Japan · NAGANO TOURS

Japan’s 15 Best Nagano Tours

50 tours  ·  ★★★★★★★★★★ 4.9 average  ·  from $44

The good ones go weeks ahead and the great ones go sooner. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ once you read past the headline.

1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano - Zenko-ji Temple: Nagano’s spiritual starting point
Nagano Tours, Snow Monkey Tours, Snow Monkey Tours in Nagano, Temples and Shrines, Temples and Shrines in Nagano, Tour Reviews, Winter Activities

1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

1.1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,020 reviews · from $151Our pick

Visit Zenko-ji, taste Nagano sake, enjoy a local lunch, and meet snow monkeys on this well-organized full-day tour from Nagano.

“This was a well planned out amazing tour. The Temple was amazing. The lunch was great the Sake tasing was great but the snow monkeys were the best part. There were so many monkeys everywhere. We will never forget this trip. Our tour guide Brent was very knowledgeable and gave us plenty of free time to explore each thing.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip - Starting from Nagano Station or Hakuba
Day Trips, Day Trips in Nagano, Nagano Tours, Snow Monkey Tours, Snow Monkey Tours in Nagano, Temples and Shrines, Temples and Shrines in Nagano, Tour Reviews, Winter Activities

Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

2.Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 833 reviews · 8 - 12 hours · from $135

Visit Zenkoji Temple, taste Nagano sake, enjoy a generous local lunch, and see snow monkeys on this well-paced guided day trip.

“The day trip was absolutely amazing - exploring the temple, sake tasting and the food was so much more than expected and sooo yummy!! The snow monkeys were incredibly cute and fascinating to watch. Tom is one of the best tour guides we've ever had - very informative, funny and genuinely kind. He even took the time to AirDrop locations and recommendations for places to go on the coach ride home, which was such a thoughtful touch, along with handing out stickers. If you want to see the snow monkeys, you must do this trip! It's 100% worth the money. Thank you”

Check availability →Read our full review

[Nagoya Kamikochi Hiking Tour] One-Day Nature Forest Hiking Tour of Kamikochi & Taisho Pond & Tashiro Pond & Kappa Bridge & Myojin Pond & Hotaka Mountain Range & Hotaka Shrine Okumiya (Departure from Nagoya) - Choosing your Kamikochi walk
Hiking and Trekking, Nagano Tours, Temples and Shrines, Temples and Shrines in Nagano, Tour Reviews, Tours

[Nagoya Kamikochi Hiking Tour] One-Day Nature Forest Hiking Tour of Kamikochi & Taisho Pond & Tashiro Pond & Kappa Bridge & Myojin Pond & Hotaka Mountain Range & Hotaka Shrine Okumiya (Departure from Nagoya)

3.[Nagoya Kamikochi Hiking Tour] One-Day Nature Forest Hiking Tour of Kamikochi & Taisho Pond & Tashiro Pond & Kappa Bridge & Myojin Pond & Hotaka Mountain Range & Hotaka Shrine Okumiya (Departure from Nagoya)

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 423 reviews · 11 hours · from $44Best value

Ride from Nagoya to Kamikochi with a Chinese- or English-speaking guide, then spend about 3.5 hours exploring independently. Choose the easy 3.5 km walk from Taisho Pond to Kappa Bridge or the longer route toward Myojin Pond and Hotaka Shrine. Pack lunch, rain gear, and warm layers.

“The weather was great, the scenery was wonderful, and our tour guide, Siesy, was also fantastic.”

Check availability →Read our full review

From Tokyo: Snow Monkey 1 Day Tour with Beef Sukiyaki Lunch - A long road north to Nagano Prefecture
Day Trips, Day Trips in Nagano, Lunch Experiences, Nagano Tours, Snow Monkey Tours, Snow Monkey Tours in Nagano, Tour Reviews, Tours, Winter Activities

From Tokyo: Snow Monkey 1 Day Tour with Beef Sukiyaki Lunch

4.Snow Monkey 1 Day Tour with Beef Sukiyaki Lunch

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 295 reviews · 1 day · from $151

See Japan’s snow monkeys, enjoy beef sukiyaki, and visit Nagano’s winter scenery on a long but rewarding day trip from Tokyo.

“Great day. Very long but totally worth it. Only piece of feedback is to make the pickup point a bit easier. We were very much on time but because the pickup was quite far away from the park, and in an unfamiliar area, we nearly missed the coach due to not knowing which road to take to find the pickup point (there were at least 10 others who had the same issue). "George" was lovely and was very funny. Thanks/Arigato Gozaimas!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Tokyo: Snow Monkey & Nagano Customiseable Private Day Tour - Why the private vehicle changes the day
Day Trips, Day Trips in Nagano, Nagano Tours, Private Tours, Snow Monkey Tours, Snow Monkey Tours in Nagano, Tour Reviews, Tours, Winter Activities

Tokyo: Snow Monkey & Nagano Customiseable Private Day Tour

5.Snow Monkey & Nagano Customiseable Private Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 138 reviews · 1 day · from $466

Review of Tokyo’s private Snow Monkey and Nagano day tour, with luxury transport, flexible stops, practical costs, timing, and honest tips.

