Snow Monkeys in Jigokudani, Nagano
Look at them sitting in the hot spring on cold winter’s day. You know what they say, it’s true that when your bum is covered, you’re all good to go. On a different note, if I ever visit Japan, this is one of those place I want to visit – Jigokudani Monkey Park, Nagano. The monkey park is situated in Yamanouchi, Shimotakai District, Nagano Prefecture. It is part of the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, and is located in the valley of the Yokoyu-River, in the northern part of the prefecture. The name Jigokudani, meaning “Hell’s Valley”, is due to the steam and boiling water that bubbles out of small crevices in the frozen ground, surrounded by steep cliffs and formidably cold and hostile forests.
The heavy snowfalls (snow covers the ground for 4 months a year), an elevation of 850 meters, and being only accessible via a narrow two kilometer footpath through the forest, keep it uncrowded despite being relatively well-known.
It is famous for its large population of wild Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata), more commonly referred to as Snow Monkeys, that go to the valley during the winter, foraging elsewhere in the national park during the warmer months. The monkeys descend from the steep cliffs and forest to sit in the warm waters of the onsen (hotsprings), and return to the security of the forests in the evenings.
- 
December 7th, 2007 at 10:49 pm
I went here about a year ago. In addition to the ‘monkey only’ onsen, at the entrance is an onsen with an indoor and outdoor bath for human usage. There was 1 lone monkey chillin in it when I popped in. If you want to go, there is a bus from Nagano station that takes you near the park, then a 15 minute or so walk.