Nagano Private Two Day Tour
4.5
Nagano Private Two Day Tour
By Japan Awaits
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About
Get the best of both worlds on this 2-day tour to Nagano, which includes a guide on day one, and free time on day two. Check out the famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, and the Zenko-ji Temple. Experience the ultimate in Japanese hospitality by staying overnight in a ryokan (Japanese inn), dining on kaiseki ryori haute cuisine, and enjoying a private onsen hot bath (extra cost).
from per adult (price varies by group size)
$532.45
Lowest price guarantee
Ages 1-99
Duration: 2 days
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: Japanese, English
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Highlights
- Choose from riding on public transport or upgrade to a private vehicle
- A private, English-speaking guide means a personalized experience
- 3-star ryokan accommodation can be upgraded to a 4-star
- An ideal tour for first-time visitors to Nagano
- Private tour with local tour guide (tour guide on the first day only, the second day is free day without tour guide)
- Transportation within Nagano City on the first day (public transport or chartered vehicle options)
- Onsen (hot springs) experience at hotel. Please note that the onsen is within the hotel and may not be connected to your room (there may be times when there is no onsen within your hotel, but you will have access to the onsen in the area of the ryokan). For private onsen experience, it is available at additional cost at the ryokan (usually around 1500 to 2500 JPY for 1 hour)
- Overnight accommodation at traditional Japanese hotel (ryokan) rated at 3 Stars (or 4 - 5 Star hotel option is available at checkout)
What's not included- Lunch, snacks and drinks
- Optional activities
- Add-on experiences on the second day (available at booking)
- Private onsen experience (additional cost for private experience at ryokan)
- Gratuities
- Start:
- Nagano Station, Kurita, Nagano, 380-0921, JapanThe direction to the meeting point will be provided after booking.
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 27666P9- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- Must provide birth date at the time of booking
- A current valid passport is required on the day of travel
- A moderate amount of walking is involved. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
- Operates in all weather conditions. Please dress appropriately.
- Wheelchair accessible (except at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park)
- Non-smoking: All the rooms are non-smoking in ryokan (otherwise requested), there are designated areas outside for those who would like to smoke.
- For this tour, if we provide train tickets from Tokyo and return (add-on cost when booking): we will send train tickets to the guests’ hotel in Tokyo (the hotel which guests are staying at before their Nagano trip). Please provide: 1) Hotel Name in Tokyo, 2) Name of guest who booked the hotel, 3) Confirmation Number, and 4) Dates of Stay at the hotel in Tokyo.
- Snow Monkeys in warmer seasons: The snow starts to melt by March and the snow monkeys may not bathe as often as they did in the winter to keep warm. Guests may see snow monkeys taking a swim as the park staff gives them lunch, but unlike winter months, there are days when the monkeys just do not feel like entering the bath. When it is warm and the sun is out, the monkeys tend to be more active and move around the area, grooming themselves. While winter is not the only time to see snow monkeys, please note that they are wild animals and it is difficult to predict their behavior. You can still visit the Snow Monkey Park, but seeing the monkeys and watching them bathe is not always guaranteed.
- Children and youth must be accompanied by adult (in the same room as adults, up to 4 children in one room):
- For food, children from age 1 to 5 years old will not have meal at ryokan. Food must be arranged separately by adults, or the meal served to adults can be shared with children.
- For accommodations, children from age 1 to 5 years old will sleep in the same bed or futon with parents. Separate futon can be provided at additional cost at the ryokan.
- Private tour with English-speaking tour guide is for the first day of the tour only (either public transportation or private chartered vehicle based on your booking) . On the second day, the customer is free to explore Nagano on their own (the tour guide will not be present).
- Age Requirement: Guests of all ages can attend this tour, but a booking must be made for each person. Adult pricing applies to guests age 12 to 99. Child pricing applies to guests age 6 - 11. Young child pricing applies to guests age 1 - 5. In this private group tour, there must be at least one person that is 18 years or older.
