5 Sake & Bar Hopping Tours in Nagano Worth Booking

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

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

Spend about eight hours with an English-speaking guide visiting Zenko-ji Temple, tasting Nagano sake, eating a regional lunch, and walking to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Guides such as Tom, Endo, Kieran, Nadine, and Jens have led recent departures. Winter visitors need warm layers and sturdy traction.

“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.Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Day Trip

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

Join an English-speaking guide such as Dylan, Brent, or Tom for a full day in Nagano. Visit Zenkoji Temple, enter its pitch-black inner passage if you choose, taste several sakes, enjoy a generous local lunch, and walk 1.6 km each way to the Snow Monkey Park.

“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

Spend about eight hours exploring Nagano with a private English-speaking guide such as Hori, Mutsumi, or Horiuchi-san. Visit Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Zenko-ji, and Obuse, with time for sake, local food, the Hokusai Museum, or an onsen. Hotel pickup is available from selected central Nagano hotels.

“Our tour guide was Hori and he was absolutely fantastic! His knowledge of the area and history behind everything was great. Our experience was so much fun. The hike was icy when we went in March so I definitely recommend having gooRead more”

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4.Izakaya Food Tour in Nagano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 60 reviews · from $111

Join Masa, Robin, or another local English-speaking guide for a three-hour evening through Nagano’s Gondo district. You’ll visit two or three izakaya, taste yakitori, gyoza, tofu, soba, or ramen, enjoy two drinks, and receive photos from the night.

“I greatly enjoyed this tour. My guide, Masa, was very genial and engaging. It was a good way to find out a little more about Japan and to discover some nice bars too. Some may find this tour a little expensive however I thought it was great value for money as I was the only one on the tour and so had the undivided attention of the guide. The last bar we visited was a real gem, it would have only fitted 10 people at the most and was very eclectic in its decor. Some excellent live music too at this bar. All in all good fun.”

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5.Nagano Sake Tasting Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 17 reviews · 2 hours · from $63Best value

Meet your English-speaking guide at Starbucks in MIDORI Nagano for a two-hour walk to Zenkoji Temple, a 300-year-old brewery, and a preserved sake factory. Taste five or more sakes, three amazake drinks, miso soup, pickles, and local snacks with guides such as Masa and Marcel.

“Masa was an excellent guide! He is very knowledgeable and provided valuable insights into Japanese culture. The tour included the Zenkoji Temple and an extensive Sake tasting. He's even a talented photographer and provides great recommendations for hidden eateries in the area. I would highly recommend his tour when traveling through Nagano!”

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