Jigokudani Monkey Park Tickets, Entry Fee and Opening Hours (2026–27)

How do I buy tickets online on Webket?

Start from the park’s official website. Its WEBチケット / “Purchase web tickets” banner leads to Webket, a Japanese ticketing platform. The park announced online tickets in a notice dated 6 August 2026, and Snownavi reports that sales started on 10 August 2026. Tickets are date-specific and go on sale about three months before the visit date.

The park’s web-ticket page links to two Webket products:

1. Standard admission for individuals and groups (個人・団体の方).
2. SNOW MONKEY PASS for BUS: a round trip on the express bus between Nagano Station and the Snow Monkey Park, plus one admission. This is Nagaden’s bus pass sold through the park’s ticket system. Snow Monkey Resorts lists the 2026–27 winter version at ¥6,800 for adults and ¥3,400 for children (6–12), valid from 5 December 2026 to 5 April 2027.

Step by step (Japanese labels in brackets)

1. Go to the official site (jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp or the English en.jigokudani-yaenkoen.co.jp) and click the web-ticket banner. Don’t follow search ads to resellers.
2. Pick a product: standard admission or the bus pass.
3. Switch the language. Snow Monkey Resorts reports an English toggle on Webket.
4. Create an account and log in (会員登録 / ログイン). Registration is required before purchase. Use an email address you can open on your phone.
5. Choose your visit date (日付選択). Sales open about three months ahead; Snow Monkey Resorts says “90 days in advance at midnight JST”. If you see a time-slot picker, choose one and plan to arrive within it (see below).
6. Select tickets (大人 / こども and the quantity, 枚数). Under-6s don’t need a ticket.
7. Pay (決済). Snow Monkey Resorts reports that payment must be by a 3-D Secure-enabled Visa, Mastercard, JCB or American Express card. It advises against debit and prepaid cards because refunds take longer.
8. Save your QR code from the confirmation email or your account page (マイページ). Snow Monkey Resorts says the 25-digit purchase number works as a backup. Take a screenshot as well; phone signal in the valley can be patchy.
9. Show the QR code at the ticket booth at the end of the trail.

Cancellations and changes (check before you pay) The park hasn’t published cancellation terms in text. Snow Monkey Resorts (updated 13 August 2026) reports that cancellations are made per payment, are allowed only up to 3 days before your visit date, and that tickets are “completely non-refundable” after that. To change your date or slot, you cancel and rebook. Read the キャンセル (cancellation) terms on Webket before you pay.

Are the tickets timed? The official wording only says tickets are date-specific (日付指定制), and japan-guide and Snownavi describe them the same way. Snow Monkey Resorts says buyers choose an “entry timeslot”. If Webket asks you for a slot, it applies to you.

Is there a daily cap? AFP reported in June 2026 that the park was considering a cap of about 2,000 visitors a day. The park itself has not announced a number.

Common problems

• Date sold out (売り切れ / 販売終了): try a weekday, check again later in case tickets are released, or book a tour that includes admission.
• Card declined: use a card with online-payment verification (3-D Secure) switched on, or try a different card.
• Wrong date: look for a cancellation option in マイページ while you’re still more than three days out, then rebook.

Do I need to book in advance?

Not strictly, but for winter you should. The park says web-ticket holders get priority from December to April. Its 30 April 2026 notice also warns that, depending on crowds, visitors without a ticket may have to wait and may not be admitted. From May to November you can usually just buy at the gate.

If you arrive without a ticket:

• On a quiet day you can still buy at the booth (¥1,000 adult from 1 December). Cards and e-money are accepted.
• On a crowded day (mainly winter weekends and holidays), japan-guide says admission “may be limited to visitors with e-tickets”.
• Check Webket at the trailhead in Kanbayashi before you walk. If tickets for that day are still on sale, buy one. Same-day online sales aren’t guaranteed.
• Have a plan B. There’s nothing comparable nearby. Shibu Onsen’s bathhouse lane is 10 minutes away by bus or taxi (Shibu Onsen guide).

Verdict: For any December–April visit, especially a weekend or holiday, book on Webket as soon as your date opens.

What are the opening hours?

The park is open 8:30–17:00 from April to October and 9:00–16:00 from November to March. It has no regular closing days, but it can close or shorten its hours without notice because of weather or natural disasters.

*The park asks visitors to arrive at least 30 minutes before closing. It doesn’t publish a formal last-entry time.

The winter hours (November–March) and the winter priority period (December–April) cover different months. April has summer hours, but web-ticket holders still get priority.

How to check today’s status

1. The official homepage shows today’s hours (本日の営業時間) and the current temperature.
2. The weekly “monkey appearance forecast” (サルたち出勤予報) predicts when the troop comes down and leaves. In late September 2026 it predicted arrival between 9:00 and 10:00 and departure between 15:30 and 16:30.
3. The live camera on the official site.
4. The congestion forecast calendar (混雑予想カレンダー) on the Japanese homepage, which runs from 空いている (quiet) to かなり混んでいる (very crowded).
5. The park’s X (@jigokudani_saru) and Facebook accounts for the day’s conditions.

