The Kanaguya ryokan in Shibu Onsen lit up at night

Where to Stay in Yamanouchi

Stay the night for the baths, the dinner and the monkeys before the crowds. Here is where to sleep.

Most visitors see the monkeys between 11:00 and 14:00 on a day trip, at the busiest time, and never set foot in a bath. Staying one night changes the trip completely: a hot spring before dinner, a multi-course meal in your room or a dining hall, the lanes by lantern light, and the monkey trail at opening time.

There are four areas to choose from. Shibu Onsen has the atmosphere and the nine-bath circuit. Yudanaka is beside the station and often better value. Kanbayashi puts you at the monkey trailhead in the forest. Shiga Kogen is for skiers and hikers who want to wake up on the mountain.

Ryokan are normally priced per person, including dinner and breakfast, and rates swing widely with season, room type and meal plan — so we do not quote prices here. Every card links out to Trip.com for live rates and availability.

Where to stay

Ryokan in Shibu & Yudanaka Onsen

Traditional inns in the two valley hot spring towns: tatami rooms, futons, in-house baths and, in Shibu, a key to the nine public bathhouses.

Rekishi-no-Yado Kanaguya

★★★

8.9 51

Shibu Onsen’s landmark: a ryokan founded in 1758 whose four-storey wooden Saigetsuro wing is a registered cultural property, with a string of in-house baths and evening tours of the building for guests.

Historic wooden architecture
Several in-house and private baths
On Shibu’s main lane

See rates & availability

Shibu Onsen Kokuya

★★★★

9.3 60

A long-established Shibu ryokan with its own hot spring sources feeding a range of baths, including rooms with private open-air tubs, and refined kaiseki dinners.

Own hot spring sources
Rooms with private open-air baths
Next to the nine public baths

See rates & availability

Shibu Hotel

★★★

9.3 82

A friendly, traditional inn in the middle of Shibu Onsen, well reviewed by overseas guests for its helpful staff, tatami rooms and easy access to the bathhouse circuit.

Central Shibu Onsen location
Welcoming to overseas guests
Key for the nine public baths

See rates & availability

Sakaeya

★★★

9.6 42

A highly rated mid-sized ryokan on Shibu’s main lane with indoor and open-air baths, Japanese-style rooms and seasonal dinners.

Very high guest scores
Indoor and open-air baths
In the heart of Shibu Onsen

See rates & availability

Wafu-no-Yado Masuya

★★★

9.6 42

A Japanese-style inn in the Yudanaka–Shibu hot spring area that scores very highly with guests for its hospitality, baths and meals.

Very high guest scores
Traditional rooms and meals
Between Yudanaka and Shibu

See rates & availability

Ryokan Biyu no Yado

★★★★

9.4 75

A larger, modern-comfort ryokan in Yudanaka with rooftop open-air baths looking over the valley, both tatami and bed rooms, and staff used to international guests.

Rooftop open-air baths
Tatami and Western-style rooms
Short walk from Yudanaka Station

See rates & availability

Yudanaka Yasuragi

★★★

9.5 677

A simple, very well-reviewed small inn in the Yudanaka area — a good-value base if you want a bed, a bath and an early start for the monkeys.

Excellent guest scores
Good value
In the Yudanaka area

See rates & availability

See all Yamanouchi hotels

By the monkey trail & in Shiga Kogen

Stay in the forest at Kanbayashi or in the Jigokudani valley itself to be first at the monkey park — or up on the plateau for ski-in, ski-out convenience.

Kanbayashi Hotel Senjukaku

★★★★

9.5 52

The grand ryokan of Kanbayashi Onsen, set among tall trees a short walk from the start of the monkey park trail — the most comfortable way to be first on the path in the morning.

Walk to the monkey trail
Forest setting and large baths
Top guest scores

See rates & availability

Jigokudani Onsen Korakukan

★★

7.4 6

The rustic 19th-century inn in the Jigokudani valley itself, a few minutes from the monkey park and reachable only on foot. Simple rooms, old wooden baths and monkeys as neighbours — an experience rather than a luxury.

