2025 Shiga Kogen Snow Monkey & Snow Fun Tour: A Helpful Review

If you’re even slightly considering a winter escape to Japan, visiting the snow monkeys in Shiga Kogen is almost certainly something you’ve heard about. The 2025 ‘1-Day Snow Monkeys & Snow Fun in Shiga Kogen Tour’ has been making noise, so naturally you’d be curious. This review will break down exactly what you could expect, the potential highlights, and, really, if it lives up to the hype. So, let’s see what the buzz is about.

What You Can Expect From The Tour

What, might you ask, is in store for you? This particular tour isn’t only about seeing some cute monkeys, you know. As a matter of fact, it’s an all-around winter adventure. A full day trip it is, and right from Nagano Station too, which, honestly, makes everything way smoother. You get picked up, you know, no need to stress about figuring out the public transport system with all your stuff. First up is generally the Jigokudani Monkey Park. Getting to the park can be a bit of a walk, seemingly along a forest path, so keep that in mind. After monkey time, you scoot over to Shiga Kogen for what they call “snow fun.” That could mean sledding or just, you know, goofing around in the snow. A lunch spot is included too. That might be at a local restaurant. Getting back to Nagano Station wraps up the day. Overall, that sounds pretty packed with all sorts of winter experiences.

Getting Up Close with Snow Monkeys

The stars of this excursion are very likely the snow monkeys. And they really are something to see. Jigokudani Monkey Park gives you this rare chance to get reasonably close to these fascinating creatures in their wild habitat. They’re actually Japanese macaques, you know, and they’ve gained something of a reputation for their love of chilling in hot springs. Yes, that’s right, in winter time they like relaxing in hot springs just like us, maybe a bit more in some ways. When you’re there, you can witness their behavior right in front of you – their social interactions and how they deal with the cold, that kind of stuff. Please note though, the monkeys are wild. What that actually means is you can’t touch or feed them. Observation only, basically, in that case. Still, snapping some memorable photos from a respectful distance is typically not a problem. You’ll like them, apparently!

Snowy Adventures in Shiga Kogen

Apart from hanging with the monkeys, the tour includes snow activities in Shiga Kogen. Shiga Kogen is one of the biggest ski areas. As a matter of fact it has a claim to fame as the location for some events in the 1998 Winter Olympics, or so I was told. If you’re not into skiing, snow fun is probably going to be things such as sledding. Otherwise just enjoying the snowy landscape will probably do it. The exact activities might just be based on conditions and what the tour group figures out. But in any case, if you aren’t expecting an extreme snowboarding adventure, you shouldn’t be too off put, clearly. Basically, it’s just getting out there and savoring the snow. You might find you like it anyway.
Read our full review: Shiga Kogen Snow Monkey Tour Full Review and Details

Some Practical Points You May Find Helpful

If you’re contemplating taking this tour, you might like to keep some points in mind, just so you’re a bit prepared, you know. First thing, basically: clothing. When? That’s important, right? It runs from December to March, so it’s probably gonna be cold, especially if the weather calls for it. I mean, it is a snow monkey tour. What I would probably do is layer up with warm clothes, and sturdy, waterproof boots are certainly important too. Second thing: the walk. So, the walk to the monkey park is maybe half a mile or so on a somewhat well-kept trail. Basically, think forest walk, not city street, or something of that sort. If you happen to have mobility concerns, keep that very firmly in mind. Final thing: Respect the monkeys. Yes, they are pretty cool, yet these are still wild animals. Do keep a reasonable distance. Also, really, avoid direct eye contact and don’t try to feed them anything. No matter how adorable those monkeys may seem.

Is this adventure worth your time?

Is this tour good, and are you getting a great experience for what you paid? The answer for this may depend on what is valued by you. You may get the chance to see amazing snow monkeys relaxing. Likewise, one might also see some scenic snowy areas too. On the downside, this tour may include walking, as well as possible crowd concerns. Do I endorse this tour for everyone? That’s pretty tricky, very difficult indeed. But hopefully, after reading, one may be ready to confidently chose your path and determine whether or not it is worthwhile to go for it or not.
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