Snow Monkeys, Sake Tasting and Onsen Village

The Snow Monkey Tour takes in the gorgeous Japanese Snow Monkeys, a sake tasting and Shibu Onsen Village. It is a relaxed cultural tour that really gets at the heart of what makes Japan so special. All our guests absolutely love this tour and it is a must on any traveller to Northern Nagano's itinerary.

Maguse Onsen

Maguse Onsen is a stunning onsen (Japanese spa) that has some of the most spectacular views of any onsen in Japan. The experience is serene and the epitome of everything you thought Japanese Zen would be.

Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival - Nozawa Onsen Dosojin Matsuri

The Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival known in Japanese as the Disjoin Matsuri is one of the three great fire festivals in Japan.

There is a huge pyre built from local trees harvested from the mountain in October. The festival is an invocation for a good harvest, health and fortune in the coming year. Of course this includes a great ski season.

The main attraction is the battle between the 42 year olds and the 25 year olds in the village who battle to both protect and set alight the pyre. The battle is always spectacular and is sometimes scary.

Make sure you wear very warm clothes and nothing that will be damaged by embers falling from the sky.

The tour leaves from Madarao at 6pm and returns at the end of the festival. You will be left to your own devices for the duration of the time in Nozawa.