Nagano Adventure: Snow Monkeys & Sake Tasting

Explore Nagano’s wonders: Snow Monkeys, Obuse art, Zenkoji Temple, and sake tasting. Discover nature, history, and gastronomy in a premium small-group tour.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Beck’s Coffee Shop - 8:45 AM: Gather in front of Beck’s Coffee at Nagano Station for a warm greeting from your guide.
    Getting There: From Tokyo Station, take the 6:52 AM or 7:20 AM Shinkansen to arrive promptly.
  • Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park - Observe wild Japanese macaques enjoying the natural hot springs, a must-see in Nagano.
    -…
What's Included
  • Entry to Snow Monkey Park
  • Transportation between all tour locations
  • Savor premium sake
  • Lunch
  • Introduction to famous chestnut sweets shops in Obuse
  • Drop-off at Zenkoji Temple (optional) with return pick-up to Nagano Station
What's Not Included
  • Hokusai Museum entrance fee
  • Optional expenses: food, drinks, shopping, transport to meeting point
  • There are no mandatory in-destination costs.
Additional Information

Experience an exclusive small-group tour, typically accommodating 6–8 guests, that seamlessly combines nature, culture, and delicious local cuisine in a single day.
Begin your journey at Nagano Station and proceed to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Enjoy a peaceful walk through the forest to observe wild macaques soaking in natural hot springs—one of…

Location
Beck's Coffee Shop
In front of Beck’s Coffee inside Nagano Station (just outside the Shinkansen ticket gates)
Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings
5.0
(25 Ratings)
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Richardsw6029om
Jan 27, 2026
Perfect day in Nagano! - A terrific tour! I highly recommend Masa-san and this tour. Being a smaller tour, masa-san can beat the busloads of tourists to the Jigokudani Yaen-koen snow monkey park and give you some insights into the history of the park. This was followed by a lovely lunch in Obuse, a small town in the Nagano region. We toured the Hokusai Museum and enjoyed the area and its treats and snacks. The sake tasting was fun, and we even bought a bottle of our favorite. Masa-san is super-friendly and can adapt the tour as-needed. Thank you, Masa-san!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Heather_w
Jan 20, 2026
A Truly Perfect Day in Nagano - Our guide, Masa-san, is a local to Nagano who is very kind and easy to talk to. He is very knowledgeable of the area and the Snow Monkeys. When arriving at Snow Monkey Park, the walking pace was leisurely, with Masa-san going ahead of our group to secure entry tickets, so we could skip the line (usually about 30 minutes). The park itself was a little crowded, but that was expected. No worries though, as people move along fairly quickly in some areas, though you will need to queue up and wait for the perfect picture at the snow monkey onsen. After the park, we headed to Nagano and had lunch at an excellent restaurant. Both meat options are recommended, as they were both very good. Next up, we had a sake tasting which changed my understanding of the drink! Very delicious! Finally, we had a bit of free time in Nagano to explore - we hit up the Takai Kōzan Memorial Hall museum (entry fee, a paltry 300 ¥) which gives you a view of his life. Try the chestnut ice cream in the area if you a chance. After that, there was time for a visit to the Zenkoji Temple. This neat place has a street full of vendors (check out the shop with what I would call Harry Potter style chopsticks - "the wand chooses the wizard, Harry"). There are food stalls as well, if you want a treat after stuffing yourself at lunch. The temple is beautifully maintained and is fairly large, so there's lots to explore inside and out. Finally, I say you ask Masa-san about punk rock. He is a fan!
Review provided by Viator
Nadine_k
Jan 17, 2026
Wonderful experience in... - Wonderful experience in Nagano, the guide was very informative and easy to get along with. He gave us a lot of time to explore the places we went which made the tour feel relaxed. Arriving early to the snow monkey park was great so we could enjoy it before the crowds came in. The lunch spot was delicious and sake tasting was memorable. Overall would highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Lyssandro
Jan 10, 2026
Epic day in Nagano - This day trip was a highlight of our trip to Japan. Our guide Masa was very knowledgeable and explained a lot of information about the places we visited on the tour. Super easy pick up at Nagano station, comfortable trip to the snow monkey park, our guide arranged tickets to avoid queues, the monkeys were very cute. The lunch was high quality and delicious, as was the sake tasting. We had time to look around Obuse, including the Hokusai museum. We also visited Zenkoji, which was very beautiful. We really enjoyed this day trip and would definitely recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jesse_s
Jan 8, 2026
Snow monkeys - We missed our train and arrived late, Massa the tour guide was very accommodating. Had a great time, snow monkeys were very cool.
Review provided by Viator
Jaxmal
Jan 5, 2026
Excellent experience! - Excellent day! Nice small group with an excellent host and driver.fantastic experience walking to and at the monkey park! We loved the sake experience, though wish we had more time at the Hokusai museum
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Craighm7030oa
Dec 29, 2025
Monkeys, lunch and sake - Great day. Kei our guide was cheerful , had good local knowledge and made our day a breeze. No waiting in lines as she ran ahead to get tickets great venue for lunch. .
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Annie_s
Dec 28, 2025
The guide was friendly,... - The guide was friendly, knowledge and kept the group moving patiently but efficiently. We saw a lot of snow monkeys at the onsen before the crowds started to move in and enjoyed a delicious lunch and sake tasting after. Transportation and communication were smooth. 100% worth the price! Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Goldcoastkozzy
Dec 20, 2025
Snow monkey tour & Obuse - Excellent guide (Masa) very knowledgeable, accommodating and friendly. Vehicle comfortable and clean. Tour was very enjoyable and above expectations.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anna_j
Dec 13, 2025
Travelers visit many... - Travelers visit many highlights of Nagano, including the monkey park, a Japanese restaurant, Obuse chestnut alley, and Zenkoji Temple. Masa is a knowledgeable guide as a Nagano native and a world traveler. Our visit was especially lucky, as we picked a day when the snow monkeys visited the park en masse and a few even went into the hot spring water. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes that you can clean and warm clothing.
Review provided by Viator
From $155
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).