- Moderate Cancellation Policy:
- 100% refund for cancellations made up to 4 days before the start time of the experience. Cancellations made after that time period will receive no refund
- How far in advance should I book?Preparing a customized tour requires some time, especially if reservations for restaurants or other venues are required. We recommend making a reservation as early as possible. Ideally, it should be 3 months before your travel date, or 1 month before the travel date at the very least. For Custom Tour bookings that are requested with less than 7 days before the travel date, we may not be able to arrange your custom tour in time so your booking request may be cancelled and you will receive a full refund.
- Why am I charged a service fee if I make a cancellation after you started planning the trip?
- Organizing and planning a trip requires a lot of time and if we have made reservations on your behalf, it may be very challenging to cancel some booking requests. Once we receive your booking and your answers from the Custom Tour form, we will begin putting together your Itinerary Sheet and will start arranging your tour guide, buying tickets, making reservations at venues for your tour, etc.
- If you cancel the tour any time after we have sent you the custom Itinerary Sheet, the service fee of 15% of your total tour cost will be nonrefundable.
- If your cancellation falls within the fees applied to the Standard Cancellation Policy, the service fee of 15% will no longer take effect. You will only be responsible for the cancellation fee specified in the Standard Cancellation Policy. Please carefully review the terms and conditions specified on the checkout page.
- Once you’ve booked the Private 2-day Nagano Tour: Zenkoji Temple, Obuse, Jigokudani Monkey Park tour, you’ll receive a form with a variety of itinerary options to suit your vehicle option and essential information to complete your booking. You will able to choose your interested Add-on itinerary for your 2nd day in the form. If you need help to arrange the Bullet Train ticket from Tokyo as well, you can address it in the form.
- PLEASE FILL OUT THE TOUR FORM: After your booking, you will receive a link to the Nagano Form (within 48 hours) that asks for pertinent information required for this booking. Please ensure that this Nagano Form is completed accurately at least 7 days before your tour date.
- For those who would like to explore neighboring areas such as Matsumoto, Kamikochi, Hakuba, or other neighboring areas with a tour guide and private vehicle, the option is available as an add-on when you receive our form after you make the booking. Please note that this add-on is not included in the tour price you paid. We will send an e-invoice to your email if you choose the add-on.
- Japan Awaits is a licensed tour operator in Japan, with hundreds of registered and vetted tour guides nationwide. We offer tours in any location in Japan and manage all details, including transportation and tickets. Visit Japan Awaits to learn more about our tours or inquire about a custom experience today.
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
- All sales are final and incur 100% cancellation penalties.
- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 27666P9
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Itinerary
Overview
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5 stops
Day 1
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Day 2
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- christinedY3570WR0 contributionsMatsumoto private tourThis was a wonderful private day tour for our party of 4, with our guide, Fumiko, who met us in the hotel lobby in Nagano and helped us obtain our train tickets to Matsumoto. Fumiko gave us a wonderful tour of Matsumoto City, including Frog Street, and Matsumoto Castle, and arranged for an outstanding lunch at the Kobayashi Soba Restaurant, who went out of their way of look after special dietary requirements of one of our party. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and spending time with Fumiko in Matsumoto.Written June 5, 2024
- Kim M0 contributionsExcellent day tour from naganoYour guide was excellent full knowledge with excellent English. Allowed us enough time to enjoy all the experiences. The trip was easily navigated using public transport being with a guide. It would have been difficult to do this on our ownWritten April 17, 2024
- DavidLaw120 contributionsPERFECT DAY IN MATSUMOTO!Maki provided excellent advice, and we were able to visit the places we wanted because the itinerary was confirmed before the tour. We greatly appreciated Maki's knowledge, and we took a lot of of photos. We enjoyed a delicious ramen lunch and even retraced our steps to find the dinner recommendation Maki mentioned during the tour. I couldn't have asked for more, everything was perfect!Written April 2, 2024
