Japan Magical Winter Vanlife Road Trip – Snow Monkeys, Castles & Hidden Villages! #7

🗓️ *A magical winter road trip through the Japanese Alps – vanlife style! From snowy mountain roads to steamy hot springs, this solo journey takes you deep into the heart of Japan’s countryside. Join me as I chase sunsets, photograph castles, visit ancient villages, and meet Japan’s iconic snow monkeys! – March 4th to 7th, 2025* 🐒❄️🚐
In this episode, I hit the road in my van for a multi-day solo trip through Nagano and Gifu prefectures. I start with an early morning drive to see the famous snow monkeys bathing in natural hot springs – one of Japan’s most unforgettable winter scenes! Along the way, I stop to brew coffee with a view, capture the majestic Matsumoto Castle at dusk, and explore two off-the-beaten-path traditional villages. Then, I fly my drone over an epic Japanese castle surrounded by mountains before ending the journey in a third iconic village, lightly dusted with snow – a perfect setting for winter photography.

📹 *What you’ll see in this video:*
🐒 Snow monkeys relaxing in hot springs☕ Making coffee on the road🏯 Photographing Matsumoto Castle at sunset🏘️ Visiting two traditional Japanese villages🚁 Flying my drone over a stunning mountaintop castle🌨️ Final stop: a world-famous village in the snow
👉 A unique winter vanlife adventure through Japan’s most picturesque landscapes!

📌 Subscribe for more solo road trips, photography, and off-the-beaten-path vanlife across Japan! / @darllon.richard

*【Chapters】*
0:00 Introduction
2:13 Snow Monkeys
5:51 Coffee on the Road
8:47 Matsumoto Castle
10:35 Tsumago Village
14:26 Magome Village
17:40 Gujo Hachiman Castle
19:57 Shirakawa-Go Village

#WinterVanlifeJapan #JapanRoadTrip2025 #SnowMonkeysNagano #MatsumotoCastlePhotography #HiddenVillagesJapan #JapaneseAlpsAdventure #DroneFootageJapan #SoloTravelJapan