Ultimate Snow Monkeys & Shiga Kogen Winter Adventure
Price From $193.68 per person
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This adventurous one-day tour combines a visit to the world-famous Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani with morning of fun in the deep powder snow of Shiga Kogen – Japan’s largest ski resort! Including lunch and led by a locally-based, English-speaking guide, this tour follows a simple equation: snow monkeys + lots more snow = big fun in Shiga Kogen!
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
saraisalp, 1/16/2026 3:06:26 AM
It was a great experience to see the monkeys. We recommend this tour for families with children Kei was very nice and friendly, and gave us some great information. Also, the food was excellent!
Q5238BJjeremyb, 1/7/2026 7:09:15 PM
Had a great time. Lunch was delicious, and the guide was great. My 5 year old had "the best day of her life." Highly recommend
MatthewGraham_L, 1/5/2026 11:18:20 PM
If you like animals and the outdoors you will love this day trip. We were fortunate to have perfect weather
asZ3189SZ, 1/3/2026 2:14:27 AM
I cannot say enough wonderful things about our Snow Fun / Snow Monkey Tour! We absolutely loved the itinerary—from having fun sledding and enjoying a delicious traditional Japanese lunch to snapping hundreds of photos of the sweet snow monkeys running around us. Every moment was memorable. The staff truly went above and beyond to take care of us from start to finish. They were responsive and helpful with my questions both by email and in person, our bus driver was friendly and safe, and our guides immediately felt more like friends than staff. A huge thank you to Joyce, Nadine, and Orlando! It was such a pleasure meeting you, and we wish you all the best. As a bonus, when I asked for a dinner recommendation afterwards, we were directed to Mountain Q (about 10 minutes from Nagano Station). It was such a neat experience, and the Hawaiian food was fabulous! We had a perfect day filled with special memories that we will truly treasure forever.
rhiannonk376, 12/30/2025 8:35:54 PM
This was the BEST tour we’ve ever done! So well organized and it was the first time we actually felt like our money was well-spent. From the pick up to the drop off, everything was perfect! Bus was comfortable, Tour guide (Kei) was attentive/welcoming & entertaining throughout. Snow gear was provided free of charge if needed (jacket/pants/goggles/boots & gloves) which was a huge help, as we thought we had to hire that stuff separately and were stressing about it. Even the included lunch was one of the best meals we’d had in Japan! We got to participate in snow activities (tobogganing etc) in the morning before heading to the monkey park, which was a lovely surprise! Our visit to the Monkey park itself was made much more seamless and enjoyable by being on a tour, as we got dropped off to the entrance and was able to skip the big queues.
meiwenti-lg, 12/30/2025 6:58:59 AM
My family of four took this tour in late December. The tour was well organized. Our guide, Dillion, was knowledgeable, helpful and conversational. In other words he was the perfect guide one can find. We had so much fun and wonderful sight of the cute monkeys bathing in Onsen. Strongly recommend! I also recommend bringing or renting crampon for walking safely on the icy trail.
Paradise331435, 12/30/2025 5:16:18 AM
Dylan was our guide for the day. He was very knowledgable and affable. Kids really enjoyed the snow play and snow monkeys. Lunch was delicious and plentiful. Highly recommend!
Lenore_M, 12/29/2025 4:16:27 AM
My friend who lives in Japan and I (visiting) had an incredible time on this tour! Our guide, Dylan, was extremely knowledgeable about the region, as well as patient and kind, and did an incredible job leading our group and ensuring we all were comfortable and enjoying our time. The tour was well-paced and all the activities were truly memorable. We loved the time spent at the snow park, the lunch was delicious, and the snow monkeys were incredible! The bus was also very comfortable and all communication was top notch. Highly recommended experience! And thank you, Dylan, for your friendliness, organization, and knowledge!
LiYu_M, 12/27/2025 7:44:47 PM
This was a well organized tour and Jens was a great guide. The snow fun experience was more suited for families with kids less than 13 but my teenagers made the most of it and had fun on a beautiful sunny day. Lunch was a traditional hotpot with a few sushi rolls and a few bits of tempura— a good enough portion. Extra beverages were available for purchase. The hike to the snow monkey park was beautiful but a bit slippery given the snow the day before. Crampons were available for rental. The snow monkeys were a delight to see. Overall a good experience and the tour company organized it well.
glennl399, 12/23/2025 1:37:48 AM
The guides Kevin and Dylan were very informative and lively. They made effort to interact with the tour group and made sure we were well taken care of. The pace of the tour was comfortable as we had enough time for both attractions.
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Guests are required to walk in and out of the monkey park along a 1.6km / 1 mile trail. In winter, the trail and park will be affected by snow and ice. This walk should not be attempted by anyone who is mobility impaired, in a wheelchair or cannot confidently walk an extended distance over snow and ice. If you have concerns about you or a member of your group's ability to handle the conditions, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
- This tour does not include skiing or snowboarding, nor is there the time to arrange your own skiing and snowboarding while at the resort.
- There are a few days in the year that the monkeys might not come down to the park or that the monkeys leave the park early. While this is unlikely to happen, it is possible and is outside of our control.
- While unlikely, should weather or road conditions make it impossible to access Shiga Kogen, we would switch the activity to a visit to Zenko-ji Temple. As we cannot confirm weather conditions until the day of the tour, we would not be able to notify guests of the change in advance.
- Infants (0-5) are free of charge. (No tour meal is included. Please order foods directly from the restaurant.)
- This tour is insured however as the guest, you are required to have your own travel insurance which covers snow activities including riding chairlifts and using snowdrives, snowscoots, sleds, and tubes. Please confirm that your insurance policy covers this activity prior to the tour.
- The temperature in the Shiga Highlands in the winter is cold and can be minus 5 – 10 degrees. Dress in warm, waterproof clothing and boots for snow activities. Snow outfits (snow jackets, pants, gloves, snow boots) are available to rent for ¥500 each. Crampons may be purchased at Snow Monkey Park, if needed.
- Please note, there may be possible changes in the itinerary/included experiences due to local events, weather, restaurant availability, or other unforeseeable factors.
Departure point
For guests joining from Yudanaka Station: your guide will meet you at Yudanaka Station at 09:50. Your guide will be wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag and guide ID. The tour will need to depart immediately so please ensure you are at the meeting point in advance of the meeting time.Return details
This adventurous one-day tour combines a visit to the world-famous Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani with morning of fun in the deep powder snow of Shiga Kogen – Japan’s largest ski resort! Including lunch and led by a locally-based, English-speaking guide, this tour follows a simple equation: snow monkeys + lots more snow = big fun in Shiga Kogen!Redemption
• There definitely is a possibility, depending on the situation, to take this tour when staying in the Yudanaka or Shibu area; Please note that the meeting point will be Yudanaka Station; The time of meeting will change as well as the time of return; Please make sure to let the local supplier know at the time of booking as to where you are staying so they can inform you of the time24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund