Jigokudani Monkey Park Add-On Tour

The Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑, Jigokudani Yaen Kōen) offers visitors the unique experience of seeing wild monkeys bathing in a natural hot spring. You will start your optional self guided tour to Jigokudani Monkey Park with a Shinkansen (bullet train) from Tokyo to Nagano. Enjoy some free time in Nagano before checking into your overnight accommodations. After breakfast you will take the Snow Monkey Bus to the park (cost not included) and then it is approximately a 30-45 minute peaceful forest walk to the Snow Monkey viewing area. The park has one man-made pool around which the monkeys gather. Visitors will likely already encounter monkeys along the path to the pool. The monkeys live in large social groups, and it can be quite entertaining to watch their interactions. Accustomed to humans, the monkeys can be observed from very close and almost completely ignore their human guests. Naturally, it is prohibited to touch or feed the monkeys. Although the park is open all year round, the bathing monkeys are particularly photogenic when the area is covered in snow. There is usually snow in the region from December to March, and the best timing for a visit is January and February. After your tour of the Snow Monkey Park, you will return by bus (cost not included) to Nagano where you will then catch the Shinkansen back to Tokyo.  We will provide a detailed self guided itinerary. We will arrange your Shinkansen tickets but the local busses and entry fee can not be prepaid and there will be around $35 USD per person out of pocket not including lunch. 

Please Note: The Snow Monkey Park decides daily on whether or not it will open. We suggest you check with The Nagano Tourist Information Office(located in Nagano Station) before going to the snow monkey park to make sure it is open. In the event that the snow monkey park is closed, this office would be a great resource for other touring options