The Jigokudani Monkey Park is a section of the Shigakogen, or Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, in Nagano Prefecture. It is nestled in a valley by the Yokoyu-River, a remote area that is tranquil and uncrowded most times of the year, and is known for its many wild snow monkeys, or Japanese macaques.

What to See

The highlight of visiting the Jigokudani Monkey Park is the opportunity to see wild snow monkeys enjoying themselves in a natural onsen.

From the park’s entrance, visitors take the footpath that leads to the monkey’s habitat. Along the way, they may come up close and personal with some of the monkeys, which can be very social and are ready to interact with the humans. However, be warned that touching or feeding the monkeys is not allowed.

In addition to the natural steaming hot spring, the park also has a man-made pool where many of the snow monkeys also gather.

Because the park is covered with snow during winter, visiting this attraction is best done during the months of January and February, when snow is thick and the scenery of bathing monkeys surrounded by white is at its most photogenic.

How to Get There

From Nagano Station, get on the Nagaden Line (or Nagano Electric Railway) and get off at Yudanaka Station. The ride takes about an hour and costs around 1,300 yen. Then, take a bus going to Kanbayashi Onsen (travel time is about 15 minutes and a one-way tickets costs 310 yen) or Shibu Onsen (travel time is about 10 minutes and a ticket costs 190 yen) and get off at either the Kanbayashi Onsen stop or the Snow Monkey Park stop. From there, walk about 10 to 15 minutes to the park entrance.

There is also a direct bus from Nagano Station to the Snow Monkey Park stop. It can be found at Nagano Station’s East Exit, at bus stop number 3. The journey takes about 40 minutes and a ticket costs 1,400 yen.

Hours and Fees

The Jihokudani Monkey Park is open all year round. From April to October, its operating hours are from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm, and from November to March, it opens at 9:00 am and closes at 4:00 pm.

An admission ticket to the park costs 500 yen.

Official Site

For more information on the Jigokudani Monkey Park, here is the link to its official website in English: Jigokudani Monkey Park Official Website (English).