It is possible to visit Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park as a day trip from Tokyo. Yes, cities are much closer, such as Nagano, but if you’re short on time, you can visit adorable (and wild) snow monkeys from Tokyo.
This post will go through the multiple ways to get from Tokyo to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, both self-guided and talk about guided tours that are available as well.
if you’re looking to visit the Snow Monkey Park from Nagano, this post may be more what more after. This post will go into detail on making the day trip to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park from Tokyo.
While Japan’s capital is 272km from the snow Monkey onsen, it is an easily achievable day trip – and this post will go through three separate methods – depending on time, budget and freedom available.
What is Jigokudani?
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park is a collection of natural thermal springs. While these pools have a calming beauty of their own, they attract a unique visitor – Japanese Macaque Monkeys.
During the cold winter months, these monkeys seek the warm waters of the thermal baths to keep warm. They also depend on the staff spreading some seeds around the area for them to eat – as food is scarce in the winter months.
During the warmer months, food is plentiful and the monkeys don’t need a barrier from the chilly temperatures, so seeing the monkeys bathing is less likely.
It is worth noting that this is not a place where you can swim. The warm pools are not for visitors, rather for the monkeys only. It seems pretty obvious, but nonetheless, there are still signs posted around.
How to visit Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park from Tokyo
As I mentioned earlier, there are a few different ways to visit Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park from Tokyo city. All three come with their benefits and disadvantages and while they all involve getting drop Tokyo to the snow monkey park, they are all different.
No matter which way you choose, you will have to get to the carpark of Jigokudani, from there, it is a half-hour walk to the visitor’s center. This is where you will pay your entrance fee of ¥600 $5.60 USD) and be allowed to go down to the onsen filled with monkeys.
Let’s start with my personal favorite – probably the most expensive but gives much more freedom in what you do along the way from Tokyo to the monkey park.
Driving from Tokyo to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
If you plan to rent a car in Tokyo, then this is most likely the choice for you. It is the most expensive option but allows for a huge amount of freedom. You can stop wherever you would like, for how long and frequency- the other two options listed below don’t have this level of freedom.
Personally, I love road trips, and while I didn’t personally drive from Tokyo to Jigokudani, let’s go through the details as it is a very possible say trip.
From Tokyo to Jigokudani Monkey Park takes around 3.5 hours, covering 272km of road. This distance will greatly depend on where in Tokyo you are staying and where you are picking your rental car up from.
While renting a car in Tokyo itself would be pointless due to the unreal metro network, getting out of the city can be a great thing. Japan is an active seismic nation, and that means road quality can be a little rough.
But as with most things in Japan, the roads are easy to navigate and along with a GPS device, you shouldn’t have any issues reaching the snow monkey park.
Catching the train from Tokyo to the Snow Monkey Park
The train network in Japan is fantastic. So clean and prompt, it is easy to cover lots of the country in a short amount of time.
The train from Tokyo doesn’t go all the way to Jigokudani. You will need to catch the train from Tokyo to Nagano, and then a bus from Nagano to Jigokudani. The train from Tokyo to Nagano is just over 3 hours long. This trip from Tokyo to Nagano is included in the JR Pass.
From Nagano, you have a couple of options.
- Bus from Nagano to Jigokudani – Leaving from Nagano Station, up to 10 buses leave to Jigokudani daily. You’re looking at 40 minutes and costs ¥1400. You want to get off at either Kanbayashi Onsen or Snow Monkey Park bus stop.
- Train from Nagano – You can catch another train from Nagano Station to get closer to the monkeys in the onsen, get off at Yudanaka Station on the Nagano-sen train. This train isn’t included in the JR Pass. You then need to catch a taxi or a bus the last little way until the trailhead.
No .after which mode of transport you pick, you will need to walk the 30-minute snowy trail from the car park to the visitors center at the hot pools with Japanese Macaque Monkeys.
Taking a tour to the Monkey Park Jigokudani
Most tours begin at Nagano Station, so if you’re staying in Tokyo, one of the above options is the best way to get from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station.
From Nagano Station, there are quite a few tours to Jigokudani available, depending on your time and budget. Full-day tours to overnight tours that incorporate the snow monkeys into other activities and sights in the area.
If you’re looking for some extra information about the area and a knowledgeable guide that can teach a little more about everything around you, a tour is a great option.
1-day Snow Monkey Pass
In winter, you can buy a one-day pass that covers everything from Nagano Station to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Trains, buses and admission fee into the park is all covered and you end up saving a few hundred yen.
You can buy these passes from Nagano Station the day you are leaving and no prior reservation needed.
Summary of visiting Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park from Tokyo
Well, there you have it, three similar, yet very different ways to get from Tokyo to Jigokudani – driving, the train and taking a tour.
No matter which one you choose, you’ll have a memorable day with the snow monkeys of JJigokudani.
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Happy and safe travels,
Ben – Horizon Unknown