- Curiosity162838487940 contributionsThank you Fumiko :)It was an amazing tour , i took over 100 Fotos. I recommend to inform if its snowing at the snow monkey park and wear good hiking shoes since it was very slippery.Written March 18, 2024
- aaronwB7398DH0 contributionsWonderful Nagano Tour and GuideOur tour and tour guide Hitomi Hirasawa were amazing. The guide knew all the local spots we would enjoy most (Jigokudani Monkey Park, Obuse Hokusai Museum) as well as those in our trip ahead through Japan, made reservations that we had difficulty doing ahead of time, and was incredibly knowledgeable regarding the attractions we visited all over town. Very accomodating schedule and itinerary wise too. Could not be more satisfied.Written January 8, 2024
- Getaway202903942920 contributionsGreat Nagano tourWe had an amazing time with our guide, Hitomi Hirasawa, on this full day Nagano tour. She did a great job, and I would definitely recommend this tour to others.Written December 25, 2023
- Camper572063770230 contributionsVery cool Japan tourThe tour guide was really enthusiastic and really joyful too! Her English skill are impressive and she can explain things with good detail. The locations and sights were interesting as wellđź‘ŤWritten December 25, 2023
- jebrown77770 contributionsAn Enriching Day with Hitomi in the Nagano RegionOur guide Hitomi was fantastic. She was very knowledgeable, kind, and clearly enjoys what she does. My wife and I, along with our teenaged sons, enjoyed our time with her. She took us to the Snow Monkey Park, Zenkoji, Obuse, and Shibu Onsen. Her knowledge on everything ranging from Buddhist traditions and beliefs (try to find the hidden Buddha ar Zenkoji — truly a unique experience) to monkey behavior and the artist Hokusai is truly impressive. She listened to our interests and shaped the tour, with her knowledge and suggestions, inspired by our wishes. We shared ramen and a local Obuse speciality, chestnut ice cream with her, which was terrific. It was as if we spent touring the Nagano region with a longtime family friend. Highly recommend Hitomi and Japan Awaits — who also arranged the Shinkansen (day trip from Tokyo) and driver.Written December 18, 2023
- reggiep4250 contributionsA highlight of any Japan itinerary.An enjoyable day with our guide Hori. Hori took amazing care of myself and my cousin. He was well organized and made the extra effort to prepare information and explanations in English so we could get the most out of our time at the Snow monkey Park and on Obuse.Written December 7, 2023
- Resort057038914390 contributionsWonderful tour!!!This was a dream of ours to travel to Japan! Wanting to cover all of the sights and make sure that we saw everything, we really wanted to travel outside of Tokyo and see other areas. We picked this tour and it was an amazing experience. We took the bullet train from Tokyo Station to Nagano. The train ride was great and when we got to the station our tour guide Hitomi Hirasawa-san was waiting for us and our driver/car were right outside. Exactly as the tour company said in our communications. She has a wonderful welcoming personality and we hit it off right away. Her knowledge of the area is extensive and she worked with her connections to make sure we had the best experience. She worked our day around so that we would get to see the snow monkeys when they were at the hot springs. She picked a wonderful restaurant for lunch in Obtuse and we went to the Hokusai museum. She knows a lot about the area and art. We also went to a beautiful shrine. I highly recommend this tour and especially Hitomi!!!Written November 4, 2023
- jaimee6280 contributionsUnforgettable experience!!We had the most unbelievable experience with our guide Hori! He was so insightful providing such valuable context and history to each stop (Zenkoji Temple, Snow Monkey Park & Hot Springs). Hearing about the Zenkoji temple was especially valuable as it made the tour that much more meaningful. The hot springs were such a relaxing ending to the tour/day. And the monkeys were a once in a lifetime experience, they come so close to you and are so active it was truly remarkable. Definitely book!Written October 27, 2023
- Inspire1068680 contributionsa full day full of experiences :)Horiuchi Hiroaki-san, was a really good guide!, always kind and very good companion for the day, I enjoy the tour so much, he offered me a full day with different options and I chose the one with more activities and everything went well, thanks Hori!!!Written October 23, 2023
- Departure555300 contributionsMonkeys and Japanese art, with a wonderful guide!Our tour guide Toru was amazing. The Snow Monkey Park is worth travelling to. To have lunch at a local soba noodle house and then on to the Obuse museum was something we would not have done on our own. Would recommend this tour if you love Japanese art or switch up the second half of the tour but the Snow Monkey Park is a must do. Japan Awaits we’re great at keeping us informed along the way and instructions, tickets etc we’re very easy to follow.Written September 20, 2023
