Shiga Kogen tours

Lunch buffet was shabu shabu, time allocated for lunch was short for buffet style at approximately 1 hour or so. Guide was a local, not much talking except for telling of destination and meet up time. Hike up to see the monkeys took about 45 mins to 1 hour each way. Some parts were quite steep. The museum trip was meh, nothing much to see. Highlight of the trip was the monkeys

We were staying at Karuizawa so this was a day trip out for us. Instructions where to meet were clear and our guide, Joyce, arrived early to meet us. She explained the dos and don'ts clearly and would keep time for us. she answered questions patiently and would suggest what we could try on our own. I would say we made the right choice! When the day started, it was only lightly snowing but as the day progressed, the forecast became heavy snow. The snow fun part was my daughter's favourite, as she exclaimed, so soft and fluffy! it's a small area cordoned off for children/ beginners but the equipment provided is sufficient for adults to use (sleds/ sledding bikes). we had enough time to play and have lunch and walk around for a bit. Then we were off to another ski resort for the ski lift ride. I have a phobia of height so I stayed behind to wait for them. My daughter enjoyed the ride up and down. we then headed for the snow monkey park. it's a long walk in but to me, the highlight was the walk in, then the snow monkeys. it was so serene and beautiful! we had enough time to wander around to take photos before heading out. Joyce introduced us to this apple pie from enza cafe (own expenses) and it was so good! the driver also did a good job driving safely despite the icy conditions and snowing. however, while this is doable for most people with minimal fitness, it can be tiring as some parts involved walking upslope on snow.

Fantastic trip to Nagano Prefecture to the Snow Monkey Park. Even though we were delayed due to traffic problems, our hosts made every effort to make the trip enjoyable. We had a delicious lunch in Nagano and then proceeded to the park. Be aware to get to the park requires a very steep and ice/snow covered hike with steep inclines and some treacherous terrain and may not be suitable for some. After a 40 minute hike you are rewarded with fantastic views of many family groups of snow monkeys bathing and eating around the hot spring. AMAZING! A must see for animal lovers!

It was a fun day tour from Tokyo to Nagano. Our guide Endo was very kind and he was good at explaining to us the tour and what to expect. The food was great too. We have a lot of fun at the snow resort. The spectacular view from the snow resort chairlift was amazing. Everything was great! Definitely will recommend this tour!

Very much recommended, it was simply the highlight during our trip in Tokyo. We met Ms. Suzuki, the guide, in Shinjuku Center Building around 6.30 am. The bus left at 7.15 sharp as scheduled, first we made a stop at Kamisato rest area and arrived in Nagano around 11.00 am then straight to the buffet restaurant, and boy it was very fulfilling. Did I mention it was snowing while we were having lunch? So it was kinda lunch with a view. At 12.30, if I wasn’t mistaken, we arrived at the Jigokudani Monkey Park and there was more snow! Didn’t expect much at first but as soon as I stepped out of the bus I was very very excited. Lastly, the group gathered at the Museum not far from the park and we concluded our tour around 7.00 pm. All in all we were very satisfied with the tour and definitely will book again if we ever come again to Tokyo during winter.

A very happy day! Recommended for those with children. The place to play in the snow in the morning was perfect. I couldn't find it even if I looked for it. There were so many snow toys that I couldn't get enough of them. 2 hours was not enough. Taking the cable car to the top of the mountain is also very shocking. It is not as scary as imagined. It is a unique experience for children. I was the only one who joined the group that day and was not cancelled. I am very grateful. The tour guide Jens also helped take care of the baby. The baby threw a snowball and his pants got wet. He was very nice. So, feel free to sign up. The happiest day in Japan.

I had a spectacular time while visiting the Snow Monkeys. The tour guide did a great job with the tour and informed us about the various spots. The lunch buffet was amazing and had variety of food options. The whole experience was just awesome, I did not expect the monkeys to come very close to people. Definitely will go again when there is more snow to get the full experience!

We had an unexpectedly amazing trip with Jens. Great fun at Shiga Kogen ski area with lots of activities for kids. My son cannot stop playing. Jens also took us to another place (not in itinerary) called Kumanoyu Ski area, taking Ski Lift up 1,960m and the scenery is breathtaking. Snow is super powery and soft, you cannot find elsewhere. Snow Money is lovely place too. We are so happy that we chose this tour & so lucky to have Jens with us. Kudos to Jens!