Hi,
I would like to visit Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park in Nagano from either Osaka or Kyoto. And I wonder which night bus would be better to take.
I will be in Japan during January 4-8, 2016, flying in and out from Kansai Airport. However, I will have appointment in Kyoto during January 6-8. So, it only leaves me 2 days to make a trip to see the cute monkeys.
Therefore, I came up with a plan to take a night bus from either Osaka or Kyoto.
Jan4: Arrive Kansai Airport and travel around Osaka/Kyoto (I have no plan yet) and take night bus to Nagano.
Jan5: Arrive Nagano station in the morning and take local transportation to Jigokudani Monkey Park. Then, take night bus from Nagano station to Kyoto.
Jan6: Arrive Kyoto in the morning
As far as I can research, there is 2 night buses that going from Kansai to Nagano.
1) Alpico Group, running from Osaka/Kyoto to Nagano.
https://www.alpico.co.jp/access/express/nagano_osaka/I have no problem to reserve a seat with Aplico. But I found that another bus might go as far as to Yudanaka station.
2) Nagaden Express Bus
http://www.nagadenbus.co.jp/highway_ex/osaka_new.htmlI used Google translation to read the above link of Nagaden Express Bus, and I'm not quite sure if I can take a direct night bus between Osaka/Kyoto to Yudanaka station without transfer? If so, Nagaden Express would be a better option for me since I can just reach my destination directly in the next morning.
After visiting the monkey, I plan to go to Onsen in Nagano before I take a night bus to go to Kyoto.
Please do not hesitate to give suggestion and any other recommendation for the trip. All your comment would be helpful to me. Thanks in advance!
-Som