- mikelH9920MP0 contributionsBeautiful tour with nature, culture and history.The tour was so much fun!!! My son and I are visiting from Hawai’i and this tour was a perfect way to see a different side of Japan far out of Tokyo. We went to the snow monkey park, did a beautiful hike through a forest, visited a beautiful temple and a museum where we learned about a famous Japanese artist, Hosukai. We visited a traditional village and had lunch there. Our tour guide, Hori, was very sweet and knowledgeable and he even took the time to research a place where we could eat a vegan lunch. We ended the day at a private Onsen, hot springs, and are relaxing at our hotel now after an unforgettable day of beauty and culture.Written September 2, 2023
- Jesse A0 contributionsMonkey funMr. Hori was a knowledgeable guide and gave an excellent explanation of the snow monkey park and took us to Obuse as well. He showed us the little gardens behind houses in Obuse as well. He is very punctual and great with children. The snow monkey park is great! Even in the middle of summer, there were a ton of Japanese macaques out and about. Think of a good question or two to have Mr. Hori ask the park ranger.Written August 14, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
17 reviews
Excellent
15
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hussein r
3 contributions
It’s very difficult to write a bad review, particularly for a tour group that spend personal time with you and that is why tour groups achieve such a high score on tripadvisor.
We paid considerable sum for a private tour for a family of 5 and an overnight stay in a hotel. We were booked train tickets to our destination which was two hours away, but we had been booked seats mixed with other passengers so we had no privacy as a family on the train. This was very awkward and avoidable.
I was only given one room in the hotel with three beds and 3 meals for a family of 5. We were left to negotiate directly with the hotel to give me extra bedding and food for which they had not prepared and we were told we need to pay extra. So I decided to run away by getting a cab back to the main station at 10:30pm and catch the last train back to Tokyo after midnight with three children.
Our guide had moved to japan less than 10 years ago and I felt could not speak English well enough or know enough about the culture to answer my questions. So I stopped asking.
It would not come as a surprise for them that I’d write a negative review and so I have not been asked to write one. I wonder how I’d be pestered for a review if they thought I would write a positive one.
We paid considerable sum for a private tour for a family of 5 and an overnight stay in a hotel. We were booked train tickets to our destination which was two hours away, but we had been booked seats mixed with other passengers so we had no privacy as a family on the train. This was very awkward and avoidable.
I was only given one room in the hotel with three beds and 3 meals for a family of 5. We were left to negotiate directly with the hotel to give me extra bedding and food for which they had not prepared and we were told we need to pay extra. So I decided to run away by getting a cab back to the main station at 10:30pm and catch the last train back to Tokyo after midnight with three children.
Our guide had moved to japan less than 10 years ago and I felt could not speak English well enough or know enough about the culture to answer my questions. So I stopped asking.
It would not come as a surprise for them that I’d write a negative review and so I have not been asked to write one. I wonder how I’d be pestered for a review if they thought I would write a positive one.
Written October 30, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Hussein, we apologize for this experience to you. The tour guide tried to find you at the station and we tried to contact you many times after you left, but we were not able to reach you. For the train, it would be difficult for other people not be seated in the seats next to you and this is something we would not have any control over. We are very sorry about the situation at the ryokan. It seemed as though there was a mix up regarding the room and meals, but we spoke to the ryokan immediately that night regarding it and they had made the changes and it was at no additional cost to you. We understand that you had wanted to leave before 8 pm that night as the dinner was about to start and we are very sorry that you did not enjoy this experience and wanted to return to Tokyo that same night. The tour guide, Fan, is also very sorry that you did not think her English was good, and she has worked very hard to work on improving her English skills since. Since your feedback, we have worked very hard on improving the experience and hope we will not disappoint you or any other guest again in the future. We are very sorry for the negative experience and if you could please contact us by email, we would really like to do our best to make it up to you in the future if you will allow us to.
