I’ve always been an animal lover. Whenever I travel, I always research what kind of wildlife is prevalent in the area and if there are any (safe and ethical) ways to experience them. You don’t need to love animals to understand the allure of the Japanese Snow Monkey, or the Japanese Macaque. The image of the monkeys sitting inside a Japanese onsen is something we are probably all familiar with – an image that captured the attention of the world. It’s kind of a funny story how it all started, so continue reading on to find out how the monkeys at Jigokudani Monkey Park became so famous and how you can see them for yourself.

What’s the story behind the Japanese snow monkeys?

Not all monkeys get to sit in the luxury of a hot spring believe it or not. This particular troop of monkeys is special because they are the only monkeys in the world that get to enjoy this privilege.

In the 1950’s, the monkey’s habitat was being encroached upon by human development. The construction of ski resorts and deforestation forced the monkeys to venture lower into the valley and closer to human contact. As the monkeys appeared more frequently in villages, they were seen as a nuisance, as they often raided farmers’ crops. The farmers understandably didn’t like this, and unfortunately, took to hunting down and killing the monkeys.

A man named Sogo Hara, an avid hiker who had seen the monkeys on his travels through Jigokudani, decided to take action and advocated for the monkeys. At the time, a small inn called Korakukan took notice of Sogo Hara’s efforts and decided to help the cause. They agreed they needed to entice the monkeys away from the local farmlands and began to leave out apples for the monkeys to eat.

It’s not exactly clear what happens next, but the story goes one of two ways. Since the monkeys began hanging around the onsen Korakukan, they saw humans enjoying the warmth of the hot springs and decided to try it too. The other story is that while a monkey was reaching for an apple, it fell into the hot spring and seemed to like it. Well monkey see as monkey do and it wasn’t long before more and more monkeys were enjoying the therapeutic benefits of the hot springs.

As you can imagine, the monkeys bathing in the human onsens was unhygienic, prompting the need for a solution. Sogo Hara advocated for a protected park area for the monkeys and thanks to his efforts, Jigokudani Monkey Park was born. The monkey’s very own hot spring was created for their enjoyment purposes and the park has been welcoming visitors ever since 1964.

It wasn’t until the early 1970’s that Jigokudani Monkey Park got international fame, as it was photographed and featured in LIFE Magazine. Since then it’s been featured in almost every major travel, wildlife and nature publication, including National Geographic, Condé Nast Traveler, Lonely Planet, the BBC and more.

How to get to Jigokudani Monkey Park

Rental car

There are lots of factors to consider when renting a car in Japan. Firstly, they drive on the left side of the road in Japan, so depending on where you’re coming from, you may not have experience with that and it could be stressful. Secondly, if you plan on visiting during the best time to see the snow monkeys, during the winter months, the roads can be icy and dangerous. You will be driving through mountain ranges and oftentimes on narrow and winding roads. If you do not have experience with winter driving, then I would not recommend it.

That being said, the main advantage of renting a car is flexibility, allowing you to turn the journey to Jigokudani Monkey Park into an exciting road trip!

In order to rent a car in Japan, you need to have an International Drivers License. This process is determined by your country of residence. For Canadians, the information for obtaining an International Drivers License can be found on the Canadian Government website.

While I haven’t personally rented a car in Japan, I have looked into it and was consistently recommended to rent a car from Toyota Rent-A-Car. They have locations all over the country which makes pick-up and drop-off locations easy and the best reviews.

Many highways in Japan are tolled and there’s a good chance you will be tolled on your way to Jigokudani Monkey Park. Most rental companies offer an ETC card (electronic toll pass). This toll pass will automatically calculate the tolls as you drive to your destination and the balance will be added to the car rental bill upon your return. The card makes the journey easier, as you don’t need to stop at toll booths to manually pay – everything happens automatically and electronically. There are toll calculators online that you can use so you can budget effectively for your trip.

Parking is also a very important factor to consider when renting a car in Japan. It’s notoriously difficult to find parking and typically very expensive. Jigokudani Monkey Park conveniently offers free parking at Kanbayashi Onsen. However, it’s important to confirm that you can get parking with your hotel if you are planning on staying the night.

One last small but important detail to note is how to use gas stations in Japan. Many are full-service, meaning an attendant fills the gas tank for you. The likelihood of them being able to speak English is low, so be prepared with the Google Translate app in hand.

You cannot use your IC card to pay for your fare on the Nagano-Dentetsu Line. You will need to make sure you have cash on hand. It is ¥1,190 (Local) + ¥100 Express Surcharge for Limited Express trains. Snow Monkey Resorts has an excellent post which details more information on the Nagano-Dentetsu Line to Yudanaka station, including the departures timetable.

Once arriving at Yudanaka Station, most onsens or inns in the area will offer to pick you up from the train station and drive you to the hotel. Be sure to arrange your arrival time with your hotel in advance.

