1-Day Snow Monkeys & Snow Fun in Shiga Kogen Tour
Description
This adventurous one-day tour combines a visit to the world-famous Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani with morning of fun in the deep powder snow of Shiga Kogen – Japan’s largest ski resort! Including lunch and led by a locally-based, English-speaking guide, this tour follows a simple equation: snow monkeys + lots more snow = big fun in Shiga Kogen!
Tour Options
Itinerary
You will be transported to the central area of Shiga Kogen for a morning of snow fun, with an activity area sectioned-off for you to enjoy using snowscoots, snowdrives, and good old-fashioned sleds and tubes. While at the resort you will also have time for lunch a restaurant next to the ski fields - included in the price of the tour.
Meet these truly curious creatures and have time to enjoy the unique experience of observing them in close proximity. Your guide will introduce you to everything that makes them so unique and famous while giving you plenty of time to explore for yourself. Please note that estimated time at the monkey park includes walking in and out along the forest trail - 1.6km each way / 25 minutes each way in summer, slightly longer in winter. We endeavor to give our guests 1 hour in the park to observe the monkeys.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Guests are required to walk in and out of the monkey park along a 1.6km / 1 mile trail. In winter, the trail and park will be affected by snow and ice. This walk should not be attempted by anyone who is mobility impaired, in a wheelchair or cannot confidently walk an extended distance over snow and ice. If you have concerns about you or a member of your group's ability to handle the conditions, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
- This tour does not include skiing or snowboarding, nor is there the time to arrange your own skiing and snowboarding while at the resort.
- There are a few days in the year that the monkeys might not come down to the park or that the monkeys leave the park early. While this is unlikely to happen, it is possible and is outside of our control.
- While unlikely, should weather or road conditions make it impossible to access Shiga Kogen, we would switch the activity to a visit to Zenko-ji Temple. As we cannot confirm weather conditions until the day of the tour, we would not be able to notify guests of the change in advance.
- Infants (0-5) are free of charge. (No tour meal is included. Please order foods directly from the restaurant.)
- This tour is insured however as the guest, you are required to have your own travel insurance which covers snow activities including riding chairlifts and using snowdrives, snowscoots, sleds, and tubes. Please confirm that your insurance policy covers this activity prior to the tour.
- The temperature in the Shiga Highlands in the winter is cold and can be minus 5 – 10 degrees. Dress in warm, waterproof clothing and boots for snow activities. Snow outfits (snow jackets, pants, gloves, snow boots) are available to rent for ¥500 each. Crampons may be purchased at Snow Monkey Park, if needed.
- Please note, there may be possible changes in the itinerary/included experiences due to local events, weather, restaurant availability, or other unforeseeable factors.
Reviews(101)
The tour guide, Mr. Dillon was really fun, engaging, friendly, and helpful! Same goes for our tour driver, (Unfortunately we forgot his name but he’s been over to Bali, Indonesia 6 times) he was so polite, kind, and ready to help us.
Dear Guest, Thank you for such a "super duper" review! We are smiling from ear to ear reading about your time in Shiga Kogen. Dillon was absolutely thrilled to hear your feedback. It’s connections like these that make our tours special, and we’re so glad you felt well-taken care of by both of them. We hope you have a wonderful time on your next adventure in Japan or the wider world. Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Excellent trip! Would definitely recommend. Our guide Hiroshi was very friendly and knowledgeable. The snow fun was great on slopes that were very quiet with lots of sledge options to choose from. The lunch was very tasty and relaxed and then to the snow monkeys where we had plenty of time to walk around and take pictures before stopping at the cafe for a snow monkey latte!
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for the recommendation! We are thrilled to hear that you had such an excellent day exploring Shiga Kogen and visiting the monkeys. Hiroshi was delighted by your kind words. We’re also so glad you saved time for a Snow Monkey latte at the end; it’s the absolute best way to warm up after a walk through the park. It sounds like you had a perfectly balanced day of adventure and relaxation, and we couldn’t be happier for you! We hope to welcome you back in Nagano or the greater Japan area sometime soon! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Can’t recommend this tour enough. Jake was awesome! He was super friendly and managed to answer all 5000 of my partners questions. Lunch was fantastic and the park was beautiful. Definitely worth getting some shoe spikes if you go in winter (you can buy them before you go in for 1300 yen). Also worth getting some apple pie!
Dear Elliot, Thank you so much for the awesome review! We had a good laugh about your partner’s 5,000 questions—don't worry, Jake actually loves the curiosity! He was delighted to hear your feedback and is glad he could help make the day so informative. You are absolutely right about the shoe spikes! Even as the winter season wraps up, we would love to welcome you back to Nagano or show you more of Japan through our other experiences from now on. Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
So worth the time to go see the snow monkeys, magic! Kei was a wonderful tour guide with lots of great recommendations as well for a fun trip!
