Nagano Spring: 1-Day Cherry Blossoms & Snow Monkeys Guided Tour
Description
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!
Tour Options
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.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- 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
- On rare occasions, the monkeys may not come into the park. On these occasions, the park will close and an alternative tour will be provided
- Infants aged under five years old are free; lunch for infants is not provided
- This tour uses local restaurants 'Enza Cafe' and 'Japanese Dining GOEN', depending on their availability. Vegetarian options are available.
- Guests are required to follow the Snow Monkey Park rules at all times. Guests are not permitted to touch, hold, feed or bathe with the monkeys at any time. There are no barriers separating the monkeys from visitors to the park. Please ensure you keep a minimum distance of 1 to 2 meters between yourself and the monkeys. Your guide will explain the rules prior to entering the park.
- Please note, there may be possible changes in the itinerary/included experiences due to local events, weather, restaurant availability, or other unforeseeable factors.
Reviews(34)
Tour on time. Guild, Kei, and the driver were awesome. Transport clean and comfortable. Monkeys are so cute and the blossoms abundant. Great Day!!!
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.
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!!
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.
Dear Rozz, Thank you for your 5-star review! We are thrilled you had a great time with us from the monkeys to the cherry blossoms - you definitely chose a nice time to visit Japan. We look forward to seeing you again! Snow Monkey Resorts
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!
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!
I had a great time and since I went solo, I was sat with kevin for lunch. He was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable about the area and provided suggestions for local wine to have with our included lunch. The snow monkey park was a nice experience and the cherry blossoms at the castle was amazing! He saw I was having trouble using with my chop sticks for food in my soup bowl, so he graciously showed me how to bring the bows toward me to be more efficient. We were given the option to go back on the train in Ueada to Tokyo instead of driving back to Nagano which was in the opposite direction- it helped get me to Tokyo much sooner. I will highly recommend him and the tour to my clients and friends. Thanks Kevin for a great day and I hope you get to see your mother soon.
Dear Axel, Thank you for your glowing review! It's wonderful to know that you had a great time and were impressed with the snow monkeys, lunch, and cherry blossoms. Kevin is indeed an excellent guide; he always strives to make the tours informative and one-of-a-kind. We also enjoyed seeing you photos - they are beautiful! We appreciate your strong recommendation, and we hope to see you again soon! Snow Monkey Resorts
We liked the tour, the guide was nice and provided a lot of interesting information. The included lunch was fantastic. We were disappointed by the second part, we were expecting to be brought to a place with higher concentration of cherry trees, instead we got to Ueda castle ruins. Yes there were cherry trees on the stroll between food stalls, but just as you can find anywhere without a guided tour.
Dear Daniele, Thank you for your feedback. We are pleased to know that your lunch was fantastic, and that your guide was informative. On the other hand, we are sorry that the cherry blossom viewing didn't meet your expectations. Ueda Castle Park is one of Nagano's highest ranked cherry blossom locations for the high concentration of cherry trees and magnificent view of the castle. We have a few blossom viewing locations we choose from to take guests based on the conditions on that specific day - and the choice was Ueda Castle on your tour date. We understand expectations and perceptions may vary, and we regret that you weren't wowed by this portion of the tour. We hope to provide a 5-star experience for you in the future. Snow Monkey Resorts
Great experience, fun and friendly guide. It was a fun trip overall. Good vegetarian food was provided. The trial to the monkey park was about 2-2.5km, which was quite mucky given the rains, made it a bit exhausting. But it was worth the view to seee the monkeys enjoy the hot spring bath. The cherry blossom park was lovely!
Our guide Joyce was very friendly and had an answer to every question. In general, the tour was very interesting and informative and also gave you a lot of freedom to explore independently. The food was great and the views great. I was able to take many beautiful pictures. Should I book a tour again then very gladly again with Joyce.
