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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-1<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-588a534.jpg\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-2<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-95ae075.jpg\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-3<\/p>\n
Japan knows how to surprise even those who seem to have already seen everything. Here, ancient temples are adjacent to ultramodern cities, and among the snow-capped mountains you can find wild monkeys relaxing in hot springs. It is for this unusual sight that thousands of travelers come to the Jigokudani Monkey Park every year.When I first saw photos of snow macaques sitting in clouds of steam in the middle of a winter forest, I thought it was a good shot or a rare coincidence. But it turned out that such a picture is a common thing here. This is one of those places that has practically no analogues in the world.<\/p>\n
The park is located in Nagano Prefecture, near the small town of Yamanouchi. The famous thermal resorts of Shibu Onsen and Yudanaka are very close, and the nearest major city is Nagano.<\/p>\n
The name Jigokudani translates as “Hell Valley”. It appeared due to the hot springs, from which steam constantly rises, the harsh mountainous landscape and the cold snowy winters. Despite such a formidable name, the place does not look gloomy at all. On the contrary, in winter it resembles a beautiful postcard.<\/p>\n
Snow lies here for more than four months of the year, and the cliffs surrounding the valley rise to a height of over 760 meters.<\/p>\n
The main owners of these places are Japanese macaques, which are also called snow monkeys. They are the northernmost primates in the world, except for humans.<\/p>\n
Animals live in the surrounding forests and move freely around the territory. They don’t live in cages or aviaries \u2014 the park is right in their natural habitat.<\/p>\n
The most interesting part starts in winter. When the temperature drops significantly below zero, macaques descend from the forest to the hot mineral springs to keep warm. It’s incredibly interesting to watch them at this moment: someone is sitting quietly in the water with their eyes closed, someone is cleaning the fur of a neighbor, and young monkeys are constantly playing with each other.<\/p>\n
This tradition appeared back in the early 1960s.<\/p>\n
One day, several macaques decided to try the water in the natural hot springs. They obviously liked it, and gradually the other animals adopted this behavior.<\/p>\n
These winter, snow monkeys regularly come to the springs. Some of them are heated to more than 50 \u00b0 C, so even in severe frosts, the water remains comfortable.<\/p>\n
Of course, the hot tubs themselves are primarily intended for animals. Tourists are not allowed to swim here, but you can safely watch the monkeys from the equipped paths.<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-3963b93.jpg\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-4<\/p>\n
Although the park is open throughout the year, the most beautiful photos are taken in winter.<\/p>\n
White snow, clouds of steam and relaxed macaques in hot water create the very atmosphere for which travelers from all over the world come here.<\/p>\n
There is another little secret. Monkeys are usually fed in the morning, after which many of them go to rest in hot springs. Therefore, it is better to arrive before the middle of the day \u2014 then there is a higher chance to see both feeding and the famous bathing of snow macaques.<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-0c094bd.jpg\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-5<\/p>\n
The most convenient way to get to the park is through the city of Nagano.<\/p>\n
From here, you can take an express bus that goes directly to the entrance to the park. The fare is about 1400 yen.<\/p>\n
There is another option. First, take a local train to Yudanaka Station, and then take a bus or taxi to the entrance to the park.<\/p>\n
After that, there’s still a short walk ahead. From the entrance to the hot springs is about 1.6 kilometers along a forest trail. The road is not difficult, but it can be quite slippery in winter.<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-2de2309.jpg\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-6<\/p>\n
If you are planning a trip in winter, be sure to wear warm clothes and comfortable waterproof shoes.<\/p>\n
If you don’t have the right equipment, don’t worry. Winter boots and warm jackets can be rented at the information center, which is especially convenient for tourists who come without special clothes.<\/p>\n
It is better to keep your distance while walking. Despite the fact that macaques have long been accustomed to humans, they are still wild animals. They should not be fed, petted, or tried to attract attention for the sake of photography.<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-e43bcbf.jpg\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-7<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-803493e.jpg\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-8<\/p>\n
I would recommend arriving early, especially in winter. There are noticeably fewer visitors in the morning, and the monkeys behave more calmly and naturally.<\/p>\n
Don’t forget to charge your camera or phone. It’s really hard to resist taking a few dozen pictures here. But sometimes it’s worth just putting the camera away and watching the animals for a few minutes. Watching them calmly bask in hot water against the backdrop of a snow-covered forest is no less interesting than photographing.<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-256ef00.jpg\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-9<\/p>\n
![\"Jigokudani](\"\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/jigokudani-monkey-park-where-it-is-located-snow-monkeys-how-to-get-there-and-what-to-see-9924b06.png\")
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Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-10<\/p>\n
For me, Jigokudani Park turned out to be one of the most unusual places in Japan. There are no grandiose architectural monuments or bright attractions here. All attention is focused on nature and its amazing ability to adapt to harsh conditions.<\/p>\n
If you are traveling in Nagano Prefecture, be sure to include this place in your itinerary. To see snow macaques leisurely relaxing in hot springs in the middle of a winter forest is an impression that is difficult to compare with anything else. These are the moments that make a trip to Japan especially memorable.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-1 Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-2 Jigokudani Monkey Park.Photo.-3 Jigokudani Monkey Park Japan knows how to surprise even those who seem to have already seen everything. Here, ancient temples are adjacent to ultramodern cities, and among the snow-capped mountains you can find wild monkeys relaxing in hot springs. It is for this unusual sight that […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1268,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1267"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1267"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1267\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cardiozone.ru\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}