Dear Sarah, Thank you so much for the review! We are thrilled that you found the snow monkeys as magical as we do. Kei was so happy to hear your kind words, so we’re glad those tips helped make your trip even more fun. It sounds like you had a wonderful day exploring Shiga Kogen and the monkey park with her. Now that you’ve experienced the magic of our winter season, we would love to welcome you back to see the mountains in their summer green, or explore another part of Japan with us through our various experiences in Japan from now on! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
We had the best day ever!!! For my 60th birthday I wanted to see and play in the snow, as living in the tropics it was something I'd always longed to do. Dillon was so much fun. He made us feel young again with his enthusiasm. We played like kids in the snow. Lunch was delicious, (I couldn't eat it all) Then it was up to see the snow monkeys, they are so healthy, as they are let roam free. It snowed most of the day. My husband and I were so impressed at how well Dillon spoke Japanese. Thanks again Dillon, we will not forget this magical day. :)
Dear Tracey, We are so incredibly honored that you chose to spend such a special milestone with us. There is nothing quite like seeing snow for the first time, and hearing that you and your husband "played like kids" is the best birthday gift we could have asked for! Dillon had a blast with you both and was so impressed by your energy. We are so glad the monkeys were active and that you got to experience a true Nagano snowfall. We hope your 60th year is as magical as that snowy day in Shiga Kogen. Please come back and visit us again whenever you miss the cold, or wish to have more experiences throughout Japan! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Highly recommend this tour! Hana the guide was fantastic - friendly & knowledgeable and changed the days activities to suit us. Lunch was delicious. And a big thanks to the wonderful driver also.
Dear Carlene, Thank you so much for your kind words! We are thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic day in Shiga Kogen. Hana was more than happy to adjust the activities to make sure they were just right for you! We will also be sure to pass your thanks along to our driver; they take great pride in keeping the mountain roads safe and comfortable for our guests. We hope the memories of that delicious lunch and the snow fun stay with you for a long time. We’d love to welcome you back for another adventure soon! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Wonderful snowy day in a wonderful scenery, the ski resort was very amiable for muy kids and the walk to de snow monkeys was fantastic. Hiroshi was great.
Pleasant experience with our amazing tour guide Hiroshi. There were only 2 others with our tour group making it a small group of 4. It felt like a private tour. Hiroshi spoke very good English and provided us with lots of interesting information about Nagano and the snow monkey park. The lunch was a delicious beef hotpot at a semi-private area of the restaurant. Hiroshi had organised our snow monkey park tickets beforehand so we did not have to queue in the line. I would highly recommend joining the tour if you want a stress free day to focus on enjoying the activities and sights.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are thrilled that you had such a pleasant experience with Hiroshi. We’re also glad that skipping the ticket lines helped keep your day focused on the fun rather than the logistics. We hope the rest of your travels are just as magical. We’d love to welcome you back to Nagano or Japan again soon! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
I highly recommend this very well organized experience We were picked up from our hotel in nagano and dropped off afterwards with our suitcases at our onsen in nozawa onsen It was very convenient
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for the review! We are thrilled that your family had such a well-organized and convenient day with us. We know that traveling with children and heavy suitcases can be a challenge, so we are very happy that our door-to-door service between Nagano and Nozawa Onsen made your trip easier. It’s the best way to turn a "travel day" into a day of snow fun! We hope your children enjoyed the monkeys and the snow in Shiga Kogen. Cher client, Merci beaucoup pour ce commentaire ! Nous sommes ravis que votre famille ait passé une journée si bien organisée et pratique avec nous. Nous savons que voyager avec des enfants et des valises peut être un défi, c'est pourquoi nous sommes très heureux que notre service de porte-à-porte entre Nagano et Nozawa Onsen ait facilité votre voyage. C'est la meilleure façon de transformer une journée de transport en une journée de plaisir dans la neige ! Nous espérons que vos enfants ont apprécié les singes et la neige à Shiga Kogen. Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
It was a great experience to see the monkeys. We recommend this tour for families with children Kei was very nice and friendly, and gave us some great information. Also, the food was excellent!
Dear Sara, Thank you so much for the review! We are thrilled that your family had such a great experience with us. Kei was so happy to hear your kind words! We agree that Shiga Kogen is a fantastic spot for children to enjoy the snow—we hope the kids had a blast! We look forward to welcoming your family back for more snow adventures in Nagano or other areas of Japan in the future! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
