The monkeys are at Jigokudani all year. Snow, steam and a full pool are not. Here is what each month brings.
The short answer
The best time to see the snow monkeys is January and February, in the snow season that runs from about mid-December to March: snow is deepest then and the monkeys bathe most often, frequently many at once. Avoid October and November if the monkeys are the only reason for the trip, because in the mating season they may arrive late or stay in the forest. From late April to late June there is no snow, but baby monkeys are born.
Pick the day you want to see the monkeys, or the first and last day of your trip. We look at the booking calendar of every tour from Tokyo, Nagano and the ski resorts and list the ones that still take bookings.
Starts at: Nagano Station or Hakuba
Starts at: Shinjuku, Tokyo
Duration: 4.5 h
The Japanese macaques of Jigokudani come down to the park every day of the year, because they are fed there. What changes with the months is the picture around them: snow on the rocks and steam over the pool in winter, green forest and an often empty pool in summer.
| Month | Snow | Bathing | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Deep snow | Often, many at once | With February the snowiest month. From late in the month, Kamakura snow huts in Iiyama on selected dates. |
| February | Deep snow | Often, many at once | Kamakura snow huts until late in the month. Holidays on 11 and 23 February can make the park busy. |
| March | Snow, thinning towards the end | Often | The last month of the classic snow-and-steam view. |
| April | Snow melts | Less often | From 4 April, the Gokaicho at Zenko-ji (2027). Babies from late in the month. |
| May | No snow | Rarely | Baby monkeys. Gokaicho continues; Nagano is busy. |
| June | No snow | Rarely | Baby monkeys until late June. Gokaicho ends on 19 June 2027. |
| July to September | No snow | The pool is often empty for long stretches | Green forest; the monkeys still come to feed every day. |
| October | No snow | Rarely | Mating season begins: the monkeys may arrive late or stay in the forest. |
| November | First snow, usually gone again quickly | Rarely | Mating season. The park switches to winter hours, 9:00 to 16:00. |
| December | Firm snow from about mid-month | More and more often | Mating season can last into December. Busy around New Year. |
Snow and bathing follow the visitor information for the park and vary from year to year. No month guarantees that the monkeys sit in the pool on your day.
Open a card for the start point, the stops and what the tour leaves out.
From Nagano Station, or from Hakuba by the shuttle that runs in winter only. Zenko-ji, sake and lunch make it a full day in any month.
A group day trip that starts in Nagano, not in Tokyo. Pickup is at Nagano Station or, for skiers, at hotels in Hakuba. The day combines Zenko-ji temple in Nagano city, a sake tasting, lunch and the walk to the monkey pools at Jigokudani.
Guests coming from Tokyo take the Shinkansen to Nagano on their own; the train is not part of the tour.
Nagano Station, or hotel pickup in Hakuba (Happo area) for the Hakuba option.
Facts from the tour listing on the booking platform, checked in November 2026.
Coach from Shinjuku. On selected dates from late January to late February it adds the Kamakura snow huts in Iiyama, entrance included.
A coach day trip from Shinjuku to Jigokudani and back. The tour meets at the LOVE sculpture by Shinjuku i-Land Tower, stops at Shinshu Fruitsland and ends in Shinjuku at Tokyo Mode Gakuen.
The drive takes up to three and a half hours each way, so most of the day is spent on the coach. Lunch is beef sukiyaki.
LOVE sculpture at Shinjuku i-Land Tower. The tour ends in Shinjuku at Tokyo Mode Gakuen.
Facts from the tour listing on the booking platform, checked in November 2026.
A tour for the months without snow. Times and pickup are on the booking page.
A tour for the months without snow, when the monkeys rarely sit in the hot pool. Times and pickup are on the booking page.
Facts from the tour listing on the booking platform, checked in November 2026.
Where each tour starts and ends, how you get there from Tokyo, the time at the park and whether ticket and lunch are part of it. "Not stated" means the listing does not say.
| Tour | Starts at | From Tokyo | Whole trip | Time at the park | Ends at | Park ticket | Lunch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple and Sake Day Trip from Nagano | Nagano Station or Hakuba | Shinkansen to Nagano on your own | 8–12 h | 3 h | Back at the start point | Included | Lunch |
| Snow Monkey Day Tour from Tokyo with Beef Sukiyaki Lunch | Shinjuku, Tokyo | Coach both ways | 1 day | 2 h including the walk | Shinjuku, Tokyo Mode Gakuen | Included | Beef sukiyaki |
| Green Season Snow Monkeys | Not stated | Not stated | 4.5 h | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated |
Taken from the tour listings, checked in November 2026. The length of the whole day is the operator's figure.
