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.
Check out what we are going to do.
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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.
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.
We were really lucky to have contacted Yo at TripleLights. That was our first trip to Japan. Yo helped us immensely to custom make our itinerary, and he booked tickets and events for us. Everything was planned to the second. Yo was very flexible when we decided to make some changes on the go, and he arranged two more activities for us. We wanted to watch the sumo training but all of a sudden the stable canceled it. Yo found a way for us to watch it in a different stable the following day. It was a true pleasure to be guided by Yo. We highly recommend him for your trip in Japan. Thank you very, very much, Yo!
Thank you for your kind comment. It was my pleasure to attend very happy family like your family. You are very intelligent about Japanese culture and like to attend many activities. You love your daughter so much. To attend your family was so rewarding that I never had. Please come again to Japan.
What a gentleman! Yo was great filling in the gaps of things we missed on our own. He has a lot of knowledge about Tokyo and the history of Japan and a very pleasing manner. He lived in Delaware for a bit and has a great command of the English language. My family had a great time with him.
Thank you for your comment. I wish you and your families continue a nice and memorable trip in Japan.
With our private tour guide Mr. Yo Ogawa, he is very organized and well knowledgeable, he is a very fit gentleman, thank you Mr. Yo Ogawa you are awesome.
Thank you for your message. I am following you and your families through the Facebook. I wish you continue a nice trip in Europe.