Written March 15, 2019
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
kwelld0ne
Boston, MA28 contributions
Nov 2018
While in Japan, we planned to first visit Nagano to commune with the Snow Monkeys (something that had been on my bucket list since I saw them on the cover of Life Magazine in 1970)... but we also wanted to make it to an area of the country commonly referred to as the Japanese Alps - the mountainous region of Kamakura. . While researching the travel options around Nagano, it became apparent that travel to Kamakura could be difficult, even risky, at the time of year we were visiting. There is normally a complicated series of train and bus transfers by which one can make the trip, but in mid-fall, the trains cease running owing to the high risk of avalanches. We considered renting a car, but because we are from the US, the prospect of driving on the left side of the road and having to read road signs in Japanese seemed daunting. Our best option was to secure a guide familiar with the winding roads/mountain passages to help us make the journey... and as it turned out, this was the best decision we made on the trip. Our terrific guide, Ilhom, was an invaluable source of information about the Nagano region... he taught us about the agricultural traditions, history, and current issues relevant to those living in the area. On the first day we hiked the short earthen pathway to the monkey's play area at the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. To our delight, there is no fence, river, or gorge creating distance, and the monkeys run freely around the selfie-snapping tourists. The monkeys were predominantly concerned with their babies and their dominance squabbles, and were not nearly as interested in us as we were in them. They did, however, seem content to sit and bathe in the warm waters of the natural hot springs - mugging at the cameras until the photographers captured the photos they came for. We stayed at a traditional Ryokan overnight... an experience I would highly recommend to westerners... and bathed in their private rooftop onsen. We purchased a second day with our tour guide so as to reach the mountainous Japanese Alps (it is one of two additional optional add-on days). Ilhom drove us nearly 4 hours to Kamakura on the very last day it was open to tourists in 2018 (it closes for the winter). Together we all hiked through the easy trails and took in the volcanic mountain vistas, reminiscent of Yosemite Nat'l Park in the US. Having hiked and visited the museum dedicated to the history and preservation of this natural area, we returned to the car and were driven another 4 hours back to our hotel in Nagano. Interspersed with our monkey visits and hikes, we followed Ilhom's expert recommendations... leading us to try restaurants we may not have found on our own, visit a winery and a Sake brewhouse, and tour the largest Wasabi farm in Japan (which offers an amazing lunch featuring fresh wasabi to grate atop your meal, and even a wasabi lemonade!). This tour, given everything it includes (driver, interpreter, hotel, and meals at the hotel) is a bargain and absolutely the best thing we spent money on in Japan. Because it is a private tour, it can be somewhat customized based on your interests, and you will leave with a deeper understanding of the country and it's inhabitants after spending a day speaking with a local (especially one as personable as Ilhom). I highly recommend this tour company for their professional booking system, confirmations, and follow-up... but it was our guide, Ilhom, who was worth his weight in gold.
Written January 15, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Elizabeth D
10 contributions
We had a fabulous time with Ilhom as our tour guide. We started our day with a tour of the Nagano temple and then tried some delicious dumplings before driving to the snow monkeys. The monkeys were absolutely amazing!! We ate lunch in town (delicious wild vegetable udon noodles), and then took a drive through the mountains to see a gorgeous waterfall. Ilhom gave us the authentic Nagano experience, and we had a great day with him!
Written September 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
akrabakra
Tashkent, Uzbekistan6 contributions
Aug 2017 • Friends
Upon arrival we were warmly welcomed by our guide Ilhom, he started the tour by introducing himself and we felt welcomed and with such a friendly atmosphere we had a fantastic start! The guide and tour was extremely good, very flexible (appreciate this!) and for that he deserves a special thanks. He treated us very friendly and perfectly, he was keen to make the tour well-organized.
The scenery, hot-spring, monkeys were very amazing.
Ilhom is such a warm personality and highly motivated guide (recommendable!).
He did a great job there for us; a true sample of excellent tour guide!
Many thanks again and I recommend Ilhom to everyone!
The scenery, hot-spring, monkeys were very amazing.
Ilhom is such a warm personality and highly motivated guide (recommendable!).
He did a great job there for us; a true sample of excellent tour guide!
Many thanks again and I recommend Ilhom to everyone!
