It is an easy day trip to the most popular off-snow attraction here, the Jigokudani Monkey Park, a 30-minute drive away. This park is the only place in the world to view these kinds of monkeys who live in the snow and love soaking in the hot natural pools.
Enjoy the water as much as the monkeys at Shibu Onsen, a historic town with narrow streets and numerous onsens adjacent to the monkey park.
Okushiga is the place to book a horse-drawn carriage ride through the surrounding forests and fields. Carriages can accommodate both couples and groups, and rides are scheduled 9 am to 5 pm. Don some snow shoes and tour the area around the Okushiga Kogen Hotel, or hire a sled.