Drinking Tours in Nagano: Choosing Between 6

1.1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,020 reviews · from $151Our pick

Spend about eight hours with an English-speaking guide at Zenko-ji Temple, a Nagano sake brewery, and Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Guides such as Tom, Kieran, Nadine, and Endo have helped make the day informative and easy to follow. Lunch, transport, sake tasting, and park admission are included. Expect a forest walk and icy footing in winter.

“This excursion surpassed our expectations and added cultural experiences to our day. We were leaving Japan the next day so it really enhanced our trip.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

2.Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 833 reviews · 8 - 12 hours · from $135

Spend a full day exploring Nagano with guides such as Dylan, Brent, Tom, or Hiroshi, depending on your departure. Visit Zenkoji Temple, sample several sakes, enjoy a generous local lunch, then walk 1.6 km through a forest trail to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Transport, entry, lunch, and sake tasting are included.

“I had a brilliant time exploring Zenkoji Temple and seeing the snow monkeys! Hishiro and Shin were brilliant!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

3.Private Nagano 1-Day Tour:Snow Monkeys,Zenko-ji,Obuse,Sake,Onsen

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · from $337

Spend about eight hours with a private English-speaking guide visiting Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Zenko-ji Temple, Obuse, and the Hokusai Museum. Guides such as Hori, Mutsumi, and Emi have helped shape flexible days around food, sake, family needs, and walking pace. Choose an onsen stop when available, with admissions and lunch extra.

“Being a nature lover, the snow monkeys of Nagano were among the last unique experience left in my bucket list. Although September is clearly not the ideal time for it, my brothers and I enjoyed the walk in the forest before reaching the park and there were enough monkeys frolicking in the pond to make it a worthwhile experience. After that we were treated to an excellent tonkatsu, chestnut ice-cream and sake degustation which made for a very nice day. Our guide Hitomi was very accommodating, and gave us good advice on how to optimize our tour content. She was also very friendly and used a translating software a lot…”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

4.Izakaya Food Tour in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · from $111

Meet Masa, Robin, or another local guide at Starbucks in Nagano Station, then visit two or three izakaya and a noodle stop in Gondo. Expect yakitori, gyoza, soba or ramen, two drinks, local stories, and a final bar. Photos are taken during the evening, and the tour ends within easy walking distance of the start.

“We visited three spots in Nagano with Masa, our amazing & knowledgeable guide. We tried several skewers, tofu, the soba noodles (a must in Nagano) and tasty gyozas. The tour was both insightful and relaxed, we had a great time. We highly recommend Masa and this tour.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

5.Nagano Sake Tasting Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · 2 hours · from $63Best value

Meet your English-speaking guide at Starbucks in MIDORI Nagano for a two-hour walk through the Zenkoji district. Taste more than five local sakes, three amazake drinks, plum wine, miso soup, pickles, and soy sauce beans. Guides such as Masa and Marcel add local food tips, cultural context, and casual photos.

“Masa was a great guide, showed us more than we expected around Nagano including his favourite eating spots and local delicacies.”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →

6.From Nozawa Onsen: Snow Monkeys and Zenko-ji Day Trip & Sake

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 13 reviews · 10 hours · from $135

Spend 10 hours exploring Nagano with an English-speaking local guide. Walk the snowy forest trail to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, enjoy lunch, visit Zenko-ji Temple, and finish with sake tasting. Guides such as Endo, Kieron, Lin, and Yama have led past departures. Non-alcoholic drinks are available.

“It was a great experience, made only possible by an awesome guide Endo!”

Dates, prices, availability →Our full review →