“Javad was gracious and freely giving of his time and knowledge. He was patient, well informed and unerringly polite and helpful. The entire trip was extraordinary and our whole family loved the day. Javad stretched the tour by more than an hour which makes for a long day but the car was extremely comfortable and the regular breaks were perfect. A must do trip whilst in Tokyo. Don’t miss the Snow Monkeys they are adorable!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Matsumoto Castle Tour & Samurai Experience - Meeting at Matsumoto Station and walking to the castle
Castles and Historic Sites, Castles and Historic Sites in Nagano, Nagano Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Matsumoto Castle Tour & Samurai Experience

6.Matsumoto Castle Tour & Samurai Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 128 reviews · 3 hours · from $88

Explore Matsumoto Castle, learn samurai history, and practice katana basics in costume on this engaging three-hour English tour.

“Excellent tour. Knowledgeable, personable guide. Fabulous Samurai instructor - she was enthusiastic, supportive and an excellent teacher. Recommend.”

Check availability →Read our full review

1-Day Tour from Nagano and Matsumoto Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle - Matsumoto Castle: a strong first stop
Castles and Historic Sites, Castles and Historic Sites in Nagano, Day Trips, Day Trips in Nagano, Nagano Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

1-Day Tour from Nagano and Matsumoto Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle

7.1-Day Tour from Nagano and Matsumoto Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · from $201

Combine Matsumoto Castle and Kamikochi on a guided day trip from Nagano, with transport, castle entry, mountain walks, and free time included.

“It was a full day of activities! We enjoyed the tour of the castle and city of Matsumoto. Our hike into the Kamikochi area was breathtaking. Devan was a great guide, very friendly and personable. We really enjoyed our day!”

Check availability →Read our full review

1-Day Snow Monkeys & Snow Fun in Shiga Kogen Tour - Lunch beside the ski fields
Nagano Tours, Snow Monkey Tours, Snow Monkey Tours in Nagano, Tour Reviews, Tours, Winter Activities

1-Day Snow Monkeys & Snow Fun in Shiga Kogen Tour

8.1-Day Snow Monkeys & Snow Fun in Shiga Kogen Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 94 reviews · from $184

Review of Nagano’s Shiga Kogen snow tour, with sledding, lunch, chairlift views, and a forest walk to Japan’s famous snow monkeys.

“The snow monkey park was a fun and interesting way to spend the morning. The lunch was better than we had expected for a tour and we all thoroughly enjoyed it after the hike. The afternoon spent at the Shiga-Kogen Highlands made the day though! We had way more fun than we thought we would and we all agreed that had we just done the snow monkey park alone, the day wouldn't have felt complete. We got lucky and had a really strong snow day during our tour. Our guides were great and we couldn't have asked for a better day.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Full-Day Tour: Matsumoto Castle & Kamikochi Alpine Valley - Starting at Nagano Station or Matsumoto Station
Castles and Historic Sites, Castles and Historic Sites in Nagano, Day Trips, Day Trips in Nagano, Full-Day, Nagano Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Full-Day Tour: Matsumoto Castle & Kamikochi Alpine Valley

9.Full-Day Tour: Matsumoto Castle & Kamikochi Alpine Valley

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 78 reviews · 12 hours · from $180

Review of the Matsumoto Castle and Kamikochi tour from Nagano, with castle history, Frog Street, alpine walks, timing, price, and practical tips.

“Shin was our guide for our day trip to Matsumoto Castle & Kamikochi, and our family thoroughly enjoyed this experience! Shin was attentive and helped us learn about the history of the places we visited. Of course the highlight of our trip was the Alpine Valley. The walk to the Kappa bridge is breathtaking and it’s a MUST experience if you are visiting Nagano!”

Check availability →Read our full review

(Spring Only) 1-Day Snow Walls of Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route Tour - Meeting at Nagano Station at 8:15 am
Nagano Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Winter Activities

(Spring Only) 1-Day Snow Walls of Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route Tour

Private Nagano 1-Day Tour:Snow Monkeys,Zenko-ji,Obuse,Sake,Onsen - Zenko-ji Temple and the making of Nagano
Day Trips, Day Trips in Nagano, Nagano Tours, Onsen and Wellness, Snow Monkey Tours, Snow Monkey Tours in Nagano, Tour Reviews, Tours, Winter Activities

Private Nagano 1-Day Tour:Snow Monkeys,Zenko-ji,Obuse,Sake,Onsen

11.Private Nagano 1-Day Tour:Snow Monkeys,Zenko-ji,Obuse,Sake,Onsen

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · from $337

Review of Nagano’s private snow monkey, Zenko-ji, Obuse, sake, and onsen tour, with practical advice on timing, value, transport, and guides.

