A Winter Experience in Japan: a Guide to Shibu Onsen and the Snow Monkey Park
A place I highly recommend visiting in the wintertime in Japan is Shibu Onsen (渋温泉), in Yamanouchi municipality (山ノ内), located in Northern Nagano prefecture.
Famous for its hot springs and historic buildings, Shibu Onsen is still steeped in the traditional atmosphere of its 1,300-year history. Located on a gentle slope, it is close to Yudanaka Onsen, and a few bus stops from the famous Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park.
I have been three times to Shibu Onsen (the last time being in December 2022) and continue to be fascinated by its atmosphere, especially when the town is covered by snow. One of my fondest memories is ambling the little streets at dusk.
Things to Do in Shibu Onsen
Wander in the Alleys & Visit the 9 Public Baths
Just walking around the Onsen is a real experience. You can see streams of smoke coming from nearby buildings and pipes everywhere. There are also several small temples to visit, such as Shibuyu Shrine (渋湯神社) or Onsenji Temple (温泉寺), and most famously the 9 public baths of Shibu Onsen, and each known to have different medicinal properties.
These public baths are called soto-yu (外湯, which means “outside bath”), but they are actually indoors. The name comes from the fact that they are not inside one of the ryokans.
Visiting some or all of the bathhouses is an attraction in itself. You need a key to enter, which is provided by some of the town's ryokans or local shops. Here you will find a very informative map by the Shibu Onsen Association, which explains where you can get the key and shows the location of the nine baths. As you walk around town, you will see people in winter yukata making the pilgrimage of visiting all 9 baths. If you’d like to do the same, a great souvenir is to get a tenugui towel (to be purchased at your inn) to fill with each bathhouse stamp that you can find outside each public bath you visit.
To be honest, I have never made this pilgrimage myself as I have always stayed at a ryokan that had several baths of its own. However, it is still on my list of things to do in Shibu Onsen!
While enjoying your walk, you can buy an onsen-steamed egg for ¥50 and explore the little shops along the main street. There is also a foot bath that will make a nice break to warm up your feet from the winter cold.
Visit the Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen or 地獄谷野猿公苑)
Jigokudani Monkey Park is home to the only troop of monkeys in the world known to bathe naturally in hot springs. Images of these Japanese macaques soaking in the onsen have become one of the symbols of winter in Japan, attracting tourists, photographers and researchers alike. It is located a few bus stops from Shibu Onsen.
The park was established in 1964 to allow these wild "snow monkeys" to be observed in an environment without fences. The monkeys live in the surrounding mountains, but come down for the free meals provided by the park and for the hot spring during the winter.
According to JNTO, December to March is usually the best time to see them bathing. I went once in February and twice in December and saw many of them each time. The park even provides a live camera on its website, so you can confirm their presence on the morning of your walk.
I love this place and always try to include it when planning a trip to Japan for my family or friends.
If you’d like to visit the Snow Monkey Park, make sure to read my article “Things to Know Before Visiting the Snow Monkey Park” with practical information and tips to enjoy your time there.
How to Get to Shibu Onsen
From Tokyo, you can get to Shibu Onsen by first taking the Hokuriku-Shinkansen (¥8,340 for 1.5 hours) or the bus (about ¥3,500 for 3.5 hours) to Nagano Station, and then taking the train or an express bus. Note that the JR Pass only covers travel by shinkansen from Tokyo to Nagano. For this reason, it cannot be used for the train or express bus from Nagano to Shibu Onsen or to the Snow Monkey Park.
As Shibu Onsen is located next to Yudanaka Onsen (the last stop on the Nagano Dentetsu-Nagano line), it is convenient to go there by train. From Yudanaka Station, it takes about 30 minutes to walk to Shibu Onsen, up to 15 by local bus (once or twice per hour), or less than 10 by taxi.
If you plan to use public transport to get around Shibu Onsen, an economical way is the Snow Monkey Pass, a combined ticket for 2 days that costs ¥3500. It includes:
entrance to the Snow Monkey Park (once);
2-day unlimited use of the Nagaden Limited Express and local train services on the Nagano Dentetsu Line;
2-day unlimited use of the Nagaden Express Bus from/to Nagano Station and the monkey park;
2-day unlimited use of the Nagaden Local Bus from/to Yudanaka Station and Kanbayashi Onsen/monkey park.
You can buy the Snow Monkey Pass at Nagano Station’s ticket office to the right side of the doors of the Nagano Dentetsu line. I recommend buying the pass as it saves money and makes things easier.
How Long & Where to Stay
Shibu Onsen is perfect for a two-day trip, either for a weekend or as part of a longer itinerary to explore Japan.
You can travel to Shibu Onsen in the morning, enjoy the town and its hot springs for the rest of the day, and visit the monkeys the next morning before heading back to Tokyo or to your next destination.
There are several options in terms of accommodation at Shibu Onsen or at the nearby Yudanaka Onsen.
The three times I have been to Shibu Onsen, I have stayed at the historic Kanaguya ryokan (歴史の宿金具屋) for a traditional and relaxing experience.
You can read a more detailed review of Kanaguya in my article “A Night at Kanaguya: A Review of a Traditional Ryokan in Shibu Onsen”.
Shibu Onsen’s Highlights
To Conclude
Shibu Onsen is a lovely place to go, especially in the winter time. Writing this article just made me want to go again, and I hope it will give you ideas for your next travel in Japan.
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