Nagano Spring: 1-Day Cherry Blossoms & Snow Monkeys Guided Tour
- 9 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Mobile ticket
Highlights
This tour combines a visit to the world-famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park with an afternoon of cherry blossom-viewing at some of Nagano’s best blossom sites. Known as ‘sakura’ in Japanese, the stunning flowers are a must-see for any visitor in spring, with Nagano’s countless blossom trees coming into bloom later than other areas – the perfect activity to combine with your visit to the Snow Monkeys!
Inclusions
What's included
- Lunch
- Afternoon of cherry blossom at a location selected for its condition on the day.
- English-speaking guide
- Transportation from Nagano Station to all listed destinations / activities
- Jigokudani Monkey Park entry ticket
What's not
- Shinkansen / 'Bullet Train' tickets
- Additional food, snacks & drinks
- Accommodation
Itinerary
Established in 1964, Nagano's world-famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park is home to the only troop of monkeys in the world known to bathe in hot springs. With no barriers between you and the monkeys (don't worry, they are very calm) this is a unique opportunity to observe these curious creatures in close proximity as the walk about you, wrestle with each other, endlessly groom, and of course, soak in their favourite hot spring! 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 endeavour to give our guests 1 hour in the park to observe the monkeys.
Following your visit to the monkeys, your guide will accompany you to lunch at a nearby restuarant. This tour uses either 'Enza Cafe' located within walking distance of the park or nearby 'Japanese Dining GOEN'. Both restaurants serve a mixed Japanese / Western menu and are popular with both local residents and visitors.
After lunch you'll jump back on the tour bus and head for your afternoon of 'hanami' (flower-viewing). We monitor the condition of the blossoms across various spots in Nagano - some are famouss while others are very local but all are very beautiful - and select the best location for each tour on the day. For that reason it is typically not possible to advice which location we will visit in advance of a tour, but rest assured, we choose the best spot for you to enjoy the beautiful blossoms, to wander freely and capture those precious photographs. You should have at least 1.5 hours to enjoy the cherry blossom spot we select for your tour.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
4.9
- 531
- 42
- 31
- 20
- 10
Ratings come from 34 reviews collected by our booking partner. They are travellers' own words, in the order they were written — never reordered to flatter the experience.
Showing reviews written in English.
5Monkey mayhem
Tour on time. Guild, Kei, and the driver were awesome. Transport clean and comfortable. Monkeys are so cute and the blossoms abundant. Great Day!!!
5Snow monkeys and cherry blossoms
We had a wonderful tour with guide, Endo. The pacing was excellent with enough time for the snow monkey park and the cherry blossom viewing without feeling rushed. The lunch was also delicious. I like that they scout out what cherry blossom sight is at peak so it will change on different days.
5Bucket list item checked off my list!!!
I was warned that this time of year we would not see the monkeys because it’s not winter and I’m so glad I didn’t listen to people that told me that because we saw so many and it was absolutely amazing! Make sure you’ve got good, sturdy shoes on because it’s a bit of a hike to get in to see them but absolutely worth it. Our guide Kei (Kay) could not have been kinder or more accommodating for my grandson and I. The restaurant for lunch was much nicer than what I’m used to on tours and the food was delicious. Seeing the cherry blossoms up close in full bloom is definitely a sight to behold. If you’re an animal lover, and want to be out in nature, I absolutely recommend this trip!!
5The guide was wonderful, friendly and very informative. The snow monkeys was a must see. The lunch was fabulous.
We had a great time. The guide was fantastic. The lunch was fabulous. Cherry blossoms every where. The monkeys a must see! Highly recommend this tour.
5Amazing experience with superb tour guide
The trip was amazing! The monkey park was really fun, the lunch was great, and the cherry blossom spot they chose for us was truly beautiful! And of course, a shout out to the tour guide Kevin, who was really eganging, knowledgable and funny throughout the whole trip!
5Snow monkey and Hanami tour
Our tour of snow monkey park luckily coincided with cherry blossom viewing time, so we booked this organised tour to give our brains a break from doing all the legwork ourselves. Kevin, our guide, was professional yet relaxed, informative and ensured everything ran on schedule. We went on a 45 seat bus to the Jigokudani snow monkey Park, where after the drop off point you walk a couple of kilometres at your own speed into the park proper, past forest and a small geyser to the onsen pool where the snow monkeys relax and play. Took so many photos! There were a couple of tiny remnants of snow along the path in April. Bring warm clothes. After an hour or two, we went back down at our own speed to meet Kevin and had an unexpectedly super delicious and large lunch in a heritage building. Tempura, sushi, miso soup and a broth with choice of seafood, meat or vegetarian components were on offer. Then the tour company had chosen Ueda castle for our cherry blossom viewing, as this coincided with Ueda's food stall fair at the castle moat. The bus took enough time to get there that the majority of passengers had a power nap. At Ueda, again we wandered at our leisure for an hour taking a multitude of photos of combinations of blossom, historical castle with its gates and shrines and high look outs over Ueda city, and locals walking their impossibly cute dogs around the stalls. Back on the bus for the smooth hour drive back to Nagano and to reflect on a memorable day. Very happy to recommend!
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- Inside Nagano Station, in front of the large Information directly across from the Shinkansen ticket gates.
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 20 travellers
- Operated by
- Snow Monkey Resorts Tours (Machinovate Japan Ltd.)
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please wear suitable shoes for walking
- We monitor the blooming of the blossoms a select the possible location to view them for each tour, affecting the end time of each tour which will be between 17:30 to 18:30.
- If the trees are not in bloom on the day of the tour, you will visit Zenko-ji Temple and the sake brewery store instead. You will be notified of the change three days in advance of your tour
- In winter, the snow monkeys are often seen in the park’s hot spring bath. However, in spring and autumn months, the monkeys may just play or eat in the water
How it compares in Nagano
- Its from-price is 34% below the median of the 61 day trips we list in Nagano.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- By number of reviews it ranks 12 of 61.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Nagano
Nagano is a mountain city in central Japan, centred on the old Zenko-ji temple and ringed by ski slopes, hot springs and alpine valleys.
Nagano sits in a basin among the mountains of central Honshu, and Zenko-ji, a temple traditionally founded in the seventh century, is the heart of the city. Pilgrims have come to it for more than a thousand years, up a long approach lined with shops and lodgings to a great wooden hall. The city hosted the Winter Olympics in 1998.
Top-ranked sights in Nagano: Jigokudani Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen), Zenkoji Temple, Yudanaka Onsen.
Special offers in Nagano
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
