Things to do in Shimotakai

The trip was super nice. It still pushed through even though we're only 5 in the group. The pacing just feels right for both the snow monkey and the shrines. Helen, our tour guide, was also very accommodating and friendly.

We loved this tour! It was fun but also easy and stress free having Dillon as our guide, and transportation via bus to all sites. Dillon had an incredible wealth of knowledge about all things Snow Monkeys, Sake, and Zenkoji Temple. We enjoyed this experience and is a highlight of our trip! Be mindful the walk to see the monkeys is long but worth it, and if you do the dark passage at the temple, it takes up a bit of your free time that you may otherwise prefer to use for exploring shops and food options.

Fantastic afternoon tour. The monkeys did not disappoint, we were there for the afternoon. feeding time so we were very fortunate to see so many of them running around and through the crowds without hesitation. Our guide Rosella was brilliant! She was organised, accommodating and so funny! Her knowledge of the local areas and the monkey park was substantial - no question went unanswered. would absolutely recommend you take this tour with Rosella.

this was a fantastic trio of villages to visit, especially in winter. Gokayama is quiet and otherworldly! The paper washi making was super fun, our guide and driver were consistent and reliable, the car itself was comfy, and the scenery between places was absolutely breathtaking. definitely worth paying the money to get to experience the immense beauty of this region without the hassle of driving or getting around via other methods.

Had a fantastic day tour with our friendly tour guide Jens. He was very informative with clear instructions throughout the day which made everything go smoothly. The itinerary wasn't too rushed and the pace suited us well. Bus was large and comfortable. We were able to borrow snow gear prior to 1.5hrs of snow fun at Shiga Kogen. Lunch was great and tasty aswell. The walk to see the snow monkeys was challenging due to the icy track - crampons are a must in winter! Would thoroughly recommend this day tour overall!

Our tour was on a Monday and we had Dave as our guide. The tour itself was great. We started the tour at monkey park. I do wish we had the option to arrive there earlier to beat the crowd, and enjoy walk to the park. But if you’re patient enough, you can get a good spot to see the monkeys in the hot springs. Before heading to the shrine, we stopped for lunch and let Dave picked. So glad he picked, it was delicious soba. Then we arrived at shrine. The walk along the tree lines felt ethereal and majestic, especially with the snow. Now about our tour guide, Dave really made the whole day super enjoyable. He arrived promptly and warmly. Dave was a wonderful tour guide. He lives locally, and pointed out fun local spots. At each location, he was very patient with us. Went above and beyond when taking our photos. Loved this tour.

Had a great lesson with BiN (z12369874566)! He was super patient with the two of us and explained everything really clearly, especially how to fix our posture. Very professional but also easy to learn from. We made a lot of improvement, especially since one of us started with zero experience. Would definitely recommend!

Snow Monkey Tours — A Day That Stays With You There are tours that move you from place to place, and there are tours that move something inside you. Snow Monkey Tours did the latter. (Please read on--I couldn't fit the whole review here.)

I enjoyed our private day tour from Tokyo to Nagano. Thanks to Sir Ali for his hardwork picking us up from our hotel and taking us at the attraction. The private car was very spacious and coean. He's also very fun and helpful throughout the entire trip. Definitely a great tour specially if you have elderly and children. 💐💐