The first snow usually falls in mid or late November and melts again within days. A firm cover builds from about mid-December, January and February bring the most, and some snow lies until the end of March before it melts in April. Bathing follows the cold: from December to March the monkeys go into the hot spring most often, and outside those months the pool can stay empty for long periods. If the photo in your head is a monkey with snow on its fur, plan for January or February.
From October into November, and sometimes December, the monkeys are in their mating season. They may then come to the park later in the day or stay up in the mountains. Tours still run, but this is the time when a disappointing visit is most likely. A tour that has more than the park in it, such as the Machinovate day with Zenko-ji and sake from Nagano Station, still gives you a good day if the pool is quiet.
Baby monkeys are born from late April to late June. There is no snow then and the monkeys rarely bathe, but the green season has its own reason to go. Spring 2027 adds a second one: the Gokaicho at Zenko-ji from 4 April to 19 June, held once every seven years. Nagano will be crowded in those weeks, so book trains and rooms early. Snow monkeys and Zenko-ji.
Kamakura no Sato in Iiyama is a village of snow huts, set up in winter. On selected dates from late January to late February, the H.I.S. coach tour from Shinjuku adds it to the snow monkey day, with the entrance included in the festival period. That makes the day longer: the coach is back in Shinjuku about an hour later than on ordinary dates. We could not confirm the 2027 dates, so look at the calendar on the booking page.
New Year, the national holidays and weekends in winter bring the most visitors. On peak winter weekends and holidays the car parks near the trailhead can be closed to private cars, which matters if you plan a private car or a rental. In winter, tickets may need to be reserved for a time slot, so check before you go.
The park is open every day: from 9:00 to 16:00 between November and March, from 8:30 to 17:00 between April and October. It closes only rarely, for typhoons, blizzards or earthquakes.
| Photo | Tour | When it runs | Starts at | Worth knowing | Reviews ↕ | Price ↕ | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji and Sake from Nagano Machinovate Japan Ltd | Hakuba shuttle in winter only | Nagano Station or Hakuba | Zenko-ji carries the day when the pool is quiet | ★ 4.9 (992) | $137per person | Book now |
|
|
Snow Monkey Day Tour with Sukiyaki Lunch H.I.S. | Kamakura snow huts on selected dates | Shinjuku, LOVE sculpture | Kamakura no Sato entrance included in the festival period | ★ 4.6 (361) | $118per person | Book now |
|
|
Green Season Snow Monkeys | Outside the snow season | Not stated | Pickup and times on the booking page | ★ 4.8 (76) | $90 | Book now |
Each price is the one GetYourGuide or Viator shows right now, taxes and fees included. Shared tours are charged per person and private tours usually per vehicle; the line under the price tells you which.
These reviews follow the year round. In late December a coach group had heavy snow, at the end of March there were still monkeys in the warm water, and in September a valley tour saw babies at the pool. The reviews without monkeys are from October and November, the mating season. A July review mentions heat and humidity instead of snow.
“We loved our experience! Despite some peaks of heavy snow (late December season), it was really fun and interesting. The time allowed to stay in the park was way too short for us. We had to rush a lot, scared to miss the bus. …”
“Very good tour and guides, we all felt very welcomed. The bus ride felt very long but it was completely worth it! We saw monkeys in the thermal waters even by the end of March!”
“Masa and Taina were amazing hosts, the monkeys were entertaining and adorable, lunch was excellent, Obuse was quaint and lovely. All this despite the 32C and humid weather! …”
“what a terrific day. we got lucky and there were loads of monkeys - so cool! easy walk to the park and we had plenty of time to observe the more 50-60 monkeys and their babies. Then a 5 minute drive to a small family owned soba restaurant …”
“Very good trip with Umut and Risa. We could see nice views and also learn about Nagano culture. Unfortunately the monkeys wasn't there, but it's nature doing it's things. The tour itself was nice!”
“A very long day and in the end we didn't see a single monkey. The sake tasting was interesting, lunch delicious and the guide nice. But the risk is too great of tying up a whole day without knowing in advance whether there will be monkeys or not. …”
“… I am not happy at all with the free time left at the Zenko-ji temple, only 30 minutes. … I wasn't aware that in autumn it was really hard to see any monkey. There was not a single monkey to be seen. …”
Real traveller reviews from GetYourGuide.
Most often from December to March, when it is cold and snow lies at the park. Outside those months the pool is often empty for long stretches.
Yes, the monkeys come to the park all year because they are fed there. There is no snow and they rarely bathe, but from late April to late June you may see babies.
It is the least reliable time. In the mating season the monkeys may come late or stay in the forest, and the first snow in November usually melts quickly.
On selected dates from late January to late February. The H.I.S. coach tour from Shinjuku includes them on those dates; the 2027 calendar is on the booking page.
Every snow monkey tour with start point and inclusions.
See the comparison