Written March 6, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frank P
Houston, TX5 contributions
Feb 2018 • Couples
Highly recommend this tour. All day at a relaxing pace seeing the Snow Monkey's, and historical places. Then the ryokan was outstanding; 9 different hot pools, the dinner was excellent and the staff bent over backwards to take care of absolutely everything. Only advice I have, go light on the lunch 'cause the dinner was huge!
Written February 17, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nina L
Helsinki, Southern Finland, Finland6 contributions
Oct 2018 • Friends
Ilhom met us at the trainstation. We had a nice tour in the Zenko-ji Temple in Nagano and specially in the countryside, Obuse Town and of course the snowmonkeys that we came to see. The tour ended in Ryokan Yudanaka Hakura with a very hot onsen and nice food, a good sleep and a ride to the trainstation after a japanese breakfast. This was a good choise on our journey.
Thank you Ilhom for the nice tour! It was nice to speak with you about Japan and the japanese people.
Thank you Ilhom for the nice tour! It was nice to speak with you about Japan and the japanese people.
Written October 23, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wee_12
Singapore5 contributions
Nice walked up the mountain to meet the snow monkey. Great surrounding, and the monkeys were minding their own business while the tourists gathered to snap pictures and we enjoyed the serenity of the forest with the pockets of onsen. The food in the designated Ryokan was experiential with local mix of varieties and tasted wonderful. Most of all, the people we met were friendly. And We enjoyed.
Written January 1, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PaulArch2013
Hobart, Australia18 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
Best said with our feedback to Viatour: "Hello
I just wanted to give you feedback on the tour below we did recently with Japan Awaits.
Our guide was fantastic and we really enjoyed the day tour – all aspects. Our guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating. We also really enjoyed the Ryokan stay at Shibu-Onsen. Really it was super fantastic, and we are so glad we did it. The Ryokan staff were fantastic.
The thing that needs to be sorted out is that this is not a two day tour, as advertised; it’s a day tour plus an overnight Ryokan stay. That needs to be clearly stated. Japan Awaits needs to give a lot more information about what people can do when they leave the Ryokan on the next morning – we had to work all this out ourselves. The tour can be considerably improved and made LESS STRESSFUL for clients if they give clients a detailed description of what options are available on the day after the Ryokan stay. It was quite stressful not knowing in advance what we could do, or even how we could get back to Nagano. At the end of the day it was all quite simple, but it would have been better if we were told all this in advance
For example:
A second visit to the Snow Monkey park with walk instructions
Visit the various public Onsens in the village
Walk through the village of Shibu-Onsen; visit the cemeteries
Walk through the next village
Taxi/bus visit to ,a ,b, c
How to walk or bus to the next town train station to get train back to Nagano
What to do with your luggage ( we left our at our hotel in Nagano and just took an overnight bag to the Ryokan.)
Etc etc
The above is not a complaint – just a suggestion to help make a very good tour , even better………"
If you consider this as a one day tour plus an overnight Ryokan stay, you will NOT be disapointed!!
I just wanted to give you feedback on the tour below we did recently with Japan Awaits.
Our guide was fantastic and we really enjoyed the day tour – all aspects. Our guide was very knowledgeable and accommodating. We also really enjoyed the Ryokan stay at Shibu-Onsen. Really it was super fantastic, and we are so glad we did it. The Ryokan staff were fantastic.
The thing that needs to be sorted out is that this is not a two day tour, as advertised; it’s a day tour plus an overnight Ryokan stay. That needs to be clearly stated. Japan Awaits needs to give a lot more information about what people can do when they leave the Ryokan on the next morning – we had to work all this out ourselves. The tour can be considerably improved and made LESS STRESSFUL for clients if they give clients a detailed description of what options are available on the day after the Ryokan stay. It was quite stressful not knowing in advance what we could do, or even how we could get back to Nagano. At the end of the day it was all quite simple, but it would have been better if we were told all this in advance
For example:
A second visit to the Snow Monkey park with walk instructions
Visit the various public Onsens in the village
Walk through the village of Shibu-Onsen; visit the cemeteries
Walk through the next village
Taxi/bus visit to ,a ,b, c
How to walk or bus to the next town train station to get train back to Nagano
What to do with your luggage ( we left our at our hotel in Nagano and just took an overnight bag to the Ryokan.)