How long to allow: the trail is about 2 km, which the park puts at about 30 minutes each way; allow 30–40 minutes on snow, plus 45–60 minutes at the pools. Budget 2.5–3 hours from the trailhead and back.

Are the monkeys guaranteed? No. They’re wild Japanese macaques that come and go as they please. The park says that on some days they may not show up at all, and they’re least predictable in autumn. Winter gives the best odds of seeing them in the hot spring, but bathing is never certain. We found no published refund policy for days without monkeys. For the why and when, see why snow monkeys bathe and best time to see the snow monkeys.

Which passes and tours already include admission?

Nagaden’s Snow Monkey Passes and most group tours from Nagano include one park entry. Private tours from Tokyo usually don’t. Always check the “what’s included” line.

Snow Monkey Passes (Nagaden)

Children (6–12) pay half. Passes aren’t sold in October and November. The winter train-pass price may rise with the new admission fee. For routes and timetables, see how to get to Jigokudani Monkey Park from Tokyo.

Do pass holders get winter priority? The park gives priority to web-ticket buyers. The bus pass is sold on Webket, so it is a web ticket. Nagaden’s paper train pass isn’t, and neither the park nor Nagaden has said whether its holders get priority. For a December–April weekend, the bus pass bought online is the safer of the two. If you prefer the train pass, ask at the Nagaden window when you buy it.

Tours. Group day tours from Nagano usually list park entry as included, which means the operator handles getting you in on busy days. Private car tours from Tokyo are priced per vehicle or per person and usually exclude admission, so budget ¥880–¥1,000 per adult on top from December.

Disclosure: Some links on this page are GetYourGuide affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

On GetYourGuide, the winter day tour with entry in the price is the 1 Day Tour: Snow Monkeys & Snow Fun in Shiga Kogen (from $164 per person, rated close to 5/5 from 55 reviews). It starts at Nagano Station and includes park admission, lunch, an English-speaking guide and snow activities at Shiga Kogen; the Shinkansen from Tokyo is extra. A shorter option is the Nagano Snow Monkey Park, Soba Lunch and Shibu Onsen tour (from $127 per person, rated close to 5/5 but from only 17 reviews), which also includes admission. The most reviewed trip from Tokyo itself, the Tokyo private Snow Monkey Park and Nagano day trip (from $102 per person, 4.9/5 from 220+ reviews), leaves admission out, so you buy your own Webket ticket. We compare the main options in which snow monkey tour from Tokyo is right for you, the private ones in our private snow monkey tour from Tokyo guide, and the platform itself in is GetYourGuide reliable?. This site doesn’t sell park tickets. Admission is sold only by the park (at the gate and on Webket) and bundled into passes and tours.

Verdict: On your own on a winter weekend, buy Webket admission or the Snow Monkey Pass for Bus, which is also sold on Webket. On a quiet weekday, any pass works. If you’d rather not deal with tickets at all, choose a tour that clearly says “admission included”.

When is it busiest in 2026–27?

Winter weekends, the New Year holiday and Lunar New Year. Book the day your date goes on sale, about three months ahead.

The park’s own congestion calendar is the final word for each day. Time of day: a past official New Year notice said the park was “relatively less crowded between 9:00 and 11:00”, which is also when the monkeys have usually come down. Being there at opening means staying in Kanbayashi, Shibu or Yudanaka, or catching the earliest bus. Group tours from Nagano tend to arrive after lunch. For the month-by-month picture, see best time to see the snow monkeys.

What are the rules inside the park?

Take photos, keep your distance and keep food hidden. Rule-breakers are asked to leave.

In winter, wear boots with grip or bring crampons. They can be bought or rented at the trailhead. More on the walk and etiquette in our Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park guide.

Where do I park, and what’s at the trailhead?

Most visitors park at the free Kanbayashi Onsen car park and walk the trail. In winter, the park asks you to use public transport rather than a car or rental car.

• Kanbayashi Onsen car park: free, and the park’s dedicated car park. From here the trail is about 2 km, roughly 30 minutes (official), or about 35 minutes from the Snow Monkey Park bus stop. It fills up in peak periods.
• Jigokudani car park: ¥500 per car, about 15 minutes’ walk from the park. It’s reached on a narrow forest road from Shibu Onsen, is off-limits to large vehicles, and is closed in winter (roughly December to March).
• Getting there by bus: the Nagaden express bus from Nagano Station East Exit (stop 23/24) costs ¥3,000 in winter and ¥2,000 the rest of the year (one way, adults). The 2026–27 winter season runs from 5 December 2026 to 5 April 2027. Buy your ticket before boarding at the Aruyo ticket office (Nagano Station East Exit, 1F) or online; don’t count on paying cash on the bus. From Yudanaka Station, the local bus costs ¥390 (check the fare chart on board). Full details: how to get to Jigokudani Monkey Park from Tokyo.
• At the trailhead: a Snow Monkey Resorts information and gift shop (English help, winter gear rental and luggage storage) and a café sit by the trail entrance. Opening hours are seasonal, so check before you rely on them.
• Luggage: don’t take suitcases on the trail. Use coin lockers at Nagano Station or the trailhead shop’s storage.
• Toilets: use the ones in Kanbayashi Onsen before you set off.