“Tour guide was informational and his recommendation for lunch was awesome. Took us to a cherry farm during our tour. This was a private tour. We felt safe with him. Even chased an overly aggressive snow monkey away.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Matsumoto Castle Tour & Samurai Experience - Meeting at Matsumoto Station and walking to the castle
Castles and Historic Sites, Castles and Historic Sites in Nagano, Nagano Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Matsumoto Castle Tour & Samurai Experience

12.Matsumoto Castle Tour & Samurai Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 69 reviews · from $88

Explore Matsumoto Castle, learn samurai history, and practice safe sword kata in costume during this lively three-hour tour.

“De rondleiding in Matsumoto Castle was zeer leerrijk en dus zeker de moeite waard. De samurai experience was een telleurstelling. Ik had verwacht een haktest te mogen doen met een scherp zwaard. Ik heb vijf seconden een metalen oefenzwaard vastgehad en voor de rest een houten zwaard. Jan Bossaerts”

Check availability →Read our full review

Izakaya Food Tour in Nagano - Meeting at Nagano Station and heading toward Gondo
Bar Hopping and Izakaya Tours, Food Tours, Nagano Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours

Izakaya Food Tour in Nagano

13.Izakaya Food Tour in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · from $111

Explore Nagano’s izakaya scene with five dishes, two drinks, local guides, family-run eateries, and tucked-away bars in three relaxed hours.

“I greatly enjoyed this tour. My guide, Masa, was very genial and engaging. It was a good way to find out a little more about Japan and to discover some nice bars too. Some may find this tour a little expensive however I thought it was great value for money as I was the only one on the tour and so had the undivided attention of the guide. The last bar we visited was a real gem, it would have only fitted 10 people at the most and was very eclectic in its decor. Some excellent live music too at this bar. All in all good fun.”

Check availability →Read our full review

Matsumoto Castle Town Walking Tour - Meeting at Matsumoto Station
Castles and Historic Sites, Castles and Historic Sites in Nagano, Nagano Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Nagano

Matsumoto Castle Town Walking Tour

14.Matsumoto Castle Town Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 58 reviews · 3 hours · from $63

Walk Matsumoto’s samurai route to its famous castle, then explore Nawate and Nakamachi with an English-speaking local guide.

“Tom is an excellent guide and having lived in Japan for so many years, has a unique perspective which is refreshing and interesting. I would attend any tour guides by him in a heartbeat. Highly recommended!”

Check availability →Read our full review

Food & Cultural Walking Tour around Zenkoji temple in Nagano - Walking through Zenkoji’s 1,400 years
Nagano Tours, Temples and Shrines, Temples and Shrines in Nagano, Tour Reviews, Tours, Walking Tours, Walking Tours in Nagano

Food & Cultural Walking Tour around Zenkoji temple in Nagano

15.Food & Cultural Walking Tour around Zenkoji temple in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 58 reviews · from $91

Taste oyaki, sake, matcha, and local sweets while exploring Zenkoji’s back streets and 1,400 years of Nagano culture.

“Masu is a fantastic guide. We had a few hours in Nagano after leaving our onsen in Shibu before heading to Kyoto. Masu only does very small tours, up to 8 people, and my husband and I were the only 2 on our tour. Masu knows secret, local pRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

New in Nagano Tours

★ 4.5Wasabi Farm Walking Tour & LunchFrom $7020 reviews
★ 5.0Snow Monkeys, Hokusai & Sake: A Perfect Day in NaganoFrom $16219 reviews
★ 5.0Snow Monkey Park & Miso Production Day Tour from NaganoFrom $17618 reviews
★ 5.01-Day Tateyama-Kurobe Tour: Walking on the ‘Roof of Japan’From $25220 reviews
★ 5.0Ski or Snowboard Lesson in Shiga Kogen (4Hours)From $18434 reviews
★ 5.0Snow Monkey Park, Soba Lunch and Shibu Onsen TourFrom $9712 reviews
★ 5.0Nagano Spring: 1-Day Cherry Blossoms & Snow Monkeys Guided TourFrom $15031 reviews
★ 5.0Nagano Snowshoe Hiking TourFrom $9714 reviews
★ 5.0Nagano Sake Tasting Walking TourFrom $6432 reviews
★ 5.0Nagano Private Two Day TourFrom $48929 reviews
★ 5.0Nagano All Must-Sees 4hr Private Tour with Licensed GuideFrom $12013 reviews
★ 5.01-Day Winter Tour From Nozawa Onsen: Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & SakeFrom $15032 reviews
★ 5.0Half-Day Zenkoji Tour with Tea ExperienceFrom $12114 reviews
★ 5.01-Day Togakushi Tour: Soba making, Ninja Town, and Hidden ShrinesFrom $16618 reviews
★ 4.5Explore Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park with a Local GuideFrom $11230 reviews

Keep browsing

Go-Karts36
Scroll to Top

Every kind of day in Japan

Grouped by what you would actually be doing that afternoon.

On foot

Walking RoutesTemples and GatesCastles & KeepsSightseeing DaysHiking Days

At the table

Food WalksFish and Food MarketsCooking LessonsSake FlightsDinner Out

Sitting still

Tea on TatamiKimono DaysOnsen & BathingHands-On WorkshopsMuseums

Out of the city

Out-of-Town DaysSnow Monkey DaysBoats and FerriesReef DaysSnow Days