Etc etc
The above is not a complaint – just a suggestion to help make a very good tour , even better………"
If you consider this as a one day tour plus an overnight Ryokan stay, you will NOT be disapointed!!
Written December 7, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AnitaAD2018
Toronto, Canada3 contributions
Mar 2018
Greatly recommended. Illhom is a very friendly and knowledgeable guide. He took us to places that we were interested and also suggested few additional places. Very enjoyable company.
Overnight we enjoyed authentic Japanese hospitality. Very gracious host and warm staff made our stay for the night a great memory.
Overnight we enjoyed authentic Japanese hospitality. Very gracious host and warm staff made our stay for the night a great memory.
Written March 25, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sasha Dunlop
Phoenix, AZ3 contributions
May 2019 • Couples
Tokyo feeds the senses; Nagano feeds the soul. We booked the 2 day Nagano tour with 4/5 star ryokan. Words cannot describe the level of fulfillment and wonder we felt after this experience. Our tour guide, Ilhom, was awesome and did an outstanding job creating a custom experience for us that was both really fun and culturally engaging. A few of the day's adventures included a brief hike- stunning colors and views, monkeys, sake wine tasting, ninja puzzle rooms, fresh miso & ramen- local grown produce and snow (yes there was snow in May!) We stayed overnight at a ryokan (traditional Japanese style inn) located in an onsen town that had a strong sense of history and heritage; its pleasant, unexpected surprises found us at every corner. Exploring hadn't been this fun since I was 10! Ilhom is knowledgable and energetic, pleasant to be around! We started the day off as strangers and felt like he was family by the end. Ilhom is an invaluable asset to this 5-star quality tour. 12 out of 10 would recommend this to able like-minded adventurers seeking authenticity, beauty and inspiration. Thank you Japan Awaits! Thank you Ilhom! It's farewell for now until we meet again!
Written June 21, 2019
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Hi,
Which Ryokan will be the accomodation for this? We are interested in going Jan 4-6, 2020
Written December 18, 2019
I can't recall the name but highly recommended.
Written December 19, 2019
Is transport back to Nagano station included in the costs on the 2nd day?
Which Ryokan will the visitors be staying in? (would like to know how far it is from other attractions around the area)
Written July 19, 2019
I cannot see in any of the reviews what happens on the 2nd day other than "free time". Is there a recommendation to stay overnight on the 2nd night anywhere or would it be better to get on a train and move on to somewhere else? We are thinking to head to Kyoto afterwards. thank you
Written July 14, 2019
You are left to you own devices on the 2nd day - we headed back to the city and stayed the 2nd night at the (quite good) hotel at Nagano station after spending the day wandering around Nagano city. Kyoto is around 4 hours away by Shinkansen.
Written July 14, 2019
How close is the Ryokan to the monkey park entrance as we would like to visit first thing in the morning. Also are there transfers back to the railway station on the 2nd day? Thank you
Written March 25, 2019
Hi,
the 4/5 star hotel option you mention, what is the cost ?? which hotel ??
erik
arikbcr on g mail
Written June 20, 2019
we have 8 adults, two youth yrs 13, and 2 children age 9 and 10. If that possible to book as a group and cost how much? which Ryokan are we going to stay
Written June 27, 2018
we have 8 adults, two youth yrs 13, and 2 children age 9 and 10. If that possible to book as a group and cost how much? which Ryokan are we going to stay
Written June 27, 2018
It seems like the tour is over halfway through the second day (or at least, that is when the free time begins). I am concerned that I will have to carry all of my luggage with me for the rest of the day. Is there a way for me to safely store my luggage until the end of the second day?
Second question, do we need to inform the tour guide beforehand that we would like transportation back to the station at the end of the tour?
Written June 15, 2018
Keen for snowboarding and to see the snow monkeys. Would both of these still be possible late in the season like early April? If not, when would be the best time to go (without being too cold). Thanks.
Written April 3, 2018
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