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1-Day Tour: Traditional Igloo "Kamakura" Festival & Snow Fun Activities
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1-Day Tour: Traditional Igloo "Kamakura" Festival & Snow Fun Activities

Period

January to February (On Weekdays Only)

Time

9:30/ 10:40 - 16:35 / 17:30

Meeting Place

Nagano Station
Iiyama Station

Price

Adult (13+)24,800 JPY
Child (6-12)14,900JPY

1-Day Tour: Traditional Igloo "Kamakura" Festival & Snow Fun Activities

Kamakura are traditional igloo-like houses that are built in the snowy regions of Japan. From the last week of January through the end of February, the rural town of Iiyama hosts “The Kamakura Village”, which has become one of the most spectacular snow festivals in Nagano. This tour includes a visit to this Kamakura festival site, combined with a morning of fun simple snow activities in the area that everyone can enjoy. Including lunch and led by a locally-based, English-speaking guide, this tour is perfect for those who wish for an authentic Japanese winter experience!

Highlights

  • Visit the local ski resort in Kijimadaira – and enjoy activities in the beauty of the snow-covered landscape
  • Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant at the above ski resort
  • Explore “The Kamakura Village” and have an authentic Japanese winter experience during this winter festival
  • Easily accessible via multiple the pick-up / drop-off points of Nagano and Iiyama Station – which are both very accessible from Tokyo and Kanazawa, through the use of the Hokuriku Shinkansen

Want to joint this tour from Tokyo? It’s easy to do! Scroll to the bottom for our FAQs including train services that can you use to join the tour!

Description

This tour has meet up points at both Nagano and Iiyama Stations. Your guide will greet you and once all of the guests are present, you will board the bus and make your way to the Kijimadaira Ski Resort to start the day off with a morning of Snow Fun activities.

You will be transported to a local ski resort – The Kijima Snow Park – for a morning of snow fun, with an area to enjoy activities such as sleds and tubes, or even just simple snow play and creation, making it a perfect experience for the whole family.

While there, you’ll have time to have lunch at a nearby restaurant which looks onto the ski field. Your guide will provide you with a lunch coupon which can be used to select your lunch at the restaurant with options including Japanese curry, katsudon, ramen, soba noodles, and other delicious local cuisine. Plenty of choice to warm yourself before heading out toward your next stop, “The Kamakura Village” of Iiyama.

Arriving at “The Kamakura Village” at around 15:00 your guide will lead you into the festival site, and you will have time on your own to explore the area. There are around 20 large sizes kamakura that are about 3 meters high, and you will have a chance to actually enter some of the igloo! There are also snacks and beverage stalls available, so you can keep refreshed as you take in the sights.

You’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the Kamakura before heading-out and boarding the bus around 16:20 with the tour concluding back at Nagano Station around 17:35 with drop-off at Iiyama Station (if required) along the way. (Please note, due to weather and road conditions in winter, tour end times cannot be guaranteed and may end later than listed).

MEETUP POINTS

This tour operates from multiple pick-up points with Nagano Station being the main / default meetup point. This is a group tour therefore please ensure you are at your selected meetup point prior to the meetup time to avoid any chance of missing the tour bus. The tour will need to depart on-time:

1 /  NAGANO STATION @ 09:30 — MAIN MEET-UP POINT

The meetup point is inside Nagano Station, in front of the Information Board directly across from the Shinkansen ticket gates. Please be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag and please be waiting before the meetup time as the tour will depart on-time.

2 /  IIYAMA STATION @ 10:40

The meetup point is inside Iiyama Station, in front of the Tourist Information Center on the ground-floor. Please be sure to look for the guide wearing a SNOW MONKEY RESORTS tour tag and please be waiting before the meetup time as the tour will depart on-time.

ITINERARY

09:30The tour begins at Nagano Station where your guide will be waiting for you in front of the Information Board, directly opposite the shinkansen tickets gates. From Nagano the tour heads toward Kijimadaira with additional pickup possible at Iiyama Station at 10:40.
11:00Having arrived at The Kijima Snow Park and begin snow fun activities. While at the snow park, you will also have time to enjoy lunch at its restaurant (included in the tour).
13:55Board the bus and depart The Kijima Snow Park to the Iiyama "Kamakura Village", with a brief tour of the local roadside station along the way..
14:50Arrive at the Iiyama "Kamakura Village," where the guide will give context about this festival and from there you will be left to explore the area with some free time.
16:20Board the bus and begin the journey back to Nagano.
17:30-18:00*The tour concludes at Nagano Station between 17:30 and 18:00 with a drop-off at Iiyama Station along the way (if required).

*Please note, due to weather and road conditions in winter, we cannot guarantee our exact end time but should be back at Nagano Station by 18:00 at the latest.

