Starting from Nagano City or any of the Nagano's 5 main ski resorts (Hakuba, Shiga Kogen, Nozawa Onsen, Myoko Kogen, Madarao Kogen) , we will pick your party up in our private vehicle to take you on your private tour and drop you off back at the pick up location or in Nagano City. On this tour, you will visit the famous Jigokudani Monkey Park and learn all about what makes the resident monkeys so unique, and enjoy lunch at a nearby restaurant and experience Nagano’s renowned food culture. Guests will also have a chance to stroll the charming streets of the historic town of Obuse, and enjoy viewing its remaining Edo period buildings, as well as explore Zenko-ji, one of Japan’s oldest and most important Buddhist temples, and home to the first known Buddhist statue to be brought to Japan. A Sake tasting experience with detailed explanations from your guide is also included(non-alcoholic options available).

This 1-day tour from Nagano accompanied by an English-speaking National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter visits a miso brewery to watch the miso production process in Nagano Prefecture, Japan’s leading miso-producing region; and Jigokudani Monkey Park, which is famous as a place where Japanese macaques soak in hot springs during the cold season. Miso is a traditional food in Japan which has been sustaining the dietary life of the Japanese since ancient times. To watch how miso is made, a historical brewery established about 300 years ago. Obuse, a town famous for chestnuts, is the place for lunch. Jigokudani Monkey Park is where the behavior of Japanese macaques can be seen up close in every season. As they soak in hot springs characteristic of winter, these Japanese macaques are also called snow monkeys, and have become a famous attraction. visitors can enjoy seeing cute baby monkeys during their birth season in spring, and the charming sight of lively young monkeys.

Start the day off by visiting the Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani Monkey Park. Plumes of steam shoot out of the ground and jagged cliff edges line the walkway to the park, creating an experience to last a lifetime. As winter comes to an end and temperatures slowly rise, this is the last chance to see the Snow Monkeys bathe in the hot springs this year! Following the Snow Monkey Park, we offer you an exclusive look into the historic Onsen Village of Shibu. It is not uncommon to see locals and visitors walking the streets in traditional clothing such as kimono and geta (wooden sandals). Explore the grounds of Takada Castle in wonder as you immerse yourself in the cherry blossoms that fill the entire area. Takada Castle is rated as being within the top 3 places in all of Japan to view cherry blossoms at night, owing to its 4000 sakura trees and spectacular illumination. At the castle, there are also many food stalls to choose from, ranging from curry bread to yakisoba to dango!