A new photo feature, The Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani, has been put online. If you like monkeys, you'll just have to check out some of the 60+ photos in this one!

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/snow-monkeys-of-jigokudani.html

Jigokudani have also kindly provided us with 10 pairs of entrance tickets to the monkey park to give to SnowJapan readers. If you are interested in going and want to enter, check out our Giveaways page:
http://www.snowjapan.com/e/insider/special.php

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"Jigokudani Yaenkoen. You might not have heard that name but you have probably heard about a place in Nagano where you can see "snow monkeys" (Japanese Macaque) taking an onsen. I had often heard about Jidokudani and even driven past the entrance on the way up to Shiga Kogen more than a few times, but until recently I had never actually stopped to check it out. (I suppose I was always in too much of a rush to get to the snow at Shiga Kogen). I now wish I had found out about it earlier...."

http://www.snowjapan.com/e/features/snow-monkeys-of-jigokudani.html







Discuss it here...

Fantastic! Kawai. I have been there 3 times now and could stay all day. They are adorable.

Look at this one!

Those monkey's are the best! It looks very beautiful in Summer also. What is that building nearby? When I looked in the windows it seemed empty but round the side there were a couple of thousand empty beer cans! Would be great to stay there if possible. Great pictures!

Great photos there!!

It looks like you can get REALLY close to them!

This one REALLY DOES look like my landlord



Sweet pics.

The snow monkeys are fantastic. A definate must for anyone travelling in the area.

Sounds like a good plan. I've never seen them cos whenever I go Nagano in the winter I just go skiing. Never really thought about about going in the summer - always associated them with winter & snow and stuff.

Cooking in the onsen is fine, but it must get pretty uncomfortable when they get out and that wet fur cools.

Great set of photos there, cheers.

Wonderful. We really want to go there and see those monkeys.

I wonder if they like cheese.

I am so glad to have found out about this place. It looks amazing. Shiga Kogen has suddenly become a must visit!

I met an old man there and he told me he visits once a year with his wife and he watches the weather to choose the best day. Apparently it is best to see them when it is snowing heavily because most of the monkeys get in the water then.

Great photos

They are so cute, I have to go there.

BTW, I have seen photos of that place before but this is a really great collection.

I went in spring as well. Great place. Love the little ones playing around. Are there no "No Swimming in the Onsen" rules in Monkeyland then?

Monkeys are cool.

Have any of those monkeys ever attacked anyone? I know the really wild ones near Nikko are vicious bastards.

They are really docile, I think you would REALLY have to provoke them to get a response.

Those monkeys at Jigokudani are totally cool.

He looks like my Uncle Bill as well.
Bill is hairier though.

I went there back in February for the first time. I had a trauma about monkeys coz one attacked me to steal my caramels in my hand when I was 5 years old in Takasakiyama Beppu. I love animals but monkeys are exception because of the experience.
Probably monkeys are just new to some of you, but I do advice you to pay attention on kids if you take any with you there. Usually animals don't attack anything stronger than themselves but kids of human beings could be their targets.
They describe some warnings in signboards there but no English sighboards for it.

# Don't keep looking at their eyes, they may attack you if you do that.
# Don't touch monkeys, don't talk to them.
# Don't give any food to monkeys.

Something like that. Do remember, they are anyway wild monkeys, not the ones in a zoo.