Myoko and Madarao Day Tour Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji and Sake
Description
Experience the best of Nagano with this immersive tour starting from Myoko Kogen and Madarao Kogen. Begin your journey with a visit to the renowned Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, home to Japan’s famous hot spring-bathing monkeys. Afterward, savor a delicious winter lunch before heading to the historic Zenkoji Temple, one of the country's most significant Buddhist sites. Led by a knowledgeable English-speaking guide, the tour concludes with a sake tasting, offering a perfect blend of culture, nature, and local flavors.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Starting with pickups from multiple locations, the tour begins at 08:40 from the Akakura Hot Spring Sightseeing Information Center, followed by the Shin-Akakura bus stop, and Hotel Madarao. From there, travel towards the Snow Monkey Park. Upon arrival around 10:30, your guide will lead you along the scenic forest trail into Jigokudani—aptly named ‘Hell’s Valley’ due to its steamy volcanic activity.
After exiting the park, enjoy a delicious winter hotpot lunch made from fresh, local ingredients; Expect a satisfying meal that showcases the flavors of Nagano. For those who wish to try local wines, sake, and beer, you can order and pay directly at the counter to enjoy the spirits of Nagano.
Well-fed, you’ll continue to Zenkoji Temple, one of Japan’s most revered religious sites, dating back to 642. Your guide will provide insights into the temple’s history and legends before allowing you some free time to explore the surrounding district, where you can browse quaint shops and sample local delicacies. At approximately 16:45, rejoin your group and board the bus for the return trip to Myoko Kogen and Madarao Kogen, with drop-offs at the same locations in reverse order, arriving back by 19:05.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(9)
What an awesome day with Ryusei. Really easy to get along with and great English skills and knowledge of all aspects of the trip. Flexible to change itinerary timings slightly to improve the experience. Everything was easy and the food was awesome I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and would definitely recommend
Dear Brent, Thank you so much for the review! We are thrilled to hear that you had an awesome day exploring with Ryusei. We do our best at being flexible and adjusting the timing to make sure our guests get the absolute best experience possible. We’re so glad the English communication, the food, and the logistics from Myoko/Madarao all felt easy and seamless for you. We hope to welcome you to one of our experiences again across Japan soon! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Our guide was very informative and helpful and the itinerary was also good . With the authentic lunch a pleasant bonus
Dear John, Thank you so much for your kind review! We are delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable day with us. We often find that while the monkeys are the main draw, the lunch becomes a favorite memory for many of our guests, so we are thrilled it was a pleasant bonus for you! It was a pleasure hosting you from the Myoko/Madarao area, and we’ll be sure to pass your kind words along to your guide. We hope to welcome you around the Nagano area or in greater Japan sometime soon! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
The tour exceeded our expectations. To my surprise, my husband and I were the only ones on the trip. So that was a great bonus. Yama was our guide and he was amazing. Knowledgeable, personable, fun, engaging, and just really got to know us as people. The tour itself was also just amazing. Such a well rounded tour with lots to do and see. Snow monkeys were so neat. Lunch was AMAZING. Zenkoji Temple and surrounding around was so cool. Lots to do. I would highly recommend this trip.
Dear Rebekah, What a blast it was to read your review! We are so happy that the stars aligned and you ended up with a private experience, as it’s always a wonderful bonus when that happens, as it allows our guides to really connect with our guests. Yama was thrilled to hear your kind words. He truly enjoyed getting to know you both as people, rather than just as "tourists," and he’s so glad he could make the temple and the monkey park come alive for you. We are also delighted that the lunch hit the AMAZING mark! Although your winter getaway might be over, we would love to welcome you back to Nagano or introduce you to more of our experiences across Japan from now on! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
We had an incredible day with Dillon! We started at the Snow Monkeys and we arrived right as they were being fed. We saw so many of them and got some amazing photos! After an extremely delicious lunch, we visited Zenkoji Temple. Dillon was knowledgeable about the history and significance of the temple, which made the visit much more meaningful. We finished the day with a fantastic sake tasting. Throughout the entire trip, Dillon was extremely nice, patient, and informative. He really looked after us and made the whole experience seamless. We highly recommend booking with him!
Dear Guest, What a perfect day indeed! Thank you so much for your wonderful review. We are thrilled you arrived at the park just in time for the feeding, as seeing that much activity is always a highlight and makes for some truly amazing photos! Dillon was absolutely delighted to hear your feedback. He believes that the history of Zenkoji is what makes the temple come alive, so he’s very happy he could make that visit more meaningful for you. It’s also great to hear that the lunch and sake tasting hit the mark! Even though the winter snow has melted, Nagano is beautiful in every season. We would love to welcome you back or show you around other parts of Japan through our various experiences from now on! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
We had an incredible day with Dillon! We started at the Snow Monkeys and we arrived right as they were being fed. We saw so many of them and got some amazing photos! After an extremely delicious lunch, we visited Zenkoji Temple. Dillon was knowledgeable about the history and significance of the temple, which made the visit much more meaningful. We finished the day with a fantastic sake tasting. Throughout the entire trip, Dillon was extremely nice, patient, and informative. He really looked after us and made the whole experience seamless. We highly recommend booking with him!
Nice variety of sights in a quieter Japan. Shawn was friendly, knowledgeable and very attentive. The sake tasting was interesting and the information was accessible which made it even more enjoyable. Expect a healthy turnout at the monkey spectating, but it didn’t cause delay or inability to get close and take some photos. Our group had a great time.
Dear Dean, Thank you for your thoughtful review! We are so pleased that you enjoyed the variety of sights our region has to offer, as Nagano truly is a special place for those looking to experience a quieter side of Japan. Shawn was delighted to hear your feedback. He’ll be happy to know his attentive service made your day. You’re absolutely right that the monkey park can draw a healthy crowd, but we’re glad you were still able to get those perfect up-close photos! Now that you’ve had a taste of our local culture, we would love to welcome you back to Nagano or introduce you to more of our experiences across Japan from now on! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
Dillon was a fantastic guide! I had so much fun learning about the history of Zenkoji Temple, trying different kinds of sake, and visiting the snow monkeys. Would highly recommend!
Dear Reagan, Thank you so much for the recommendation! We are thrilled that you had so much fun on your day trip from Myoko and Madarao. Dillon was delighted to hear your feedback! We are so glad that the snow monkey magic topped off the day perfectly for you. We’d love to have you back for another adventure whenever you return to Japan. Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
We had a lovely day out guided by Kei. She was extra kind and caring for our 5 year old. Geting to the snow monkeys with pre booked tickets before the crowd was too large saved us a lot of hassle.
Dear Patrick, Thank you so much for the lovely review! We are so happy to hear that your family had a great day trip from Myoko and Madarao. Kei was absolutely delighted to hear your feedback! We are also pleased that getting those tickets sorted early allowed you to enjoy the monkeys before the park got too busy. We’d love to see you all again! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
It was a great tour, Shauun was very helpful and always there to assist in everything. He was also very knowledgeable on the history and we had a great time. Thank you.
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for the awesome review! We are thrilled to hear that you had such a great time exploring with us. Shawn was so happy to hear your feedback! He truly loves sharing the history of Nagano and Zenkoji, and he always aims to make the experience as smooth as possible. We’re glad he could make the journey from Myoko and Madarao smooth and informative for you. We hope to see you back in Japan sometime soon for another tour! Warmly, The Snow Monkey Resorts Team
