Last November, I spent two weeks in Japan. My main goal was to visit a friend in Tokyo, but I added some other cities not too far from the capital. My first trip was during Spring, and this time, I wanted to experience the Japanese Autumn. So, I selected a few cities in the Japanese Alps to see the Autumn colours in the mountains. One of those cities was Nagano.
Why Nagano?
First, because it is beautiful.
But also because there is, in the mountains, a park with hot springs where wild monkeys come to bathe when it’s cold: the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park.
The monkeys live in the mountains, and it’s not guaranteed to see them in the park. If you want to be sure, you can ask the tourist office in Nagano or follow the park on Facebook, they regularly post updates on whether or not you can see the monkeys.
On the days before I went, the monkeys didn’t show up because there were still berries up in the mountains and they preferred to stay there. If you absolutely want to see them, go during Winter. It’s not a zoo, the employees of the park feed the monkeys when they are present, but there are no cages. You can’t pet the monkeys and you have to give them space.
A Majestic Park In The Mountains
If you are unlucky and don’t see the monkeys, I still think the walk in the forest and the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park itself are really nice.
When I arrived, there was a lot of fog and the atmosphere was otherworldly, silent and magical.
However, I wouldn’t want to be there by myself at night, it’s beautiful, but my imagination would think of all the monsters or ghosts hiding behind the trees. It was less impressive when I left at the end of the afternoon, without the fog.
Not A Zoo
The Autumn colours, the cascades, the hot springs, and the monkeys socializing and cleaning themselves are an great source of inspiration to take pictures, but remember to let the monkeys do their thing. Please note that most of my pictures are taken with a nice zoom, I didn’t come that close to the monkeys.
I also spent quite some time just looking at them. There were a few babies. And the alpha males were easy to spot: loud, when they arrived, everyone else would run away, and they would sit in the middle of the pool. When it came to food, it was adults first and the youngs had to grab what was left. It was very interesting.
The Best Time To Visit The Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
The park was a nice and relaxing experience, but it might be more crowded during Winter, I don’t know. I recommend visiting it, maybe just at the beginning of Winter, before the big holidays, and probably without young children who couldn’t help themselves to touch the monkeys. First, because we are guests in their home, second because they are wild animals and can become agressive if they feel threatened.
To see more photos of Japan, you can visit the gallery Japan.
