Hi, I think it would be nice to travel from Tokyo to Nagano by car. Gives a bit more flexibility for seeing the Snow Monkeys, Matsumoto and for staying at Zenkoji. My worry is parking midday for our meet for Zenkoji, dont want to be panicking and trying to find parking. I have heard it can get busy after 9.30. (please do not say get there before 9.30) Is there good parking at Nagano...and at Matsumoto and Snow Monkeys. thanks
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We parked our car in parking #1 above last year. It was in the afternoon. There wasn't a queue.
I wouldn't hire a car from Tokyo unless we had somewhere to visit in between. I don't think it's difficult to drive in Nagano Prefecture. It depends on the season, though. Do you plan winter drive?
I drove to the snow monkey park around 3pm-ish and that was 2winters ago (mid-Jan). By the time I came around, the parking lots near the entrance area looked almost full. So I had to park mine a skosh away from there. (Parking lots are well-signposted, so no problem as long as you find empty parking bays in them.)
Btw, at around that time of the year, Nagano had far less snow than was usually the case, so what I saw were more of *snow-less* monkeys. Yes, lots of cute babies scuttled around by the rocky bath tub, with a few adult ones soaking to their necks in the onsen waters. Monkey-watch here is a fun experience to visitors.
ps,
I'm not averse to driving from Tokyo, but you may like to rethink and get your rental car from either Nagano or Matsumoto, depending on cost (and time) difference: train vs car.
Yes, there is parking in Matsumoto. Look for Nakamachi street. There are several lots along that street. Note that the streets are NARROW and all one-way in the middle of Matsumoto. Drive carefully.
When are you going? I wouldn't recommend driving from Tokyo if there's a chance of snow. They will shut down the expressways in no time flat. And driving IN Tokyo is a zoo until you get out of the city.
If you are planning to do the "loop" (from Tokyo to Matsumoto to Nagano and back to Tokyo):
Take Chuo and Nagano Expressways to Matsumoto, then take Nagano and Joshinetsu Expressways to Nagano.
Take Joshientsu and Kanetsu Expressways back to Tokyo (Nerima). Don't know where you're going from there, but it can be tricky. Follow you car navi.
Taking the Chuo back to Tokyo is easier as it connects with the Shuto (Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway).
