Snow Monkey Park and Miso Production Tour Bullet Train from Tokyo
Description
This 1-day tour from Tokyo led by an English-speaking National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter visits a miso brewery to watch the miso production process in Nagano Prefecture, Japan’s leading miso-producing region; and Jigokudani Monkey Park, which is famous as a place where Japanese macaques soak in hot springs during the cold season. Miso is a traditional food in Japan which has been sustaining the dietary life of the Japanese since ancient times. To watch how miso is made, a historical brewery established about 300 years ago. Obuse, a beautiful town famous for chestnuts. Feel free to stroll around the town and try some local food. Jigokudani Monkey Park is where the behavior of Japanese macaques can be seen up close in every season. As they soak in hot springs characteristic of winter, these Japanese macaques are also called snow monkeys. Enjoy the delightful sight of playful young monkeys and adorable newborns in spring and summer.
Tour Options
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.
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.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- 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
Reviews(28)
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!
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.
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.
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback about your experience with us. We appreciate your insights regarding the miso and soy sauce segment, as well as your suggestion about the timing of the Monkey Park visit. Your comments will help us improve future tours. We're glad that your tour guide was accommodating and able to add an extra excursion to Nagano City, enhancing your overall experience. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us refine our services. We hope to have the opportunity to serve you again on future travels, providing an even better 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.
Thank you for your valuable feedback. Your information about the bullet train tickets is greatly appreciated. We've revamped our tour content from 2025 to offer an even more enriching experience. Instead of visiting Zenkoji Temple, we've introduced a traditional miso-making tour and a stroll through the charming town of Obuse. Lunch is now enjoyed freely in Obuse town. We're delighted you highly rated the snow monkey park experience. Our new tour offers even more attractive content, so please visit us again. We look forward to helping you create wonderful memories.
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 .
Good value. It includes Shinkansen ticket from Tokyo to Nagano round trip plus lunch. Better to go there between December and March when the temperature is low. You will then see the monkey dipping in the hot spring. 45min walk from the drop off point to the monkey hot spring spa. Awesome experience. Do not bring any food even in plastic bag.
Our guide, Mariko, was extremely knowledgeable and accommodating. She spent extra time showing us around the temple, and explained the significance and rituals surrounding its history. We highly recommend journeying into the basement for the "spiritual journey" in the dark- scary but worth it! There was only one monkey at the park when we arrived, but we were still happy to see him. He walked around quite a bit and was not shy in the least.
A very easy going and friendly trip with an expert guide. The connections were clear and the staff was helpful.
Easy train ride with Shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano where our tour guide waited for us as we stepped out on the platform. The air in Nagano was so nice and fresh. Zenko-ji Temple was nice. The Soba noodles we had for lunch were very tasteful. The highlight of the tour was indeed the snow monkeys. Such an amazing experience to watch the in the hot springs.
<p>It's nice to see the snow monkeys during winter but I find the walk path very unsafe most especially for children and seniors. They should put precautionary measures such as rails on the walk path as it was slippery and wet during winter. It's like an accident waiting to happen to anyone.</p>
