Top 8 Full-Day Trips in Japan

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

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

Travel from Nagano to Zenko-ji Temple, a local sake tasting, and Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park with an English-speaking guide. Expect a traditional lunch, forest walking, free time at each stop, and a real chance to see macaques near the hot spring. Winter guests from Hakuba can use the shuttle service.

“We were lucky to have Tom as our guide. He is extremely knowledgeable not only about Japanese history but also gave an excellent summary of sake production and the different types as well as the snow monkeys and Nagano attractions. Tom was also very generous with recommendations for other areas in Japan. The tour was an excellent combination of the temple tour and snow monkey forest. Fantastic lunch included. Plenty of time to see the Zenkoji temple as well as the monkeys. Thanks Tom”

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2.Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

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

Follow an English-speaking guide through Zenkoji Temple, a local sake tasting and a generous Nagano lunch before walking 1.6 km to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Guides such as Dylan, Brent, Tom and Hiroshi add local stories, practical help and humor. Winter pickup from Hakuba is available.

“What a wonderful day! The guides were great and very informative. The transportation was perfect. The meal was amazing. So fun and wonderful.”

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

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

Start at 8:45 am for a private Nagano day with an English-speaking guide. Walk to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, visit Zenko-ji, explore Obuse and the Hokusai Museum, then choose sake tasting or Shibu Onsen. Private-car and public-transport options are available.

“Our tour guide, Emi was absolutely wonderful! So kind and full of knowledge. The visit to see the snow monkeys was an unforgettable experience-felt like you were in a National Geographic magazine! I highly recommend booking this activity.”

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4.1-Day Winter Tour From Nozawa Onsen: Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 32 reviews · from $150

Travel from Nozawa Onsen with an English-speaking local guide to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Zenko-ji Temple, and Nishinomon-Yoshinoya Brewery. The day includes park admission, lunch, temple guiding, sake tasting, and transport, with guides such as Jens and Yama leading past tours.

“We had a great day out with Yama! We loved that there were only two large groups. The monkeys were great fun to watch and the walk through snow laden pines to see them was lovely! Lunch was a welcome surprise and we really enjoRead more”

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5.1-Day Kobe Highlights Tour including Sake Tasting

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 28 reviews · from $171

Spend about seven hours seeing Kobe with an English-speaking guide, visiting Nunobiki Herb Gardens, the Takenaka Carpentry Tools Museum, Ikuta Shrine, and Hakutsuru Sake Brewery Museum. Ropeway rides, train fare, sake tasting, and Kobe hotel or port transfers are included.

“Had a wonderful day in Kobe with our wonderful guide, Sunny. She gave us an up close and personalized tour of the city. Thoroughly enjoyed all the places she took us to on this tour. Highly recommend Sunny for your day in Kobe. You won't be disappointed.”

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

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

Spend 10 hours with an English-speaking guide such as Endo, Lin, Kieron, or Yama, visiting the Snow Monkey Park, Zenko-ji, and a local sake stop. You’ll get transport, lunch, park entry, and tasting for $135, but expect a snowy forest walk and several hours on the bus.

“This trip and guide exceeded all expectations! Yama was a friendly local beekeeper guide, who was informative and very attentive to the group. It was amazing to be so close to the monkeys in such a beautiful location. I recommend trackers for your shoes for this tour. The monkeys wandered in between us and the little ones ran around playing and bathing! We did the snow monkey tour with a fantastic local cuisine lunch in a 200 year old farm house, visit to Nagano (beautiful town - be sure to walk the dark monk trail in the temple) and sake sampling. Highly recommend this tour for a taste of the…”

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7.1-Day Walking Tour around Kobe : Mountains, Sea and Sake

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 6 reviews · 1 day · from $136

Start at Shin-Kobe Station with a ropeway ride to Nunobiki Herb Gardens, then walk through Kitano, Ikuta Shrine, Chinatown, and Kobe Harborland. Finish in Nada-Gogo with a sake tasting. English-speaking guides such as Winki add local help, but expect a long day on foot.

“The description of the Tour was very misleading. It should be clearly started that it is an extensivecwalking Tour. The Guide was ok but not really 100% familiär with what he was doing. However also very hrlpful in calling a Taxi for my husband who was really not fit for a 20000 dies tour”

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8.1 Day Tour to Hill of the Buddha, Sapporo and Sake

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $165

Spend 8.5 hours with an English-speaking guide visiting the 45-meter sleeping Buddha at Butsuganji, the Hill of the Buddha, Sapporo TV Tower, and Yata Sake Stand Bar. Guide Scott E. has led this route, which suits travelers who want unusual religious sites, city views, and sake tasting in one day.

“Although I was the only person on this tour, my guide Scott worked just as hard at making sure I had a fabulous time. In addition to the original itinerary that he crafted, which was fabulous (Buddha statue, sake tasting, et cetera), Scott furtheRead more”

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