Japan Winter Tour: 7 Days Snow Monkeys & Hakuba Skiing

What we work through with you

1. Your dates and priorities

   Tell us when you want to visit Tokyo, Nagano & Hakuba, Japan, who is travelling and what you would change in the outline below.

2. The route and pace

   We discuss the 7D / 6N starting itinerary, your preferred stays and how much you want to fit in. Any changes depend on availability and are agreed in your written plan.

3. Your written quote

   Review the final arrangements, total price, inclusions and payment and cancellation terms before booking. An enquiry does not reserve this trip.

The route we start from

These are the stages published for this trip. A stage can cover part of a day or several days; it is not a separate travel day.

1. Stage 01

   Tokyo

   Land in Tokyo and take the first night gently. Shinjuku after dark is the version of Japan most people picture, and the observation decks at the Metropolitan Government Building are free and open late, which in this city is worth knowing. Ramen, then an early night.

2. Stage 02

   To Nagano

   The Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano takes about ninety minutes. Zenko-ji at the top of the town dates from the seventh century and predates the split into Buddhist sects, so it belongs to all of them. The night is a ryokan: tatami, futon, a hot spring bath and a kaiseki dinner of many small courses.

3. Stage 03

   Snow Monkeys

   Up to Jigokudani, where the last stretch is roughly a two-kilometre forest walk with some hills, stairs and uneven ground, to a valley of hot springs. Japanese macaques come down off the cliffs and sit in the water with snow piling on their heads, entirely indifferent to you. The afternoon is your own onsen, on the same principle.

4. Stage 04

   Hakuba

   Across to Hakuba, which hosted the 1998 Winter Olympics and gets some of the most reliable snowfall anywhere because of the weather coming off the Sea of Japan. Gear fitting, then a lesson for anyone starting from zero and a first afternoon on the beginner terrain.

5. Stage 05

   Ski Day

   A full day on the mountain. Hakuba is several linked resorts and the lesson continues for beginners while stronger skiers go higher and further across. The snow here is dry and deep and is the reason people fly a long way for it. Sake and a hot bath in the evening, in that order.

6. Stage 06

   Back to Tokyo

   Back to Tokyo on the Shinkansen with the afternoon free, which in practice means Shibuya, Ginza or Akihabara depending on what you are shopping for. A last proper dinner in the city, at ground level rather than up a tower, which is where Tokyo actually eats.

7. Stage 07

   The Return

   Fly home. Seven days that included wild primates in a hot spring, a fortnight's worth of powder in three, and a night sleeping on a floor that you will spend some time afterwards trying to recreate.

What this trip lists

Use these inclusions and exclusions when reviewing your quote. The displayed price starts from ₹1,99,999 per person; your written quote confirms the total for your dates and arrangements.

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