Recommended Tourist Spots in Winter

The Shinhotaka Ropeway

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Shinhotaka Ropeway is home to the only double-decker gondola in Japan. This cable car stretches around 2.6 kilometers and reaches heights up to 2,156 meters. This cable car takes you up to Nishiho Takaguchi Station, where you can enjoy the breathtaking views of the Northern Japanese Alps. While all four seasons offer stunning views, the autumn foliage and snow in the winter are particularly famous. At the summit, there are a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy, such as hiking and trekking in the warmer months, and skiing and snowboarding in the winter. Many tourists also come to experience the numerous hot spring facilities in the surrounding areas year round.

 Via Matsumoto

Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal → (Expressway bus) → Matsumoto Bus Terminal → (Expressway bus) → Hirayu Onsen → (Local Bus) *Timetable → The Shinhotaka Ropeway

 Via Hirayu Onsen

Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal → (Expressway bus) → Hirayu Onsen → (Local Bus) *Timetable → The Shinhotaka Ropeway

Komagatake Senjojiki Cirque

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Experience the Beauty of "Chuo Alps Komagatake Ropeway"

"Komagatake Ropeway" sits beneath Mount Hoken (altitude: 2,931 meters) in the Chuo Alps, which is also home to the "Senjojiki Cirque".
Open year round, this scenic ropeway allows visitors to enjoy the enchanting beauty of mountains, valleys, and forests in every season.
Visitors can experience the snow-capped peaks lingering in the spring and the vibrant alpine flowers blooming in the summer. In the autumn, the landscape is painted in a rich, warm hue, while winter shows a stark snow field in the winter.

Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Highway Bus: Approx. 3 hours 50 minutes) → Komagane Bus Terminal (5 minutes walk) → Komagane Station (Local bus: 45 minutes) → Shirabidaira (Komagatake Ropeway: 7 min 30 sec) → Senjojiki

Hakuba

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 Why Hakuba is so popular for foreign travelers?

Hakuba is well known for "Japow", which is a deep layer of powdery snow, perfect for skiers. This quality snow brings in skiers and snowboarders from around the world. Every year, many foreigners visit Hakuba for this powdery snow.

Benefits of Hakuba:

• Easy access. There are free shuttle buses running everywhere to connect you to each destination.
• Many ski resorts offer ski/snowboarding lessons in different languages.
• Hakuba is famous for its good quality snow which attracts many foreigners every year.

Hakuba Tips!
After enjoying skiing for a day, enjoy Hakuba's night at "Echoland"! Echoland is the main street of Hakuba and there are many restaurants and bars for tourists to visit. It is a fun place to get around to enjoy your night in Hakuba.

The Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

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The Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park (altitude of 850 meters) is located in the Valley of Yokoyu River sourced from Shiga-Kogen, which is part of the Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park in the northern part of Nagano Prefecture. Due to its steep cliffs and steam coming out of the springs everywhere, ancient people have called this valley "Jigokudani (Hell Valley)".
This area is covered with snow for almost one third of the year.
Despite these harsh conditions, this region is a true paradise for Japan's wild snow monkeys, also known as Japanese Macaque. Since the opening of Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park in 1964, it has been a popular place worldwide to watch the monkeys soak in the natural hot springs. This rare site makes it a must-visit destination for nature lovers, researchers, and photographers alike.

Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park official website

Access to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park from Shinjuku Station

Shinjuku Expressway Bus Terminal (Expressway bus Reservation) → Nagano Station

It can be reached from Nagano Station in 2 ways.
Route 1. Ltd. Exp. + Local bus
Nagano Station (Nagano Electric Railway Ltd. Exp. "Snow Monkey" : Approx. 45 minutes) → Yudanaka Station (Nagano Dentesu Bus : Approx. 15 minutes) → Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
Route 2. Expressway Bus
Nagano Station (Nagano Dentesu Express Bus for Shiga-kogen(Shiga Highlands) : Approx. 41 minutes) → Kanbayashi Onsen bus stop (35 min. walk) → Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park