NOTES

Included

  • Transportation from / to Nagano Station and all listed destinations
  • Snow activity fees in The Kijima Snow Park
  • Entrance fee to “The Kamakura Festival”
  • Lunch (vegetarian options are available)
  • English-speaking guide

Excluded

  • Shinkansen / ‘Bullet Train’ ticket to / from Nagano
  • Rental boots (available for rent)
  • Rental clothing including snow jackets & pants (available for rent)
  • Skiing or snowboarding at The Kijima Snow Park
  • Additional snacks, food & drinks
  • Accommodation

What to bring

  • The temperature in the Iiyama area could be very low during this season. Please be dressed in warm, waterproof clothing and boots for snow activities. If required, clothing including snow jackets, snow pants, and snow boots can be rented from us (JPY 500 per piece). Please note that there is limited availability for snow outfits, so if you have waterproof, warm clothes fit for snow activities, please bring these with you on the day of the tour. 
  • Snow fun activities also require guests to be of reasonable fitness and mobility to enjoy. If you have concerns about your or a member of your groups ability to handle the conditions, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.

Other Information

  • This tour is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for mobility-impaired travelers. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us to discuss prior to booking.
  • This tour does not include skiing or snowboarding, nor is there the time to arrange your own skiing and snowboarding while at the resort.
  • If snow conditions are inadequate to conduct the tour, we will endeavour to notify guests in advance of the day and provide the option of switching to our 1-Day Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake Tour.
  • Infants (0-5) are free of charge. An infant lunch is not included and the order will be made directly to the restaurant according to your needs. We also cannot guarantee that a seat on the tour transport will be available for infants and they may be required to sit in the lap of an adult.
  • This tour is insured for aspects such as injury during transport, however as the guest, you are required to have your own travel insurance which covers personal injury during snow activities using snowdrives, sleds, and tubes. Please confirm that your insurance policy covers this activity prior to the tour.
  • The tour application deadline is 1 day before the tour date at 17:00.

FAQs

I’d like to join this tour from Tokyo. Which Shinkansen / 'Bullet Train' service should I use to arrive in Nagano on time? What time do services depart for Tokyo after the tour?
The start and finish of the tour are arranged according to the Shinkansen timetable. You can book the following services on the Hokuriku Shinkansen line when joining this tour at Nagano Station:

Departing Tokyo Station – Arriving Nagano Station

Tokyo: 07:20 - Nagano: 08:37 - Kagayaki (reserved seats only) Tokyo: 07:24 – Nagano: 09:13 – Asama

Departing Nagano Station – Arriving Tokyo Station

Nagano: 18:22 – Tokyo: 20:00 – Hakutaka *RECOMMENDED* Nagano: 19:03 – Tokyo: 20:23 – Kagayayaki (reserved seats only) Nagano: 19:08 – Tokyo: 20:52 – Asama Nagano: 19:38 – Tokyo: 21:16 – Hakutaka

*In winter, we recommend that you book this service to return to Tokyo. While we expect to this tour to conclude at Nagano Station by 17:40 winter weather and roads conditions mean that we cannot guarantee it. To be safe, we recommend booking the 18:22 service.
Do you provide rental clothing such as jacket, pants and snowboots for use at the ski resort?
Yes. Ski jackets and pants are available for rent along with snowboots. A set of boots, pants and jacket costs JPY1000. While we have adequate stock to cover most tours, during peak times in January, demand might be too high to guarantee availability. We cannot accept advance reservations nor can we guarantee sizes. We stock a range of adult and children’s sizes we can be tried on the day.
Can I start the tour at one point i.e. Nagano Station and finish at another i.e. Iiyama Station?
Yes. You can start and finish at different points making it a convenient way to incorporate an winter experience in the Nagano area, as you move from one point to another. We can also carry luggage however there is a limit of one piece of luggage per guest.

Should you be traveling with multiple pieces of luggage or over-sized gear such as snowboards and skis, please contact us prior to booking to discuss whether these can be accommodated.
Can I add accommodation to my tour booking?
Yes. We can add accommodation in Nagano City . To do so, contact us at anytime to discuss options.

We are traveling with an infant. Can we join this tour?
Yes! This tour is suitable for guests of all ages and especially fun for infants and children.
What happens if the snow isn’t good enough to conduct the tour?
Should the snow be insufficient to conduct the tour, we will do our best to notify you prior to the day.
I have specific dietary requirements. Can these be catered for?
We cannot promise that all dietary needs can be catered to. The tour uses a restaurant in the ski resort for lunch. They can provide vegetarian options but are unlikely to be able to cater to vegan guests, guests requiring halal and may not be able to amend the menu for specific allergies. If that is a concern, please contact us prior to booking to discuss options
Is this tour wheelchair accessible or suitable for mobility-impaired guests?
Unfortunately, this tour is not wheelchair accessible and may not be suitable for mobility-impaired guests. Snow activities require guests to be able to move freely. Guests who are mobility-impaired may also struggle with the conditions. Should you have any concerns about your ability to join the tour, please contact us prior to booking to discuss options.

(Travel Agency License No: Nagano 2-562)
Snow Monkey Resorts Tours
2159 Kurita, Nagano City, Nagano, 380-0921 Japan
Tel: (+81)26-219-6256
Member of All Nippon Travel Agents Association
Travel Service Supervisor: Azusa Fukuhara