Snow Monkeys, Obuse & Sake: A Perfect Day in Nagano
- 7–8 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Enjoy a premium small-group tour—typically 6–8 guests—blending nature, culture, and great local food in one smooth day. Start at Nagano Station and head to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Walk a quiet forest trail to see wild macaques relaxing in natural hot springs—one of Nagano’s most iconic sights. Next, visit Obuse for a local lunch and a historic brewery sake tasting. Then enjoy some free time in this charming town, long associated with the artist Hokusai, whose later years in Obuse helped shape its cultural identity—stroll the scenic streets, browse local shops, and sample a few local treats at your own pace. On 8:45 AM departures, there is also time for an optional visit to Zenkoji Temple—one of Nagano’s most important historic landmarks (not available on 9:35 AM departures). With beautiful scenery, authentic flavors, and a touch of art and history, this tour captures the best of Nagano—comfortably, efficiently, and in a genuinely personal small-group setting.
Inclusions
What's included
- Choice of chicken, pork, or vegetarian meal, made with fresh, local ingredients
- Small-group experience with an English-speaking local guide
- Entry to Snow Monkey Park
- For 8:45 departures only: optional drop-off at Zenkoji Temple with return pick-up to Nagano Station.
- Savor premium sake
- Transportation between all tour locations
What's not
- Hokusai Museum entrance fee
- Optional expenses: food, drinks, shopping, transport to meeting point
- There are no mandatory in-destination costs.
Itinerary
8:45 AM: Meet in front of Becks Coffee at Nagano Station for a warm welcome from your guide. Getting There: If traveling from Tokyo Station, take the 6:52 AM or 7:20 AM Shinkansen to arrive on time.
Witness wild Japanese macaques soaking in natural hot springs, an iconic Nagano experience.
Explore the picturesque streets of Obuse, renowned for its artistic heritage, traditional craftsmanship, and chestnut delicacies. Savor a delicious lunch featuring fresh, seasonal dishes like Nagano chicken, tender pork, or vegetarian grated yam.
• Sample two types of premium sake at a local brewery (30ml each). • If not participating, explore Obuse’s scenic streets during this time.
Take some free time in Obuse to stroll through the scenic streets or browse charming local shops at your own pace. Guests may also choose to visit the Hokusai Museum independently (admission not included).
Flexible Ending (8:45 AM departures only): Return to Nagano Station or Enjoy Free Time at Zenkoji Temple After visiting Obuse, guests on 8:45 AM departures can choose how they would like to finish the day. If you prefer to end the tour earlier, you may be dropped off directly at Nagano Station. Those who would like to visit Zenkoji Temple can enjoy free time at one of Nagano’s most important historic landmarks before returning to the station. After dropping off guests at Nagano Station, the guide will return to Zenkoji to pick up those visiting the temple and bring them back to Nagano Station. This option is not available on 9:35 AM departures.
3:30 - 4:30 PM – Tour Ends • Wrap up your day with a choice of returning to Nagano Station or continuing your adventure at Zenkoji Temple. • Whether you prefer a relaxed finish or extra exploration time, the itinerary is designed to suit your pace. • The exact end time will depend on the pace and preferences of the group, ensuring a flexible and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Reviews
5.0
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Ratings come from 29 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.
5It REALLY is the perfect way to visit Nagano!
Our guide Aoi and our driver were amazing and made our excursion so enjoyable! It‘s really perfectly planned from pick up to the drop off. First we visited the snow monkey park. It‘s a bit of a hike, but so worth it! The forest is beautiful with brooks of water and hanging mist in the air. Of course the snow monkeys are a sight to behold and very entertaining to watch. We now have fabulous photographs and memories. The other stops of our excursion were the icing on the cake. I‘m not going to spoil the surprise of discovering it all on your own! Don’t miss the temple! It‘s a pity we only came for the day from Tokyo, because the o8experience Tour company offers other amazing excursions. Thank-you so much!
5Amazing day, what an adventure
Amazing day, our guide Masa was brilliant. Highly recommend. Best lunch we’ve had in Japan. Didn’t realise that Sake could taste so nice until Masa took us to a Sake distillery. Absolutely beautiful.
5Fantastic day out.
Absolutely fantastic day out exploring, easy pickup from central location, excellent variety of activities. Guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. Throughly recommended to anyone looking for a brilliant day out.
5Great tour guide,...
Great tour guide, informative and friendly. A bit of walking up the hill and steps so comfortable shoes is recommended
5Adapting a tour for diverse ages and fitness-,Masa rocked!
This was a small tour and Masa was superb! Great directions on meeting point and check in. Gave some history and pointed out sites aling the way. Since this was a moderate hike to see the monkey's he was clear on what to expect and kept the group moving but not rushed so everyone could keep their own pace. Pretty muddy in spots but the hike was well worth it. Lots of time for pics and enjoying this amazing bit of nature. After the hike, stopped for lunch (loved the pork over the chicken). Might let them know of any allergies since this a preset meal. Then off to sako tasting...loved the Shu! 30 minutes to tour and then back to Nagano. Masa took great care of us and highly recommend him as a guide. Just awesome, encouraging us to take the time need to enjoy the mountain on our way!
5Brilliant day including seeing the monkeys.
Our guide Masa was wonderful and gave us a great experience. Despite the long walk it was well worth it to see the monkeys. Masa took us to a beautiful restaurant where we had an authentic lunch which we all really enjoyed. Afterwards we had a Sake tasting which was brilliant, it renewed my faith in Sake !!!! We were by far the eldest in the group, but Masa kept a watchful eye over us. All in all a great day, thank you Masa.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- In front of Beck’s Coffee inside Nagano Station (just outside 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 12 travellers
- Operated by
- o8Experience
- 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
- If traveling from Tokyo station, take the 6:52 AM or 7:20 AM Shinkansen to arrive on time.
- There is a possibility that the monkeys may not appear as they are wild animals. While sightings are generally reliable during much of the year, there are times — particularly in certain seasons — when they may not come to the park due to weather, food availability, or other natural factors. Please understand that we do not offer refunds if no monkeys are present during your visit. Our team will still provide a comfortable vehicle, a knowledgeable guide, and a well-structured itinerary to make your visit meaningful. Even without the monkeys, the walk to the park offers beautiful forest scenery and a memorable nature experience — each season has its own charm.
How it compares in Nagano
- Its from-price is 32% 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 13 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.
