Japan Discovery Tour: Hidden Gems & Culture

Explore Japan’s hidden gems with our private tour to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park and Togakushi Shrine. Discover unique experiences and create lasting memories.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen) - Nestled in the mountains of Nagano, Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park is renowned for its wild Japanese macaques, affectionately known as snow monkeys. These fascinating creatures are famous for their distinctive habit of bathing in natural hot springs during the chilly winter months, offering visitors a unique…
What's Included
  • Private transportation
  • In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
  • Admission is paid on-site, so you get the best price without extra online fees.
Additional Information

A full-day excursion to Nagano’s snow monkeys and Togakushi Shrine. With a private vehicle and guide, bypass the crowds and gain local insights. Photos are taken and provided after the tour.
❑ A Unique Experience
Visit Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, where in winter, monkeys relax in hot springs, and in summer, they frolic in forests and rivers. Then…

Location
Snow Monkey Park (jigokudani Yaen Koen)
6845 Hirao, Yamanochi, Shimotakai District, Nagano 381-0401, Japan
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.0
(4 Ratings)
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Valarie_l
Nov 12, 2025
Highly reccomend! Hundreds of snow monkeys and a 4,000 year old sacred place - Highly recommend this tour! Chris picked us up promptly at 9am at our hotel. He had already checked the “monkey cam” and suggested we reverse the usual tour order to possibly see more monkeys in the afternoon, and we saw HUNDREDS of monkeys in the afternoon! Absolutely thrilling. The morning was spent at Togakushi shrine and along the cedar snow lined path that was gorgeous. Chris was kind and engaging, allowing us to set the pace and he took many souvenir photos for and of us. He dropped us off about 5:30 pm at a restaurant he recommended for supper near our hotel that was outstanding 👍 We chose to walk all the way to the shrine and wore tennis shoes with wool socks on the sometimes slushy trail. We were lucky to see the monkeys, who had been to the hot springs about 6 of the last 30 days this time of year. Altogether both trails were a few easy miles, which we enjoyed.
Review provided by Viator
358vishalr
Sep 19, 2025
Wonderful tour! - This is one of few tours that encompasses both the Togakushi Shrine and Snow Money Park in one day. Admittedly my wife and I were apprehensive booking, having never booked a tour before, but are so glad that we did. We had an incredible experience with Dai, our tour guide, who was easily contactable on WhatsApp and addressed all our questions prior to the day. He was punctual and picked us up from our hotel. Dai was extremely friendly and considerate, striking a perfect balance between leaving us alone to experience the surroundings but also informing us of the local area. A nice surprise, Dai also brings along his camera and takes pictures during the day! We left our hotel promptly at 9am to head to Jigokudani entrance followed by a beautiful 20 minute walk to the Snow Monkey Park (we arrived early enough so there was nobody else on the trail). Luckily, we arrived at the perfect time to see several Snow Monkeys in their natural habitat (just 30 minutes later, more people started arriving and the monkeys started to leave). Following that, we had a wonderful drive to the Togakushi Shrine, where we had lunch. Dai took us to one of his favourite soba restaurants, which was a family-run joint over 150 years old. The food was delicious, very well priced and they had vegetarian options for my wife (having a native Japanese speaker certainly helps deal with any dietary requirements). After lunch, we walked up to the upper Togakushi Shrine, along a route with incredible cedar trees. Finishing up, Dai drove us back along a scenic route to our hotel by 4pm. The tour was well worth the money. We saved so much time and hassle going by car with a local. We would highly recommend this tour to anyone who visits Nagano.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Winjocchew
Oct 21, 2025
Tour description should make it clear that this is a tour only for winter months. - Huge disappointment as this is not the season for snow monkeys. Only went to the Togakushi Shrine. Don’t book!
Review provided by Viator
From $135
up to 9 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).