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Voykit pocket guide · Japan
Yamanouchi
山ノ内町
Spend one full day to see Jigokudani Monkey Park; add a night if you want onsen bathing or ski in Shiga Kogen.
Yamanouchi is a small hot‑spring town in Nagano best known for the snow‑monkey park. A day covers the park; an extra night lets you enjoy onsen or nearby ski slopes.
- Country
- Japan
- Local name
- 山ノ内町
- Best months
- Dec–Feb (monkey park), Apr–Oct (onsen, hiking)
- Avoid
- Jan heavy snow may block roads (check local forecast)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JPY
- Money
- Cities are increasingly cashless; temples, small restaurants and some lodging taxes still want cash.
- Daily spend
- Budget ¥5,000–¥8,000 excl. bed · Mid ¥8,000–¥12,000 excl. bed · High ¥12,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Data-only eSIMs are the easy route: buy before you fly; voice SIMs need a residence card.
- Emergency
- Police 110 · Fire and ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 100 V · 50 Hz east (Tokyo), 60 Hz west (Osaka) · Most sockets are two flat pins without earth; European and UK plugs need an adapter. Phone and laptop chargers handle 100 V.
- Tipping
- Restaurants and bars: No tip; staff will chase you to return money left on the table.; Taxis: No tip; pay the meter.; Ryokan: Optional: ¥1,000–3,000 in an envelope for the room attendant; never loose cash.; Private guide: Not expected; a small gift or a thank-you meal is more usual.; Hotel porter: No tip.
- Water
- Safe from the tap everywhere; stations and parks have fountains.
- Toilets
- Free, clean public toilets in stations, parks and konbini; paper goes in the toilet. Rural and old stations may have squat toilets.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | ¥300–¥500 |
| Ramen bowl | ¥800–¥1,200 |
| Onsen entry fee | ¥500–¥1,000 |
| Bus ticket Yudanaka‑Shiga Kogen | ¥1,300 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- NGO · Chubu Centrair
- About 3.5 h by train via Nagoya; not the closest airport. For Yamanouchi, fly into Tokyo (NRT/HND) or Nagano (no commercial airport).
Typical fares
- Nagano → Yudanaka (Nagano‑Dentetsu)
- ¥1,210, 45 min (check)
- Yudanaka → Jigokudani Monkey Park (bus, round trip)
- ¥1,500, includes park entry (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
From Nagano take the Nagano‑Dentetsu limited express (¥1,210, 45 min) to Yudanaka Station. Buy a bus ticket (¥1,500 round, includes park entry) or walk 1.6 km (1 mi) to the park. Boots rental ¥500 at the trailhead. In winter a minibus runs seven times a day.From Nagano take the Nagano‑Dentetsu limited express (¥1,210, 45 min) to Yudanaka Station. Buy a bus ticket (¥1,500 round, includes park entry) or walk 1 mi (1.6 km) to the park. Boots rental ¥500 at the trailhead. In winter a minibus runs seven times a day.
See and do
Known for
- Jigokudani snow monkeys
- Shibu and Yudanaka onsen
- Shiga Kogen ski area
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Shiga Kogen ski area | Bus from Yudanaka Station, about 30 min | ≈1 h total |
Sleep
- Shimaya
- Budget ryokan, rooms from ¥3,500; free driver to Monkey Park
- Minshuku Korakukan Jigokudani
- Mid‑range, ¥10,000–¥14,000, inside Monkey Park grounds
- Yudanaka Onsen Seifuso
- Mid‑range, ¥10,000–¥14,000, Western & Japanese meals
- Kokuya
- Splurge ryokan, suites ¥16,000–¥36,900 per person
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | すみませんsumimasen |
| Thank you | ありがとうございますarigatō gozaimasu |
| How much is it? | いくらですか？ikura desu ka |
| Can I pay by card? | カードで払えますか？kādo de haraemasu ka |
| Where is the toilet? | トイレはどこですか？toire wa doko desu ka |
| I need boots for the trail | トレイル用のブーツが必要ですtoreiru-yō no būtsu ga hitsuyō desu |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: A small bow; a handshake if the other person offers; avoid: Hugs, back slaps, loud greetings
- Names: Family name plus -san; avoid: First names unless invited; adding -san to your own name
- Paying: Put money in the tray at the register; avoid: Tipping, or leaving loose cash for staff
- Trains: Queue at the floor marks, phone on silent, ask before reclining on the Shinkansen; avoid: Phone calls, eating on crowded commuter trains, blocking doors with bags
- Escalators: Stand on the side locals use — left in Tokyo, right in Osaka; stations now ask people to stand still on both; avoid: Stopping at the top or bottom
- Shoes: Off at the step-up entrance; toilet slippers only inside the toilet; avoid: Stepping on tatami in shoes or slippers
- Shrines: Rinse hands at the basin; bow twice, clap twice, bow once; avoid: Walking down the centre of the approach, which is for the deity
- Gifts: Offer and receive with both hands; bring a small omiyage for hosts; avoid: Sets of four; cash outside an envelope
Scams and watch-outs
- Trail to the park can be muddy or icy; wear proper boots.
- Bus schedule is seasonal; check times in advance.
- Winter road closures may affect access to Shiga Kogen.
Low crime overall; stay alert on winter roads and in remote mountain areas.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Yamanouchi yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Jigokudani snow monkeys
- Shibu and Yudanaka onsen
- Shiga Kogen ski area
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Yamanouchi bilingual guide: www.info-yamanouchi.net/english/
- Wikivoyage: Yamanouchi, revision 4874863 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4874863
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/yamanouchi). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.