JAPN Snow Monkeys Guide: Bathing Macaques in Nagano Hot Springs
Snow Monkeys Guide: Bathing Macaques in Nagano Hot Springs
Jigokudani Monkey Park
The snow monkeys (nihonzaru, Japanese macaques) of Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture gained international fame for bathing in a natural hot spring surrounded by snow-covered rocks and steaming water, the only wild primates known to bathe in hot springs. The park is home to roughly 160 macaques who descend from the surrounding mountains daily to soak in the onsen, groom each other, and display the same blissful expression that human onsen bathers achieve. The monkeys are most reliably present in winter from December through March when the surrounding landscape is snow-covered.
Access requires a 30-minute walk from the parking area along a forest path that can be icy in winter. The trail is flat but sturdy waterproof footwear is essential. The monkeys are wild and habituated to human presence but should not be touched, fed, or stared at directly (sustained eye contact is perceived as aggression). Photography is permitted and the combination of red-faced monkeys, steaming water, and falling snow creates one of Japan’s most iconic wildlife images.
Getting There
From Nagano Station (reachable from Tokyo by Shinkansen in 80 minutes), a bus to Kanbayashi Onsen takes 40 minutes, followed by the 30-minute forest walk to the park. Entrance costs 800 yen. Shibu Onsen, the nearest hot spring town, provides ryokan accommodation where you can bathe in the same thermal waters as the monkeys (in separate, human-only facilities). The monkeys typically arrive by 9 AM and leave by 4 PM in winter.
Getting There and What to Expect
The Japanese macaques at Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano Prefecture bathe in a natural hot spring surrounded by snow-covered mountains, creating one of Japan’s most iconic wildlife scenes. The monkeys are wild and unconfined, visiting the spring by choice, primarily during cold weather from December through March when the contrast of steaming water and snowy landscape is most dramatic. Access requires a 30-minute walk along a forest trail from the parking lot or bus stop, with the trail sometimes icy in winter. Admission costs 800 yen. The monkeys are accustomed to humans and come within arm’s reach, but touching, feeding, and making direct eye contact are prohibited. The best photography opportunities occur on snowy mornings when more monkeys gather in the pool. Yudanaka Onsen, the nearest town, offers ryokan stays with hot spring bathing at 8,000 to 25,000 yen per person. The park is accessible from Nagano Station (40 minutes by train to Yudanaka, then 15 minutes by bus) or as a day trip from Tokyo via Hokuriku Shinkansen.
Planning Your Visit
Jigokudani Monkey Park is located in the Yokoyu River valley near Yamanouchi town in Nagano Prefecture. From Tokyo, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Nagano Station (80 minutes), then the Nagano Dentetsu railway to Yudanaka Station (45 minutes), and finally a local bus or 30-minute walk to the park entrance. From the entrance, a flat forest trail of approximately 1.6 kilometers (25 to 35 minutes on foot, longer in deep snow) leads to the outdoor hot spring pool where the monkeys bathe.
The park is open year-round, but the iconic images of snow-covered macaques soaking in steaming water occur from December through March, when heavy snowfall blankets the valley and cold temperatures drive the monkeys into the 40-degree-Celsius natural hot spring. Summer visits offer close encounters with the monkeys in a lush forest setting, including mothers carrying babies and juveniles playing on the paths. Admission is 800 yen. The monkeys are wild and unfenced, and visitors walk among them on maintained paths. Do not feed, touch, or make direct eye contact with the monkeys, and keep food hidden as the macaques will investigate bags that appear to contain snacks.
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