My partner and I have just arrived back in Tokyo after spending a wonderful day with Zeno in and around Shibu Onsen. Zeno was so very accommodating and managed to fit us in for a one day tour with only a couple of days notice- I'm so very grateful to him for juggling his schedule to fit us in. After picking us up at our hotem in Nagano this morning, we met another couple ot Shibu Onsen and went straight to the monley park, where we spent a fascinating couple of hours. It was such a special experience- not just to be able to see the monkey but to interact with them at such close quarters.
After the monkey park we stopped at a local sake brewery for a tasting before a fabulous traditional lunch of local soba. This was followed by a visit to an apple farm where I got to pick the first apple from a tree in my life- this was such a simple pleasure! We were also abe to make a very special visit to a bonsai nursery and then a stroll around Obuse.
Zeno, your tour was a very special experience because it enabled us to meet the locals and learn about the real life in Japan, away from the major cities. I would recommend it to everyone who comes to Japan- and I do hope that next time we're in the country we'll be able to take one of your longer tours- there's still so  much more to see!
All the best!
Lisa & Dale

Hi All,
If you have been lucky enough to make it to Zeno's site don't miss this opportunity to take advantage of Zeno's knowledge about Japan and particularly his local area... which includes THE best way to see the Snow Monkeys. I'm no David Attenborough but seeing the Snow Monkeys close up and in their natural habitat was definitely something I wouldn't have wanted to miss.
We were a party of 9, which included 5 children. We spent a one day with Zeno in January 2011 which was up there as one of the highlights of our trip to Japan. We were able to visit the third biggest  temple in Japan (and even stumble across a blessing from a monk), wonder through an authentic Japanese village, taste authentic street-side Japanese cuisine, watch buckwheat noodles being expertly made, enjoy lunch at a family restaurant, taste sake and of course see the monkeys. We did this as a day trip from Tokyo. Next time I would seriously consider extending the time to take advantage of other things Zeno can offer for a truly authentic experience of Japanese culture.
Zeno is a rare individual who can provide a very professional service, yet mix it with a friendly personality and conversation that makes for a relaxed day. I organised our trip from Australia and Zeno was very helpful and professional throughout, and extremely prompt in his return emails!!!!
We were lucky enough to snavel up Zeno's hot-off-the-press T Shirts, and will be wearing them with pride throughout our travels. I suggest you do the same!!

Go on, don't delay, do yourself and those you are travelling with a favour. Email Zeno. You wont be disappointed and you'll be thanking your lucky stars you found Zeno's website!!
Regards John, Canberra, Australia
 

Thanks Zeno for the one day trip in Nagano on 15 Oct 2010.
We had a fun experience picking fruits and touring around Obuse and Yudananka. The apples in Nagano were red and BIG. When in Obuse, we would recommend a chestnut snack known as 福栗焼き, which we waited for an hour, but was definitely worth the wait. (Their website: http://www.mirokuan-sanei.com/special.php?special_id=4) Yummy! We also went to a nearby temple sitting inside a forest, which we found it very tranquil and the spring water was very refreshing. The grape picking experience was fantastic. The owner of the grape farm, Ms Etsuko Kobayashi, treated us with great hospitality. We highly recommend the farm. Next, we went on to do our Kimono experience. It was our 1st time wearing a Kimono (yes, there's also one for the guy). It turned out to be good and we enjoyed it very much. The Yudanaka Snow Monkey Park didn't turn out as scenic, as there was no snow covering the onsen. But we managed to catch the Snow Monkey Boss. We ended our day in Shibu Onsen trying the onsen in town. There were 9 main onsen in the town; some are super hot, so beware! But the main highlight was the onsen in our Kokuya Ryokan. The outdoor onsen of the Ryokan were very nice. A must try! Overall, we enjoyed our trip with Zeno and we would like to thank him for the wonderful experience we had in Nagano. 
Cheers,
Ryo Lee (Singapore)
please see more in blog about trip to Snow Monkeys, Shibu Onsen and Obuse

We all really enjoyed our time in Japan and your 4Days tour was the undisputed highlight of the trip. You even managed to get our teenagers to enjoy themselves(which is a huge achievement) and kept them well fed. We loved seeing so many different and interesting sites in such a short space of time and did not feel rushed at all. After the rush and bustle of Kyoto and Tokyo it was a relief and very relaxing to take us around and explain what we were seeing in English.
The kids favourite was the Ninja Village and we all found the Bonsai garden museum amazing. The Wasabi farm was surprisingly interesting too and a worthwhile detour. The Snow Monkeys lived up to expectations and I think my daughter took at least 200 photos of them. Thanks for a fantastic memorable holiday, The Roberts Family, AUS
 

Thanks again for putting on such an incredible trip for us! We had a wonderful time, and will always remember how you showed us a totally different Japan from what the average tourist sees.
You are almost unique position to share your passion for this part of Japan that is still mostly “off the beaten track” to foreigners visiting Japan.
Thank you very very much for a wonderful time, we will long remember all these very special places.
All that in 5 days – truly incredible!
Neil & Annette, Australia

Hello everybody,
This summer we did a 2-nights-trip with Zeno. At the first day, we visited temples in Nagano, a Bonsai garden and the historical housing of two Japanese painters. In the evening we enjoyed the nice food in the Ryokan and the hot springs. At the second day, we visited the “Snow Monkeys Park” and hiked in the mountains. After this amazing day we relaxed again in the Ryokan. At the last Morning we did Sake tasting and saw the Olympic Stadium in Nagano.
I can really recommend this trip to everybody. Firstly, we spend a nice time in the Ryokan with the hot springs. Secondly, Zeno told us interesting stories about the Japanese culture. Thirdly, we had interesting trips to temples, the “Snow Monkeys Park” and the nature.
Florian, Germany