{"id":2682,"date":"2025-03-30T10:35:42","date_gmt":"2025-03-30T10:35:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/japan-in-14-days\/days-4-6-jigokudani-snow-monkey-park-kanazawa-and-shirakawa-go\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T10:18:34","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T10:18:34","slug":"days-4-6-jigokudani-snow-monkey-park-kanazawa-and-shirakawa-go","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/notanordinarytour.it\/en\/japan-in-14-days\/days-4-6-jigokudani-snow-monkey-park-kanazawa-and-shirakawa-go\/","title":{"rendered":"Days 4-6: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Kanazawa and Shirakawa-go"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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days 4-6<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park,
kanazawa and Shirakawa-go<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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\u2734\ufe0f = best choice!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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day 4<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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What we are about to describe is a truly unmissable experience that will immerse you in the rural and natural atmosphere of a small mountain village, not far from the city of Nagano.<\/p>

Backpacking from Shinjuku station, we take the Yamanote (Chou line) to Tokyo station (15 minutes).<\/p>

Small parenthesis regarding backpacks: for the occasion, since we wanted to have a ‘Pechino Express-style backpacking<\/em>‘ adventure, we bought these 50 + 20 litre Osprey travel backpacks<\/a>.<\/p>

Once we arrive at our destination, we leave the 50-litre backpack at the hotel and walk around with the small one.<\/p>

We then take the Hokuriku shinkansen to Nagano station.<\/p>

From Nagano we take the Nagano Dentetsu line train to Yudanaka station.<\/p>

Arriving at the station, we walk (20\/30 minutes – alternatively there is a bus) to the small village of Shibu Onsen, where the Sakaeya ryokan is located, which turned out to be the most beautiful stay of the entire holiday. <\/strong>\u2734\ufe0f<\/p>

We put our rucksacks down and get an explanation from the owners as to where to take the bus: our destination today is the Jigokudani snow monkey park. <\/strong>\u2734\ufe0f<\/p>

From the bus station we set off again, first along a paved road (at the end of which is the only restaurant in the place, where we eat ramen) and then along a path through the forest.<\/p>

We recommend wearing hiking boots as the thermal water creates some mud along the trail.<\/p>

Just as we are climbing up we realise that it has started snowing. It is the first snow of the season and it makes it all the more magical. <\/p>

Welcoming us on arrival are the friendly Japanese macaques, who freely descend from the adjacent forest during daylight hours to bathe in their private onsen.<\/strong><\/p>

The monkeys live here in freedom, there are no fences but they come here for the pleasure of a hot bath and a meal kindly offered by the park managers.<\/strong> You can stay as long as you like, being able to observe closely, for a real \u201cface-to-face\u201d contact, these cute animals that you are, however, not allowed to touch. <\/p>

I recommend you preview them in the beautiful National Geographic documentary Footprints in the Snow<\/em>, viewable on Disney+<\/a>.<\/p>

Back at the hotel, we relax on the tatami, accompanied by the notes of composer Joe Hisaishi, which resonate like a music box from the playlist chosen for our room.<\/p>

For dinner we decide to try the ryokan’s Kaiseki cuisine<\/strong>. We are seated in a small room to ourselves where a little at a time they let us taste a lot of dishes. If you want, you can wear the yukata they give you upon arrival at the ryokan.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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