The total cost of taking the train can vary depending on the type of train you book (how fast it is) and the seat type that you choose. A rough estimate of the trip from Tokyo is ¥8,000–¥9,500 one way, per person.

Tour

Normally I would love to take a tour and have someone else organize the logistics. However, in this case, I would highly recommend taking the train on your own and staying in one of the onsen towns for a couple of nights. The tours that are available are mostly 1-day tours, which I don’t think is enough time to see and experience the monkey park.

However, if you’re super short on time and want to make it work, then there are many tours that you can choose from on either Get Your Guide or Viator.

What to Expect at Jigokudani Monkey Park

Monkey Sightings

I originally wanted to get there as soon as the sun came up to avoid the tourist crowds, but I quickly learned getting there early wouldn’t matter that much, as the monkeys were known to only arrive later in the afternoon during that time of year. They would spend their mornings foraging higher in the mountains and then come down to relax later during the day.

It’s important to note that the monkeys are completely wild and are not enclosed in any way. They come down on their own will, and sightings are not guaranteed. You’re most likely to spot them in the winter months, when they’re drawn to the hot springs to bathe and keep warm. Even though the weather cools down in the autumn, sightings are sporadic as they are spending their time foraging in the mountains before the winter snow comes.

There are several resources that can help you increase your odds of seeing the Japanese Snow Monkeys. There is a monkey sighting prediction guide that is based on recorded sightings. While not guaranteed, by arriving when the guide advises, you will increase your chances of seeing them. Secondly, there’s a live webcam that records the park area and hot springs so you can check this out in advance to see if the monkeys have come down.

Getting to the Japanese Snow Monkeys

If you’re staying in one of the nearby onsen towns, most onsens and inns will offer transportation to the trailhead of Jigokudani Monkey Park in the morning.

The hotel shuttle dropped us off by the Snow Monkey Resorts Info & Gift Shop, at the base of the trail. From there, it’s about a 25 minute walk uphill (low to medium incline) to where the monkey’s onsens are. I would imagine if you were here during the winter months the path would be slippery, so proper footwear would be key.

The walk up to the Japanese Snow Monkeys is quite peaceful. The dense evergreen forest has a mix of Japanese red pines, fir, spruce and cedar trees, which provide a light fragrance.

Eventually you will come to Korakukan Onsen and the Jigokudani Hot Spring Geyser. At first glance I thought that the onsen was abandoned. It did not look like it was in any condition to be housing guests, so I wouldn’t recommend staying there. Curiously, I did see someone’s face poking through a window from the inside, which made me realize the hotel was in fact, not abandoned.

Right next to Korakukan Onsen, you will also see Jigokudani Hot Spring Geyser which is constantly spewing out hot steam and a strong sulfuric smell, giving meaning to the nickname the area has been given “Hell Valley”.

After snapping a few photos, we were excited to get to the actual monkey onsen area, so we made our way to the entry gate. The attendant there spoke English and warned us that the monkeys hadn’t come down to visit in a few days, and there would be no refunds if there were no monkey sightings. I had previously made an offering at a nearby shrine wishing to see monkeys that day, so I hoped luck was on my side. I paid my entrance fee and went in.

Directly inside the monkey park there is a very small info centre and gift shop that has educational material on the Japanese Macaques, hot tea and clean bathrooms. A short walk down a path brings you to the actual monkey onsen area. Unfortunately, at the time of our arrival, there were no monkeys to be found. We decided to stay for a few hours, hoping they would come down. To our luck, a couple of males did in fact slowly start making their way towards us and the onsen.

The crowd at this point started to gather and it was quite shameful to see many tourists crowding the monkeys and not giving them a respectful amount of space. It was my dream to get the shot of the monkeys in the onsen but the crowds were so thick, I was worried it would be impossible to get in to get the shot.

The monkeys just walked around the area and picked at some food (seeds and such) on the floor. Just being able to watch their natural behaviour so close up was such an incredible and thrilling experience. The intelligence that these creatures possess is just so obvious from the way that they look at you with their human-like eyes. You can almost feel the depth and emotion when you make eye contact. A feeling I’m not likely to ever forget.

After the monkeys left, the show was over and while at first annoyed with the other tourists, I couldn’t help but feel we were all bonded that day by a shared experience. Visitors had come from every corner of the world, yet we all wore the same look of awe. For many, it was a bucket list, once-in-a-lifetime moment, and we all experienced it together.

Rules of Jigokudani Monkey Park

• It is strictly forbidden to feed the monkeys. There are staff members on site who are there to ensure the rules are enforced.
• You are not allowed to touch the monkeys. For obvious reasons.
• Do not stare at the monkeys. Staring at them can be seen as hostile behaviour.
• Keep a respectful distance from the monkeys. If they walk towards you, get out of their way.
• Pets are not allowed inside the monkey park.
• Selfie sticks and drones are not allowed.