead of around it. Our tour guide was accommodating and he was able to add one more excursion with a waiver, so that we were able to see/walk in Nagano City. This was very good.
One of a kind experience
This tour includes the bullet train ticket to Nagano from Tokyo station. We were staying at an AirBnb (not hotel) so we needed to go pick up our tickets beforehand - plan to include that in your itinerary if you are not staying at a hotel. You are meant to find your way to Nagano on own. The guide meets you and the group at the Nagano train station. From there you visit the temple and lunch. We were disappointed to not really learn anything about the temple. Our guides English was not as good as other tours we enjoyed during our stay. I’m surprised to read that others enjoyed their lunch - we found it to be average at best. After lunch you head by bus to the see the snow monkeys. Be prepared to wear waterproof footwear as you’ll trudge through some snowy mud. The walk was lovely - we stopped along the way to take photos with a picturesque winter backdrop - a very unique and serene setting. Once you arrive at the park you will spend about an hour observing the monkeys. We really enjoyed it. One hour is plenty of time before heading back to the bus which takes you to the train station for your travel back to Tokyo station. The snow monkey park was great - however considering our need to pick up the bullet train tickets, I wonder if it would have been a better experience to just make the arrangements on own. It was convenient to have the bus arranged but the guided experience and lunch was lacking. I would recommend doing a little research to maybe make your own plans - save yourself the possible need to pick up tickets. However, a great authentic experience to see the snow monkeys. Do not miss this as part of your trip. A nice change of pace from Tokyo.
The actual walk in the snow.
Very well organized. Ken our guide was wonderful. The actual walk up to the monkeys is quite something. You need to be fit for a 50 minute up hill walk .