Day 1: Arrive Tokyo
On arrival into Tokyo, make your own way by bullet train from Tokyo to Nagano using the Hokuriku bullet train, reaching speeds up to 260kph. On arrival at Nagano Station you will be transferred to the express train to Yudanaka Station where you will be collected by a complimentary shuttle and taken to your ryokan.
Ryokans are traditional Japanese-style inns which usually have their very own Japanese onsen (bath), fed by local hot springs that are rich in minerals that benefit muscles, joints and skin.
Witness a quintessentially Japanese experience as you observe the local people strolling down spa street in their robes visiting one of the nine public onsen baths, you can visit one yourself if you wish.
Your dinner tonight will be Kaiseki, a Japanese traditional meal made up of 9 or more dishes and a range of seasonal dishes using only the freshest of ingredients.
Day 2: Shibu Onsen & Jigokudani monkey park
Today is a self-guided day. We recommend you visit the Jigokudani monkey park to see the famous Nagano snow monkeys as they splash around in the natural hot spring baths. These creature are incredibly social and interact in large groups, they are accustomed to humans and largely ignore the guests watching them!
In the afternoon why not head to the charming town of Obuse, home to a number of traditional houses and stores? If you see an ‘Open Garden’ sign on the door of a house it means you can enter the property and enjoy the gardens, giving you a unique insight into how the locals live!
Tonight you will be served another delicious dinner at your ryokan.
Day 3: Depart Shibu Onsen
The rest of the day is at leisure until your bullet train from Nagano to Tokyo.
