Nagano — among Alps, temples, and forests
The Japanese Alps and the Spirit of Zen

Nagano — among Alps, temples, and forests

Ancient temples and snow monkeys relaxing in hot springs among the forests of the Japanese Alps

  • Duration: Start at 8:00 / 12 hours
  • Price: On request
  • Departure: Departure and arrival at Tokyo hotels

Overview

Nagano, located in the very heart of Honshu and surrounded by mountains reaching about 3,000 meters, is the central city of the Shinshu region. In winter, it is blanketed by deep snow, and the culture of hot springs and mountain worship endures to this day.

Your journey begins with a transfer from Tokyo to Nagano by high-speed train (80 minutes). Enjoy a leisurely walk through a picturesque forest to the hot springs, where wild Japanese macaques bathe; visit Zenkoji Temple, founded in 642, whose main hall is recognized as a National Treasure; and explore the historic streets of the temple town. Relax with a bowl of traditional matcha tea in a tea room.

 

Itinerary: Tokyo → Nagano Station → Jigokudani Yaen-Koen → Yudanaka (lunch) → Zenkoji and temple town → Nagano Station → Tokyo

Key Features

  1. Jigokudani Monkey Park — This is the only place in the world where you can observe wild Japanese macaques bathing in hot springs. The unique sight of them enjoying hot baths amidst the snow is unparalleled.
  2. Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen Area — Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen, located at the foot of Jigokudani, are among the most famous hot spring resorts in Shinshu, with a history of over a thousand years.
  3. Lunch — Gifts of the Mountains — After a walk through the valley, enjoy a lunch made from local ingredients. Upon request, we can arrange Shinshu soba, Shinshu beef, kaiseki cuisine with seasonal mountain vegetables, and a tasting of local sake.
  4. Main Hall of Zenkoji Temple — Founded in 642. Its main sacred treasure is considered to be the oldest statue of Amida Nyorai in Japan. The main hall is recognized as a national treasure and is one of the largest wooden structures in Japan.
  5. The atmosphere of the old route — Along the central avenue leading from the Niomon gate to the main hall, there are Edo-period inns, old shichimi shops, restaurants serving local soba, and artisan workshops.
  6. Matcha tea ceremony — Enjoy a traditional matcha experience in the authentic tea room "Yuyu-an." Enter through the nijiriguchi, observe the host's tea ceremony, and then prepare a bowl of matcha yourself.

Itinerary

Day 1 — Into the silence of the Japanese Alps

A Day in Nagano

  • 8:00 Departure from the hotel in Tokyo
    Transfer to Tokyo Station in a private car with a personal driver. Escort to the train departing directly to Nagano.
  • 8:33 Boarding the Gran Class of the Hokuriku Shinkansen “Kagayaki”
    Transfer to Nagano on the Hokuriku Shinkansen "Kagayaki" in Gran Class. From the train windows, you can enjoy the typical landscapes of Shinshu, including Karuizawa, Sakudaira, and the Chikuma River valley.
  • 9:56 Arrival at Nagano Station → Transfer to the valley to see the snow monkeys
    Your personal guide will meet you on the platform at Nagano Station. You will transfer to your comfortable vehicle and depart for Jigokudani—the journey will take about 45 minutes. Along the way, enjoy views of the Shiga Highlands mountains and rural landscapes from your window.
  • 11:00 Jigokudani Monkey Park
    From the parking lot in Kanbayashi Onsen, it is about a 30-minute walk along a mountain trail. This narrow path runs along a gorge surrounded by cedar forests. At the pool fed by a hot spring, you can observe the monkeys from an astonishingly close distance. The best time for photography is during the snowy season, from December to early March.
  • 13:30 Lunch in Yudanaka
    Lunch in a traditional ryotei or a historic soba restaurant in Yudanaka Onsen. Enjoy a Japanese menu featuring Shinshu soba, Shinshu beef, and seasonal vegetables. Private service in a separate room is also available. Local sake from Shinshu and Nagano (such as Shichiwari, Masumi, and Mizuo) can be selected according to the season.
  • 15:30 Zenkoji Temple
    Take a leisurely walk along the path from the Niomon Gate to the Main Hall. The Main Hall, a national treasure, was restored in 1707. Enter the inner sanctuary and pause before the altar, where the principal relic—Amida Nyorai (the original statue was brought in 552)—is enshrined. Then take part in the “Okaidan Meguri,” a journey beneath the Main Hall, where in complete darkness you search for the “Lock of Paradise” on the wall. The temple is open to all, regardless of faith.
  • 16:30 Mondzen-machi
    On the street leading from the Main Hall to the Nio-mon Gate, you will find a teahouse restored from Edo-period temple lodgings, the historic Shinshu Shichimi Yawataya Isogoro shop, as well as stores offering traditional crafts from Nagano Prefecture. Enjoy a tea ceremony in the "Yuyu-an" tea room.
  • 17:56 Nagano Station
    Departure to Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen "Kagayaki" in the Gran Class car.
  • 19:20 Tokyo Station → Hotel
    A personal driver will meet you at your carriage at Tokyo Station and escort you to your hotel in Tokyo.

SNOW AND SILENCE

Snow and silence — two faces of Shinshu

When you arrive in Nagano, the first thing that changes is the sound. The moment the shinkansen doors open, the air on the platform is dry, and the coolness descending from distant mountains brushes your cheeks.

Walking along the mountain stream in Jigokudani, only the sound of footsteps in the forest and the bubbling of hot springs remain. Beside the Japanese macaques leisurely bathing in the hot springs, people too quietly catch their breath.

During the day, a different silence reigns in Zenkoji. The height of the main hall’s ceiling, restored in 1707, the small flames of candles, the wafting scent of incense. For 1,400 years, this temple has welcomed everyone, regardless of faith, and the air here is filled with a warmth unlike the chill of the snowy mountains.

There are two kinds of silence in Shinshu: the silence of the mountains and the silence of prayer. Nagano is a city where you can gently move from one to the other in just a single day.

Additional options

 

  • Stay at a ryokan in Yudanaka/Shibu Onsen
  • Wasabi farm
  • Helicopter transfer (Tokyo — Nagano)
  • Zazen meditation experience 
  • Sutra copying experience 
  • Togakushi Shrine and Ninja Village
  • Shinshu soba noodle cooking master class
  • Private local sake tasting
  • Personal photography escort for winter landscapes
  • Special programs for the autumn foliage season
  • Snowshoeing experience in the Japanese Alps
  • Visit to the national treasure — Matsumoto Castle
  • Yayoi Kusama Museum in Matsumoto

Practical Information

Start time / Duration
8:00 / 12 hours
Included in the price
・Private car (Tokyo/Nagano)
・Guide accompaniment in Nagano
・Round-trip Gran Class tickets
・Admission tickets

*Please note: meals and additional options are not included in the tour price.