The Snow Monkeys of Nagano

The park was founded in 1964 by Sogo Hara, a local man who wanted to keep the monkeys out of harms way, after farmers were given permission to kill any that were found to be compromising their work and produce in the nearby farming community. Sogo cleared a small area in the middle of a forest where he left piles of food, in an attempt to keep the monkeys from straying into the local towns and on to private farms. He’d leave apples close to a natural hot-spring bath throughout the year, until eventually the monkeys learned to stick around, and avoid the farms they had been invading. At one point the monkeys discovered the hot-spring too, and realized that bathing inside it was a great way to keep warm during the winter months, and so this unique phenomenon was born. The monkeys have made the area a part of their home ever since, and are thought to be the only troop of monkeys in the world that bathe in hot-spring waters to keep themselves warm.

These days visitors are invited to see this fascinating spectacle for themselves throughout the year, although it is most popular during the winter months when the temperatures drop and the whole area is transformed into somewhat of a winter wonderland, blanketed in snow. This place isn’t a zoo, and the monkeys are free to come and go as they please, meaning the chances of seeing them bathing in the summer are considerably lower as they have less interest in the hot-spring bath during the warmer months.
The monkeys are accustomed to being within close proximity to humans as they have attracted attention from curious visitors, photographers and wildlife fanatics for years. This means one can sit and watch them interact within their social groups from relatively close distances, they almost completely ignore the humans that are around. However, it is prohibited to touch, feed or attempt to interact with the monkeys and anybody caught doing any of the above will be forced to leave the park immediately by one of the park rangers.

With that being said, here is our step-by-step guide to visiting and making the most of the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. And hopefully getting a chance to witness the snow monkeys relaxing in the hot-spring bath for yourself!

The Snow Monkeys at Jigokudani in Nagano

The Snow Monkeys at Jigokudani in Nagano

There are two approaches to the Monkey Park. One requires a thirty-minute walk along a hiking path through a forested area, while the other requires a fifteen-minute walk from a parking lot in the town of Shibu Onsen.

The first approach is the more common way to access the park as it is where local buses, taxis and shuttle buses stop to drop off visitors – this route requires you walk along a fairly long path that can become slippery in winter, so sensible shoes with good grips are a must.

The second approach is only really useful if you are staying in the town of Shibu Onsen, as the parking lot is limited in size, it is not serviced by public transport and the road to the Monkey Park itself is closed when there is a lot of snow on the ground.

To access the first and more commonly used route, you have several options:

1. The easiest route via public transport is to take the Snow Monkey Park bus from Nagano Station, operated by Nagaden Bus. There is approximately one bus an hour during the day, leaving from stop number 23 on the east side of the station. For exact bus times, it is best to search online as the timetables are seasonal ( with many more buses during winter season). This bus will drop you at the parking lot at the beginning of approach one mentioned above, from where you walk roughly thirty minutes to the Snow Monkey Park.

2. Taking a train from Nagano Station to Yudanaka Station (there are direct “Snow Monkey” trains, or you can switch local trains at Shinshu Nakano Station). This is followed by a bus for either; Kanbayashi Onsen (alight at Kanbayashi Onsen and follow signs to the park, around 30-40 minutes by foot) or Snow Monkey Park (alight at Snow Monkey Park and follow signs to the park, around 30 minutes by foot).

3. Taking a train from Nagano Station to Yudanaka Station (there are direct “Snow Monkey” trains, or you can switch local trains at Shinshu Nakano Station). Followed by a taxi to the Snow Monkety Park. There are often several taxis waiting outside Yudanaka Station, a ride to the park will cost you somewhere around 2000 yen.

Getting to Nagano Station itself is fairly straight forward. It is connected to Tokyo by Shinkansen Bullet Train on the JR Hokuriku Line. The one-way trip takes around 90 minutes, costs about 8000 yen and is covered by the JR Rail Pass.
Alternatively, there are buses from Shinjuku Bus Terminal in Tokyo, the one-way trip takes roughly 3.5 hours and costs between 2000 and 4000 yen depending which company you use.

The Shinkansen gate at Nagano Station, is just minutes from the east exit where you can find buses as well as local and express train lines that run to the Snow Monkey Park

The Nagaden Snow Monkey bus will take you directly to the park

The Nagaden Snow Monkey train will take you to the nearest station to the park in the town of Yudanaka, from where you can either take a bus or taxi

Arriving by bus or taxi will bring you to the main drop-off parking lot, which is located approximately 2 km from the Snow Monkey Park. The dedicated Snow Monkey Park bus provided by Nagaden stops only here so there is no need to worry about missing your stop. Other bus services will announce when they are arriving at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, but if you are anxious about getting off at the right place you can ask the driver when you get on the bus to tell when you arrive at the Snow Monkey Park.
Once you get off your bus/taxi, you simply follow the signposts to the Snow Monkey Park, along a path that winds through a scenic forest, there is a set of stone steps at the end. This path can become slippery in the snow so, as mentioned above, sensible footwear is recommended. Unfortunately, there is no wheelchair access.

Once you reach the top of the stairs you will find a small ticket office which also has an indoor information center, where you can rest and read up on the history of the park and also learn about the fascinating alpha-male hierarchy system within the troop. Beyond the ticket office is a path that leads down to the hot-spring area, and of course the monkeys!

The parking lot close to where the buses drop you off connects to the path that leads up the mountain to the Snow Monkey Park

Signposts along the way will guide you to the entrance of the park

There is a small information point and gift shop at the entrance to the road that leads to the Snow Monkey Park, where you can pick up information and souvenirs related to the park

Observing the behavior of the monkeys and how the hierarchy within the troop works can be fascinating, and makes for some great photography!

The path that leads down to the hot-spring bath allows great views out across the valley, and often has a few monkeys strolling along it, so be sure to have your camera ready from when you first step foot inside!

Follow the path down, cross the small bridge at the end, and there you will find the famous hot-spring bath that the monkeys are often photographed in.
During the colder months any number of monkeys can be found all over the park, with the younger ones often playing in the snow, and the older ones relaxing in or around the hot-spring bath. Having said that, these animals are not being kept in captivity, they are free to come and go as they please, and on occasion they aren’t anywhere to be seen. You cannot demand your money back in such circumstances, so please don’t even try. If you do find yourself in this predicament we recommend hanging around for bit, as they often come and go throughout the day.

The chances are you will see some monkeys during any visit to the park, but the best time to visit is, without a doubt, in the winter in the morning as the monkeys tend to bath themselves at the start of the day, especially when it’s cold. Good luck with the monkey spotting!

Snow monkeys gather round to keep warm in the natural hot-spring bath

A young monkey and its mother sit by the side of the hot-spring contemplating a dip

The closest town to the Snow Monkey Park, situated roughly 2 km away, is Shibu Onsen – a small town filled with Ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) and Onsen (natural hot-spring bathhouses). The town has a distinctively old-school vibe to it, with an atmosphere of Japan from an era long in the past. Narrow streets wind in and out of one another, lined on both sides with public bathhouses and a selection of places to eat and stay. If you have the time to stay a night or two during your trip to this area, we highly recommend this lovely little corner of old Japan. Options are limited though so booking in advance is essential – you won’t be able to just turn up and find a place to stay. An online search for Shibu Onsen Accomodation should yield a number of results and options for potential places to stay.
Shibu Onsen doesn’t have a train service, but local buses run to and from the closest station in Yudanaka, which is about ten minutes away.

Shibu Onsen has a host of Ryokan accommodations ranging in price and quality, they all carry an air of traditional Japan though

The streets are also littered with public bathhouses

The main strip in the town of Shibu Onsen