Discover Japan’s famous Snow Monkeys! Approximately 200 of the lovable monkeys inhabit the natural hot springs. You’ll tour the Jigokudani snow monkey park, one of the only places in the world to see monkeys bathing in hot springs in the wild. Next visit a place of spiritual heritage at a traditional zen monastery retreat.

Experience traditional Japanese activities as you spend the morning trying on a beautiful Japanese Kimono, testing your origami skills and experiencing a tea ceremony before you enjoy a delicious Japanese lunch.

Like moving meditation, feel serene as you explore the zen-like silence of Hakuba’s more removed areas on snowshoes during this half-day guided tour. The Hakuba area has endless trails on mountain ridges or through old growth forests and shrines, with truly some of the best Alpine views in all of Japan.

Love sushi? If you have ever wanted to learn how to make sushi, then you will have a blast learning from our Goddess Chef. Impress your friends and family with your new skills making this delicious dish along with other traditional food—and best of all, after the cooking class you get to enjoy the amazing Japanese feast you made!

With nine world-class mountain resorts at your doorstep, spend an extra day putting into practice what you have already learned by venturing out on new runs.

Please note that some of the activity selections require minimum participants and are subject to change without prior notice due to the fact that we partner with outside suppliers to offer them on our retreats.

This trip is designed to provide maximum flexibility for our guests and as such is fairly fluid. While there is a set schedule for each day, you are not obliged to take part in everything—it is entirely up to you what activities you choose to do.

The activities list is correct at time of printing, although occasionally our offerings are updated during the year to incorporate improvements stemming from past guests’ comments and our own research.