Once your tour begins, you will board our private tour vehicle and leave the city behind as you are transported to the Snow Monkey Park, located in the onsen town Yudanaka at the foot of the mountains. Your guide will take you along the forest trail which leads to the park and into Jigokudani - rather dramatically translating to 'Hell's Valley'. Home to the only troop of monkeys in the entire world known to bathe in hot springs, there are no barriers separating you from the wild monkeys, making this a unique and memorable experience. Your guide will introduce these truly curious creatures and provide you time to enjoy the unique experience of observing them in close proximity. Make sure to bring your camera as you`re going to need it!

Your guide will then accompany you back along the trail to nearby Hotarutei for a well-deserved lunch and you will enjoy "nabe," meaning "hot pot" in Japanese. Nabe is a classic winter food in Japan and a perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day. To suit individual preferences, you may choose between beef, seafood, or vegetarian nabe. In addition, your meal will include assorted tempura, miso soup, sushi, and tea/coffee. This beautifully prepared, filling lunch is designed to match the season and highlight the best of Nagano's renowned food culture.

Well-fed and content, it's time to head-out of Yudanaka to explore the picturesque town of Obuse, and its remaining Edo-style buildings. Known for its historic character, chestnut delicacies and sake breweries, walking the streets of Obuse provides an incredible opportunity to sample some local specialties and appreciate the local culture of Nagano and Japan as a whole in this stroll through time. After spending some time in Obuse, you will once more board the private vehicle bound for Nagano City

Zenko-ji Temple, as a registered National Treasure, the temple is the most important cultural site in Nagano and one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in the entire country! A place of true historic importance, full of legends and myths, you will be guided around the temple before your guide will give you the opportunity to explore the surrounding precinct of smaller temples, shops, and food by yourself. As Japan’s second largest producer of sake, Nagano is synonymous with sake and no visit to the region is complete without delving into Japan’s most famous beverage. Your guide with lead your party to a local producer of sake, and introduce how to differentiate one brew from another as you taste a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The information provided by your guide will allow you to continue to enjoy sake in a meaningful way even after the tour concludes.