See monkeys soaking in hot springs surrounded by pristine snow.
Jigokudani Yaen-koen is home to hundreds of “snow monkeys”, known as such because they spend their days soaking in the mountainous hot springs. In 1970 they appeared on the cover of Life magazine in the U.S. due to this unique behaviour. Furthermore, in 1998, when the winter Olympic Games was held in Nagano, lots of athletes, media, and tourists from foreign countries visited.
Monkeys don’t soak in the hot spring in the warm season because they bathe in order to prevent from the severe coldness in winter. Soaking in the hot spring is only one part of the monkeys’ life. You can also see them lazing or frolicking on the nearby mountain and forest.
① Meet at Yudanaka Station and travel by bus and walking to Jigokudani Yaen-koen. (12:20-13:25)
② Hike from the bus stop through the Yumichi walking trail
Enjoy the fresh mountain air as you undertake a relaxing hike through the forest in order to reach the snow monkeys.
③ Jigokudani Yaen-koen (13:25 - 14:05)
Located in the Yokoyu River Valley at an altitude of 850m, the Jigokudani Yaen Koen is known as "Hell Valley" due to the steep cliffs and steam emitting from the springs. It's buried in snow for a third of the year but is a paradise for the monkeys of Nagano area as they enjoy bathing in the hot springs to warm up.
④ Break time at Enza Cafe (14:30-14:40)
If you're feeling a bit peckish while waiting for the bus to Yudanaka Station, we recommend grabbing some coffee or apple pie for takeout at this café here.
⑤ Foot Spa at Yudanaka Station (15:10-15:25)
After all that walking, treat your weary feet to a relaxing outdoor foot spa. The hot natural mineral waters will soothe and heal you.
・Hike the Yumichi walking trail through the forest
・Visit Shibu no Jigokudani funsen, a hot spring geyser
・Visit Jigokudani Yaen-koen and see the snow monkeys
・Take a rest after your hike at a cafe
・Learn about the local nature from the guide
・Please join us wearing shoes that are easy to walk in and do not bring heavy baggage because you will walk the mountain paths.
・Please have a bottle of water and snacks just in case.
・The ticket machines in Yuganaka station do not accept credit cards.
・Passengers coming from Nagano station can purchase the SNOW MONKEY PASS which is sold at Nagano station. It includes a round-trip ticket fare of the train and the bus + the entrance fee for Jigokudani Yaen-koen. It is cheaper to buy this way.
http://www.nagaden-net.co.jp.e.yv.hp.transer.com/info/ticket/
・Time schedule of the Nagano-Dentesu Train *Limited Express ‘SNOW MONKEY’ only (no transfer required) As of April, 2024
<Nagano sta. → Yudanaka sta.>
11:33 → 12:18
<Yudanaka sta. → Nagano sta.>
15:34 → 16:19
15:59 → 17:05（Transfer at Shinshu Nakano station）
16:45 → 17:34
| Price | From ¥10,000 / person ¥10,000 for 4 adults or more |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3.5 hours (approx.) |
| Hours of availability | 12:20-15:30 |
| Inclusions | ・English guide |
| Exclusions | ・Food & drinks |
| Participants | 1-6 people |
A ticket gate of Nagano-Dentesu Yudanaka station
Henry Completo（USA）★★★★★
Very knowledgeable about the history of the area
Our guide is very knowledgeable about the history of the area. She kept us informed about local attractions and the history of the area during the uphil long walk from the bus station to the snow monkeys' hot springs. She kept with our walking pace although our strides were much longer than hers (my wife and I are almost 6' footers). :-) We were able to arrive at our tour destinations ahead of time.
Julie（UK）★★★★★
Excellent tour
Our guide was delightful, she was very informative and her English is excellent. We really enjoyed the stroll through the trees where the clear water gushed alongside, very refreshing but the monkeys stole the show, there were so many of them just going about their business as if they hadn't even seen us. We saw several youngsters and really cute babies. We'll certainly remember our visit and would highly recommend it.
Ken Willis（Canada）★★★★★
Great Day in Nagano
Thanks to the guide for our guided tour of the "monkey park" near Nagano. Myself and my sons thoroughly enjoyed the trip, which included a visit to a local sake brewery. Further the guide knew much about the local area and it was truly a great learning experience listening to her during the trip. We were amazed at the number of monkey and that we were able to walk among them freely. There was amply time for pictures and we didn't feel rushed at all. The tour is great value for the money (especially for a private tour), and I highly recommend it.
Lynn（Singapore）★★★★★
Up close and fun with the snow monkeys
We had a lot of fun with Teddy, our knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful guide. It was a very long day for us, as we came from Tokyo but it was all worth it. We were blessed with beautiful weather and we saw so many monkeys. We’d recommend this tour to all nature and animal lovers.
Kendra Hall（USA）★★★★★
Snow Monkey fun!
Had a great time seeing the snow monkeys! The tour guide, Teddy, was very informative and friendly.
Excelente guide（Brazil）★★★★★
Luiz Felipe
Very nice guide! The tour is easy despite of the ups and downs. The guide helped me understand some Japanese websites!!!
Alicia Ritter（USA）★★★★★
Monkeys Galore
This excursion was spectacular! The guide was super helpful, even long before our journey started. He gave us options and made everything smooth and easy every step of the way. We’ll never forget the monkeys, too! They were special. I highly recommend this tour.
Jim Ries（USA）★★★★★
Fantastic experience
What a memorable experience!!! Our guide was super cool and knowledgeable about the area and about the tour. He made sure to get us to the perfect spot so we could capture amazing pictures of the snow monkeys. We never felt rushed or that we had to make small talk with our tour guide because he was so down to earth and welcoming. We highly recommend this tour and the tour guide
Catherine Turner（Australia）★★★★★
Awesome Adventure
One of the most memorable activities we did while in Japan. Teddy was our tour guide and he was fantastic. He is very knowledgeable about the snow monkeys and about the region.We would highly recommend him.
Stephanie Heney（Canada）★★★★★
A magical day made perfect with the best guide!
I have taken quite a few trips with Viator, but this is hands down the best one I have ever done. Our guide Tamio was waiting for us with a sign, and was so friendly and informative all day. We couldn't have asked for a better guide. He gave us advice, interesting knowledge, allowed us to take our time. We had a lot of time viewing the monkeys, stopped for a drink and then bathed our feet in the hot spa. It was like having an old friend with us. He even recommended a restaurant for later in the day, and took us there and translated to the waiter for us. Really above and beyond. I can't praise him enough, he made a magical day even more special.
James Perley（USA）★★★★★
Monkey Fun
We had a great guide! Teddy was very knowledgeable and patiently answered all of our questions. We had a beautiful day and saw so many monkeys. Great tour. Great guide!
