Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park is located in the valley of the Yokoyu River, which originates from Shiga Kogen in Joshinetsu Kogen National Park in northern Nagano Prefecture.
Located at an altitude of 850 meters, this area is surrounded by many ski resorts with high-quality snow, including Shiga Kogen Ski Resort, and this wild monkey park is no exception, with a harsh environment covered in deep snow in winter.The contrast between the deep snow, steep cliffs, and hot spring steam rising from all over the place made it look like a hellish valley, which is why people in ancient times called it “Hell Valley.”

Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park is currently home to approximately 200 wild monkeys, enduring the harsh winter and spending their days soaking in natural hot springs.Opened in 1964, this park is known as one of the few places in the world where wild monkeys can be seen “soaking” in hot springs. Monkeys do not normally like to go into water, but the group of monkeys living here have learned to bathe in hot springs to warm up and improve their physical condition as a way to survive the harsh winters here.

At the monkey park, not only do monkeys bathe in the hot springs, but the baby monkeys play just like human children, the parent monkeys scold the baby monkeys, they eat, and they huddle together to keep warm. You can see various adorable expressions and actions. At the same time, you can also observe how they survive in a harsh natural environment.
Unlike regular zoos, there are no cages or enclosures, and tour visitors can directly enter the monkey territory and observe the monkeys in the wild. Therefore, it is important that we respect the territory of wild monkeys.
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