What does a visit cost in total?

From 1 December 2026, entry alone is ¥880–¥1,000 per adult. The rest depends on how you get there.

If you go independently from Nagano by train, the extras are about ¥1,760 each way on the Nagaden limited express (Nagano–Yudanaka) and ¥390 each way on the local bus. For the full Tokyo-to-park budget, including the Shinkansen and passes, see how to get to Jigokudani Monkey Park from Tokyo.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Jigokudani Monkey Park entrance fee?

¥800 for adults and ¥400 for children until 30 November 2026. From 1 December 2026 it’s ¥880 / ¥440 online or ¥1,000 / ¥500 at the gate, per the park’s 20 September 2026 notice. Under-6s are free.

When do the new prices start?

On 1 December 2026, according to the park’s official Guide page.

Do I need to book in advance?

For December to April, yes, in practice. Web-ticket holders get priority, and visitors without a ticket may be refused on crowded days.

Where do I buy online tickets?

On Webket, through the web-ticket banner on the park’s official site. This site doesn’t sell park tickets.

How far ahead can I book?

About three months. Snow Monkey Resorts says sales open 90 days ahead at midnight Japan time.

Can I cancel a Webket ticket?

The park hasn’t published terms in text. Snow Monkey Resorts reports that cancellations are allowed until 3 days before the visit and are non-refundable after that. Check the terms on Webket before paying.

Are tickets timed?

Officially they’re date-specific. One tour operator reports an entry timeslot. If Webket asks you to pick one, stick to it.

What are the opening hours?

8:30–17:00 from April to October and 9:00–16:00 from November to March, every day. Arrive at least 30 minutes before closing.

Is the park ever closed?

There are no regular closing days, but it can close without notice for weather or disasters. Check the official homepage and X on the morning of your visit.

Can I pay by card at the gate?

Yes, credit cards and e-money. QR-code payments aren’t accepted.

Does the Snow Monkey Pass include entry?

Yes, both versions include one park admission. The bus pass costs ¥6,800 for adults in winter 2026–27; the train pass’s winter price hasn’t been announced.

Is there a daily visitor cap?

AFP reported in June 2026 that the park was considering a cap of about 2,000 visitors a day. The park hasn’t announced one.

Are the monkeys guaranteed to be there?

No. They’re wild. Winter gives the best odds, but some days they don’t come down. Check the live camera and the weekly forecast.

Is there a foreigner price?

No. Japanese and English official pages show the same prices.

Is the park accessible by wheelchair or stroller?

No. The trail is unpaved with stairs and slopes. Use a baby carrier.

Practical info

Practical info: checked 3 November 2026 Jigokudani Yaen-koen (地獄谷野猿公苑), 6845 Hirao, Yamanouchi-machi, Shimotakai-gun, Nagano 381-0401 · Tel. 0269-33-4379 Hours: 8:30–17:00 (Apr–Oct); 9:00–16:00 (Nov–Mar); open daily; may close without notice Admission: ¥800 / ¥400 until 30 Nov 2026. From 1 Dec 2026: ¥880 / ¥440 online, ¥1,000 / ¥500 at the gate Online tickets: Webket, via the official site; date-specific; about 3 months ahead; priority December–April Gate payment: credit cards and e-money (no QR codes) Trail: about 2 km, about 30 minutes each way from Kanbayashi Onsen by the park’s figure (allow 30–40 minutes on snow); not suitable for wheelchairs or strollers Official links: Japanese site · English site · Hours & fees · Web tickets · Rules · Access

Sources

• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: Guide (hours and fees, English)
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: 営業時間と料金 (Japanese)
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: Web tickets page
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: Fee revision notice, 20 Sep 2026
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: Online ticket notice, 30 Apr 2026
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: Launching online ticketing, 6 Aug 2026
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: Winter visitor notice
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: Caution (rules)
• Jigokudani Yaen-koen: Access
• japan-guide: Jigokudani Monkey Park
• Snownavi: Jigokudani web tickets
• Snow Monkey Resorts: How to purchase Snow Monkey Park tickets in advance
• Snow Monkey Resorts: Snow Monkey Park information
• Snow Monkey Resorts: Snow Monkey Pass
• Nagaden: Winter 2025–26 Snow Monkey passes (PDF)
• AFPBB: Jigokudani visitor numbers (June 2026)