Zenkoji Temple tours

Thank you to the tour guide Yama and the driver for their competent and friendly service, which allowed everyone (a total of 17 people in our group) to have a wonderful day. The whole itinerary was arranged smoothly, especially the lunch. The meal was delicious and the environment was warm and elegant. I also had my own time at Zenkoji Temple. The wine tasting at Nishimon allowed me to buy my favorite plum wine and miso. I was very happy! Thanks

We had an absolutely fantastic time with our guide Joyce. She was incredibly knowledgeable and it really helped us fully enjoy all the sights but also gave us some valuable insight into the history of the city. The oyaki restaurant felt intimate and we enjoyed sitting by the fire watching them cook. The sake tasting was also fun, we learned so much and ended up purchasing several things and sent them to our accommodation in Japan for free which was really convenient. During and after the fire ceremony, the monk leading it was kind enough to spend time answering all our questions about the temple. When you visit the main temple, don't miss out on the underground passage! Lastly, our stay at the Shukubo was the perfect way to round out our experience. The hosts were so kind, and both meals were absolutely delicious! She also gave us a great recommendation for lunch inside the station, Meijitei which had amazing local soba noodles and Katsu. Perfect fuel for our snow monkey visit! 10/10 recommend!

The trip was so much fun! One of the highlights was watching the monkeys soak in the hot springs—they were just chilling there, looking at us lazily, and it was so cute I couldn’t stop taking photos. The food was another big win; whether it was local snacks or full meals, everything tasted amazing—fresh, authentic, and so good I couldn’t get enough. Of course, the cherry blossoms were a must-see, blooming all over the place in stunning pink, like something out of a painting. Walking under those trees felt so special. And the guide? Such a nice person—always smiling, explaining things to us, and super patient with all our questions.

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.

It was supposed to rain the night before the tour, so it was cloudy and cold enough to see our breath until late morning. However, thanks to our self-proclaimed weather fairy guide, Jeon Ara, we were able to see Mount Fuji on our way back to Tokyo. It was a breathtaking view after a long wait, making for a perfect end to our trip! I appreciated that Guide Jeon Ara adjusted the itinerary based on the weather and on-site conditions, rather than sticking to the planned order. She also gave great recommendations for delicious snacks at each location and provided accurate guidance and explanations. I realized that seeing Mount Fuji is more difficult than expected and requires a lot of luck (😅). Since the temperature is about 5 degrees colder than in downtown Tokyo, I think April would be a great time to visit, as the cherry blossoms will be in full bloom and the weather will be warmer throughout early, mid, and late April. 🌸

One of our most memorable days from our current trip in Japan! Everything was smooth and we had a lot of fun! We started by going to see the monkeys in the morning (which was great because it was less crowded). The lunch provided was great (we could choose beef/seafood/vegetarian for the main dish). The temple and the sake tasting were next to each other in Nagano so we only needed three long transfers by bus (about 1 hr each). Our guide Lindsay gave us plenty of context for both the monkey park and the temple and she facilitated the sake tasting (we sampled around 10 types of drinks). She was friendly, approachable for extra questions and very knowledgeable on the tour attractions and more from around Japan. I highly recommend this tour!

Absolutely perfect ! The guide was awesome and very knowledgeable without being overwhelming. First, we had some oyaki in a very nice place with very nice people. Then, some sake tasting. After, we visited Zenkoji and had some free time before the fire ceremony. Finally we learned about the tea ceremony at Tsumugi which was incredible. We slept at Ryōshōin Shukubo for the night. Midori-san was so nice and so helpful. The food was incredible. The next day, we went to the morning ceremony then to the crypt. The guide was extremely energetic at 6am and seemed a little bit miffed at realising that the guide we had the day before had basically told us a lot about Zenkoji already. Everything was seriously great and I definitely recommend. Even the terrible weather we had couldn't put a damper on that wonderful day.

amazing tour guide and driver. Joyce is very knowledgeable, friendly and professional in doing what she need to do. the lunch is amazing. and she also give good recommendations of where are the local good food after we depart from nagano. but price for this tour is on a higher side.