Nagano: Snow Monkey Park, Soba Lunch, and Shibu Onsen Tour
About This Experience
Highlights
- Park admission included in the fare, where every Tokyo road charter here leaves the gate fee to you
- Two hours at Jigokudani, matching the longest park stop of the Tokyo charters at a fraction of the price
- A handmade soba lunch in Shibu Onsen, included rather than a stop to buy your own
- Entry to one of Shibu Onsen's historic public baths, with the towel provided
- Priced per person, so solo travellers and couples are not paying for an empty vehicle
- Starts in Nagano, which makes it the natural half of a shinkansen day trip from Tokyo
What's Included
- ✓ Jigokudani Monkey Park admission — the entry fee the Tokyo charters here all exclude
- ✓ A soba lunch of freshly made buckwheat noodles and Nagano dishes at Shibu Onsen
- ✓ Entry to one of Shibu Onsen's nine historic public bathhouses
- ✓ A small onsen towel on loan for the bath
- ✓ An air-conditioned vehicle with pickup and drop-off at Nagano, Yudanaka or Iiyama station
- ✓ Around 4.5 hours on the ground, two of them inside the park
Not Included
- Travel from Tokyo to Nagano — roughly ¥8,000 each way on the Hokuriku Shinkansen
- Snacks and the apple pie at Enza Café
- Gratuities
What to Bring
- Non-slip shoes for the 1.6 km trail
- Warm outdoor clothing in winter, light clothes in summer
- A small towel if you would rather not use the loaned one
- A camera
Good to Know & Caveats
- The operator is direct about this: the park is not a zoo. The macaques live wild in the mountains and come down on their own schedule, and in September, October and November their numbers at the pool can be low.
- The park is reached on foot: 1.6 km each way from the Kanbayashi Onsen trailhead, about 25 to 30 minutes, mostly level but frozen underfoot for much of the winter.
- The 10:00 time shown is the arrival at the park, not the pickup — your pickup time depends on where you start.
- The bath water sits around 42°C. Swimsuits are not allowed and the baths are separated by sex.
- Getting here from Tokyo is your own arrangement: the Hokuriku Shinkansen runs Tokyo to Nagano in about 80 minutes.
Not Suitable For
- Wheelchair users
- People over 150 kg
- Babies under one year
Meeting Point
Pickup at Nagano, Yudanaka or Iiyama station. This tour starts in Nagano — take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo first, about 80 to 100 minutes.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.9/5 by 13 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
We had such an amazing day at the Snow Monkey Park. The Lunch and Shibu Onsen Tour was awesome as well :D Umut, our Tourguide, was taking good care of us and we enjoyed this tour very much! I can highly recommend booking this tour and enjoy watching the monkeys and relaxing in one of the onsen later on. We also had spare time to do the stamps at Shibu Onsen. Thanks again, Umut & Shibs Tours 🤗
— Simone, September 15, 2026
We had a fabulous day! The weather was perfect. The snow monkeys were there in great numbers and walked among us comfortably. They were entertaining as the babies chased through the small trees beside the Oath and the older ones were grooming and soaking. The onsen suited us perfectly as we were able to enjoy a private couple time. Soda noodle lunch plus so much more was wonderful. A side-trip to view a 351 foot waterfall was a bonus. The apple pie and snow monkey coffee at Enza Cafe finished our tour perfectly. Umut made the whole day from pickup to drop off absolutely wonderful. He was full of information about the tour itself, and also about life in Nagano, Japan, Turkye and his many roles in Shibs Tours including cleaning the onsen water supply pipes. He gave us time to be alone as well as remained readily available throughout our tour. Contact before repeatedly ensured it all went to plan perfectly and flexibly.
— Graeme, September 23, 2026
Our guides were absolutely fantastic, accommodating and patient while.clear about expectations and very knowledgeable. We didn't feel like tourists with them.
— Adie, March 31, 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I do this as a day trip from Tokyo?
Yes, and for one or two travellers it usually works out cheaper than chartering a vehicle. Take an early Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano — about 80 minutes — join the tour at Nagano station, and you are back in Tokyo the same evening. The train is roughly ¥8,000 each way and is not included.
Does it really include the park entrance fee?
Yes. Every Tokyo road charter reviewed here leaves the ¥800 gate fee for you to pay on the day; this one has it built into the price, along with lunch and a bath.
What is the onsen stamp towel?
A local tradition at Shibu Onsen: you collect a stamp from each of the nine public baths on a small cloth towel. The tour includes one bath and lends you the towel.
Will the monkeys be in the water?
Between December and March, almost certainly — the cold is what drives them in. From September to November, when there is food higher up the mountain, fewer come down and fewer bathe.
Other Snow Monkey Day Trips
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Nagano/Tokyo: Snow Monkey Private Day Tour At Lowest Rate
Tokyo: Private Snow Monkey Park & Nagano Scenic Day Trip
Tokyo: Snow Monkey Park Private Tour with English guide
Tokyo: Nagano Snow Monkey and Zenkoji Temple Private Tour
Tokyo: Nagano Day Trip with Snow Monkey Park & Temple.
