Today Japanese monkeys of Jigokudani Onsen became so famous that many foreign visitors eagerly want to visit to see. In Jigokudani (literally meaning is Hell Valley) monkeys take bath in open-air Onsen(Hot spring) in particular during winter season. Visitors can reach there in 3 hours by taking bullet trains and Nagano Dentetsu railway from Tokyo.
Near the snow monkey park, there is a old town of Obuse. Obuse is famous for the works of Hokusai Katsushika. In 1840's Hokusai visited Obuse in his 80's years old and stay there for several years. There is the museum of Hokusai and his patron's housing. You can have lunch in Obuse. There are some restaurants and confectionery shops and Sake breweries. You could have chances to Sake tasting.
If you want, you could visit the temple whose ceiling paint is the largest and last work by Hokusai and his daughter. As the temple is located at outskirt of Obuse, you need to take taxi.
Leaving Tokyo station at 7:20 in the morning, you would arrive at the park around 10:30. You will have enough time to watch monkeys' life. You will enjoy seeing not only the snow monkeys but the beautiful landscape of Central Japan Mountain. You could be back to your hotel by around 19:00 in Tokyo.
At your hotel in Tokyo
The Snow Monkey Park, Town of Obuse, Hokusai museum
At your hotel in Tokyo
You can enjoy seeing many snow monkeys taking Onsen bath. You would not get bored to seeing them in the open-air Onsen bath. You can also enjoy to see Hokusai's works and Hokusai's life in Obuse. Obuse was a very important town for commerce and very flourished. Visitors can enjoy Japanese cousins and cakes using chestnuts.
guide fee, hotel pick-up, reservation for bullet trains
transportation fee(you and guide)18,520 JPY/person , lunch, entrance fee (800 JPY/person), Sake tasting 600 JPY/cup, taxi (from Yudanaka to Kanbayashi - the entrance of the road to Jigokudani) 3,600 JPY/car.
The snow monkey park is located in the valley of the mountain foot. The local railway is not so convenient. We have to move as exactly scheduled.
Visitors has to walk about 30 minutes to reach to the park. The road sometimes might be covered by snow. Children under 6 years old and senior persons would have difficulties to walk in bad weather and road conditions.
We had an amazing time with Mr Yo. Thank you very much.
Hi, Paul, Thank you for your comment. I wish you and your lovely fimilies enjoy the rest of your stay in Japan!!
Mr Yo was helpful in coordinating our visit to one of the private nurseries. There was a mixup of dates due to our fault but Mr Yo arranged everything one day earlier to our booked date. He is a very kind person. Grateful to him to make our visit to Bonsai Village a big success
It's my pleasure to guide such lovable families. I wish your mother in law successfully expand her Bonsai collection.
Mr. Yo was an amazing guide!!!! We booked him for 2 days to Nagano to see the snow monkeys. He came up with the whole itinerary after telling him what we wanted to see. He was very caring, polite, and intelligent and gave us all the history and details of Japan and Nagano throughout the tour. I hope to book him for another tour in the near future. Thanks for an amazing time Mr. Yo!!
HI, Merry Christmas in Thailand! Thank you for your kind comment. I also enjoyed guiding lovely families in Nagano. You are very lucky having fine days in Nagano. We have a Japanese saying, people who is always well-behaved can have good fortune. Have nice holidays playin with elephants! Best Regards, Yo
El tour estuvo excelente y la puntialidad del guia ni se diga. El your estuvo bastante completo y ademas conocía perfectamente el sistema de transporte y las rutas a seguir. No tuvimos ningun retraso y pudimos ver todas las actividades. Recomiendo definitvamente tomar el tour con YO.