Inside the Jigokudani valley
Outdoor baths the monkeys may visit
On foot only — pack light

See rates & availability

Shiga Kogen Prince Hotel

★★★★

8.0 46

A large ski-in/ski-out resort hotel at the foot of Mount Yakebitai in Shiga Kogen, with three wings, restaurants and hot spring baths — the easy choice for a ski holiday.

Ski-in/ski-out at Yakebitaiyama
Big resort facilities
Olympic slopes on the doorstep

See rates & availability

Hotel Higashidate

★★★

8.9 97

A well-run hotel at Hoppo Onsen in central Shiga Kogen, beside the Higashidateyama gondola, with hot spring baths and hearty dinners after a day on the slopes or trails.

By the Higashidateyama gondola
Hot spring baths
Central for skiing and hiking

See rates & availability

Compare hotels in Yamanouchi

Which area suits you?

Base	Good for	Less good for	Style
Shibu Onsen	Atmosphere, the nine-bath circuit, evening strolls in yukata, tattoo-friendly public baths	Driving and parking, big modern rooms, late-night food	Historic wooden ryokan
Yudanaka Onsen	Train access, value, restaurants and shops, families	Old-town looks; the monkey park is a bus ride away	Family-run ryokan and small hotels
Kanbayashi & Jigokudani	Being first on the monkey trail, quiet, forest scenery	Choice of places to eat, evenings out	A grand ryokan and a rustic valley inn
Shiga Kogen	Skiing from the door, summer hiking, cool nights	Onsen-town atmosphere; 30 minutes from the valley	Resort hotels

How to choose

One night and you want the classic experience? Stay in Shibu Onsen and do the bath circuit.
Arriving late or leaving early by train? Yudanaka is a few minutes from the platform.
Here mainly for the monkeys and photography? Kanbayashi lets you walk to the trail before the first bus arrives.
Skiing? Sleep in Shiga Kogen and visit the monkeys and Shibu as a half-day outing — or do the reverse and bus up for a day on the slopes.

Booking tips

Winter weekends, New Year and the Lunar New Year sell out early. For January and February, book several months ahead if you can.
Check the meal plan. Restaurants in the onsen towns are few and close early, so a rate with dinner is usually the better choice.
Tell the ryokan about dietary needs, tattoos and arrival time when you book. Dinner is typically served around 18:00–19:00 and late arrivals may miss it.
Many inns have no lift, and rooms are Japanese-style with futons on tatami. Ask for a room with beds if you need one.
Ask about station pick-up and a shuttle to the monkey park — many ryokan offer both.
Send big suitcases ahead by luggage forwarding. See getting here.

Once your bed is sorted, pick the experience: our ranked tour comparison covers guided visits from Yamanouchi, Nagano and Tokyo.

Accommodation links go to Trip.com. We may earn a commission on bookings at no extra cost to you. Scores and star ratings are taken from Trip.com and change over time.

Plan your visit

Make Yamanouchi the highlight of your Japan trip

The snow monkeys are an easy day out from Nagano and a long but doable one from Tokyo. Compare guided tours, private drivers and onsen-town walks and book in a couple of taps.

Browse Yamanouchi tours Compare all tours

Good to know

Accommodation questions

Is it better to stay in Shibu Onsen or Yudanaka?

Shibu for atmosphere and the nine public baths; Yudanaka for convenience and price. They are about 2 km apart and both are roughly 10–15 minutes from the monkey trailhead by bus or shuttle.

What is included in a ryokan stay?

Usually a tatami room with futons, a yukata to wear, use of the hot spring baths, and — on a half-board rate — a set dinner and Japanese breakfast. In Shibu you also get the key to the public bathhouses.

Can I stay near the monkey park itself?

Yes. Kanbayashi Onsen is at the trailhead, and the old Korakukan inn stands in the Jigokudani valley a few minutes from the park gate, reachable only on foot.

Are there Western-style hotels?

In Shiga Kogen, yes — resort hotels with beds and restaurants. In the valley most places are ryokan, though several offer rooms with beds.

Should I stay in Nagano city instead?

Nagano has plenty of business hotels and suits a tight schedule or budget, with the monkeys as a half-day trip. You will miss the onsen-town evening, which for many people is the best part.