The Route at a Glance
≈ 2.5–3.5 hrs end to end
1
Step 1
Leave from Shin-Osaka
~50m
The journey starts at Shin-Osaka, not Osaka Station. Take the Tokaido Shinkansen to Nagoya, about fifty minutes on a Nozomi and a little longer on a Hikari.
Full details
If you are travelling on a Japan Rail Pass, take the Hikari. The Pass does not cover the Nozomi without a supplement, and the time saved is only about fifteen minutes. Reserve a seat the day before if you are travelling on a weekend or through a holiday period. Coin lockers at Nagoya make the transfer easier if you are carrying luggage you would rather not take onto the trail.
2
Step 2
Nagoya to Nagano on the Shinano
~3h
Transfer at Nagoya to the Limited Express Shinano, which runs direct to Nagano in about three hours, roughly once an hour.
Full details
The Shinano is covered by the Japan Rail Pass in ordinary cars and needs no separate booking beyond a seat reservation. It climbs through the Kiso valley and Matsumoto and is the most scenic stretch of the journey by a wide margin. Transfer time at Nagoya runs anywhere from twenty-five minutes to an hour depending on the connection, so check the specific pairing rather than assuming a tight change.
3
Step 3
The Alternative: Via Tsuruga
~4h total
There is a second route of almost identical length. The Thunderbird runs from Osaka to Tsuruga in about eighty-five minutes, where you change to the Hokuriku Shinkansen for Nagano.
Full details
This route matters mainly to Japan Rail Pass holders, because every leg is covered with no Nozomi supplement. At full fare it costs more, roughly 13,000 to 18,400 yen (about $90 to $125) depending on the trains and class, and it runs less frequently than the hourly Shinano. Note that the Thunderbird now terminates at Tsuruga rather than Kanazawa, which changed with the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension in March 2024. Older guides still show the Kanazawa change.
4
Step 4
Nagano to Yudanaka
45–70m
From Nagano Station, transfer to the Nagano Dentetsu (Nagaden) line to Yudanaka, the last stop, in roughly 45 to 70 minutes depending on the service.
Full details
The Nagaden platform sits directly beneath JR Nagano, signposted in English from the East (Zenko-ji) exit. It is a private railway, so the Japan Rail Pass does not cover it and you buy a ticket at the station. Limited express services are faster for a small surcharge; local trains stop more often and cost less. Neither requires a reservation. A seasonal express bus also runs direct from Nagano to the trailhead through the winter months, which skips this transfer entirely when it is running.
5
Step 5
Yudanaka to the Trailhead
10–15m
A local bus or short taxi covers the final 10 to 15 minutes from Yudanaka to the Kanbayashi trailhead, where a 1.6 km (about 1 mi) forest path leads to the park entrance.
Full details
Buses meet most train arrivals. A taxi covers the same ground quickly and is worth splitting between three or four people; seasonal fares vary, so check the posted price rather than budgeting a fixed figure. The walk takes most people 30 to 40 minutes at an unhurried pace. In winter the path is packed snow and ice the whole way, so proper boots matter more than anything else you bring.
6
Step 6
Why This Route Argues for an Overnight
From Tokyo a day trip is punishing but possible. From Osaka it is not sensible.
Full details
Reaching the park at opening from Osaka means a pre-dawn start, and the return connections thin out earlier than most visitors expect. A night in Shibu or Yudanaka turns a fourteen-hour round trip into two comfortable days, and it puts you on the trail at opening the following morning, when the monkeys are most active and the tour buses have not yet arrived. If you are set on returning the same day, check the last departures from Yudanaka before you set out.
ARRIVAL
Jigokudani Yaen-koen (Snow Monkey Park)
6845 Hirao, Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano 381-0401, Japan
Good to know
Depart from Shin-Osaka, not Osaka Station
The Japan Rail Pass covers the Hikari but not the Nozomi without a supplement
The Pass does not cover the Nagano Dentetsu on the final leg
The Shinano runs roughly hourly, so check your Nagoya transfer pairing
Coin lockers at Nagano Station beat dragging a suitcase to the trailhead
Winter: packed snow and ice on the trail, so bring proper boots
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers on timing, the Japan Rail Pass, alternate routes, and where to stay.
Related guides
The Park and Monkeys
Snow Monkey Park
Wild macaques bathe in a hot spring in the Nagano mountains. Nowhere else on earth do monkeys do this.
Plan Your Visit
Best Time to See Snow Monkeys
January and February for snow and steam. June for newborns. The monkeys are there every day of the year.
Plan Your Visit
1-Day Snow Monkey Itinerary
It works, but only with discipline. The 8:00 AM shinkansen, two hours with the monkeys, home by dinner.
Plan Your Visit
What to Wear in Winter
The valley drops to −15 °C (5 °F) and the trail is packed ice for a mile. Boots matter more than your coat.
Verified by The Japan Onsen Society
Verified July 7–16, 2026
Route compiled and verified by The Japan Onsen Society, August 2026. No single operator publishes an end-to-end route from western Japan to Jigokudani, so the itinerary below is assembled from the operators of each individual leg and checked against current timetables.
1. JR Central (JR東海) — Tokaido Shinkansen and the Limited Express Shinano.
2. JR West (JR西日本) — Hokuriku Shinkansen and the Limited Express Thunderbird.
3. 長野電鉄 (Nagano Electric Railway) — the Nagano to Yudanaka leg and fares.
4. Go! NAGANO — Nagano Prefecture official tourism.
5. 地獄谷野猿公苑 — park hours, admission and access.
