I genuinely think that Nagano is one of the best places to visit if you want to experience winter in Japan. One big reason for that is the Snow Monkey Park. Let me tell you, the views here are just otherworldly. In fact, Nagano just might be the most picturesque of the places in Japan I’ve visited thus far.
I strongly suggest you eat a nice nutritious meal before the hike so you’ll have all the energy you need to complete it and the Nagano-ken Choju-shokudo restaurant which is also in Nagano station is a good place to have this.
My Snow Monkey Park Hike: A Great Outdoor Adventure
Going to Nagano Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen) is relatively easy. I got a pass at the Nagano Station for about JPY4000. For children it’s JPY2000 and if you have kids under the age of 6 then they can actually ride for free. Once I got the pass, I then had to wait for the bus to pick me up at station 24.
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While waiting for the bus, I took these pics of its schedule. The first ride leaves Nagano station at 9:53AM and arrives at the Snow Monkey Park at around 10:52AM. In total there are around 5 trips with more or less an hour interval between each.
The bus is here! I was so excited at this time that I didn’t realize just how big and imposing this bus was. With that said, I really liked how the ride to the park was pretty comfortable and relaxing.
Just look at this view! I’ve no doubt a big reason for the comfortable and relaxing ride is this view of Nagano’s countryside. The prefecture really has some of the most beautiful views and vistas in arguably all of Japan.
And would you look at that! Thanks to the agreeable weather we managed to catch a glimpse of mount even though it was still winter. Talk about luck! Anyway, we were nearing the park at this point so I was more excited than normal.
The bus finally stopped! Unfortunately, I was still a ways off from the park itself. From this point, the park was a 45 minute walk away. Thankfully, I’ve been walking so much in my time here in Japan that I didn’t really mind walking the distance and for that long.
Here’s a sign showing you the route you’d need to follow to reach Snow Monkey Park. All in all it wasn’t that bad and as you’ll see later on, the walk was actually quite memorable.
If you thought the bus ride featured great views then you’re going to love this 40-45 minute walk to the park. Just don’t forget to have some nice meal like a great breakfast before you go hiking on this trail.
Yamanouchi Town has some seriously good Japanese architecture. This particular house was one of the first that I came across during my walk to the park and I loved how cozy and rustic it looked.
Here’s another traditional style house (or this could have been an inn, not sure) that I came across during my walk. Again, the houses here look like they’d be great places to stay in. This part of the walk I had to be careful of the melted snow not because it was slippery but I didn’t want my shoes to get wet.
Thankfully the road does get less wet and slippery once you get to this area. Moreover, you’ll start finding ryokan here. This one is called Yuyado Sekiya and when I checked it’s actually rated as a 3-star accommodation.
Based on this sign here, you’ll be about halfway to Snow Monkey Park by the time you reach Yuyado Sekiya (where this sign is located). If you’re looking to stay in the area then you might also want to check out this sign for other ryokan.
Another thing to remember is that the area has plenty of tourists (both local and foreign) especially in the winter season. As you can see here, I was hardly alone walking to Snow Monkey Park.
Here’s another popular onsen ryokan here in Yamanochi Town. Kanbayashi Hotel Senjukaku is actually a 4-star accommodation that features private onsen baths and is one of the closest to the park. I personally love the facade of this establishment and if there was a next time, I’d probably book a room here.
On the way to the park, you’ll sometimes come across these stalls that offer everything from crampons (for your shoes), toys, and even hot drinks and baked sweet potatoes! The crampons are quite handy especially if the trail is slippery.
Here’s a sign advertising Jigokudani Onsen Korakukan for day trippers. I actually think this is quite nice especially if you’re keen on bathing in the onsen but don’t want to stay overnight. That said, if you really want to experience and soak in the views of the park then an overnight stay (or two) here might actually be better.
I’ve finally reached one of the last legs in my journey to Jigokudani Yaen-Koen or Snow Monkey Park. As you can see, Jigokudani Onsen Korakukan as well as the park entrance is only 1.6 kilometers away. If you’re wondering why there are plenty of people here, it’s because they’re lining up at the stalls I was talking about earlier.
Here’s a map of the park showing the route to Kourakukan and the various animals you might encounter along the way. On the bottom right you’ll find admission fees for adults and children. Unlike with the bus though, children younger than 6 years old will need to pay for admission which thankfully is only JPY340.
I highly recommend going to the park early in the morning because you’ll then get to enjoy views like this! The sun’s rays cutting through the trees really made for a breathtaking sight. That said, you will need to be careful as the path here has a steep incline and might also be slippery depending on the weather conditions.
As you can see, the place is really popular with tourists (just like Zenkōji Temple in downtown Nagano City). One thing that surprised me though was that even with all these people, the park was still clean and looked like it was well maintained.
I was really grateful that the weather was great when I decided to come here. Thanks to that, I was able to see how magnificent these trees (Japanese cedar) looked up close. I’ve read people calling this place a winter wonderland and I couldn’t agree more.
Here’s a sign showing the distance from Korakukan as well as from the entrance where I just came through. What surprised me though was the sign under that. I just learned that the park is actually part of the greater Shiga Highland Biosphere Reserve. This is probably why it looks so clean and well maintained even with the tourist traffic.
Here’s an idyllic looking path leading to Korakukan. I’m not gonna lie, going up the steep incline earlier was kind of hard but all the tiredness from my body vanished the moment I saw this view.
The pictures really don’t do justice to how white the snow here was. I initially thought the area might have avalanches but then I realized that the snow probably wasn’t that deep at that time.
Here’s a stream that looked interesting. The water hasn’t exactly frozen over but there’s just so little of it. I was wondering how amazing this could look once the ice has melted in the spring and summer seasons.
A closer look of the stream bed. I’ve read somewhere that even with the lowered temperatures, the water here at Snow Monkey Park doesn’t seem to freeze over in the winter.
I’m now just a kilometer away from the park proper as per the sign. The information about snow monkey (Japanese macaque) moms typically giving birth every other year was quite surprising though. Also the picture of the walkway has really made me want to visit here during the spring and/or summer seasons.
Another animal that calls the park its home is the Japanese serow. I unfortunately didn’t find one during this walk since it’s probably found together with the snow monkeys at this time of the year. I’m told that they are also plentiful in other places in Nagano like Kose Onsen or the Karuizawa Yacho-no-Mori.
I don’t know how many times I’ll say this but this walkway is simply amazing. Walking here with the view all around me and sound of the stream by my side made me feel at ease and at peace with the world for some reason. Yeah, call me sappy and/or corny but it’s really how I felt at that point in time.
Okay so I know not everyone is as enthusiastic as me when it comes to walking around. For people who aren’t in tip-top shape, this spot should be the perfect place for you to rest. You can have a seat here and just soak in the view while also getting a lesson on the daily life of a snow monkey.
If you want to know more about the stars of this park then you should definitely stop at this shed and read through this sign. Apparently, Japanese macaques spend their days a lot like people do! They also wake up at the crack of dawn and go about their day foraging for food with some periods of rest. It’s also interesting that male Japanese macaques live more isolated lives and the females mostly stay in a group to likely take care of their offspring.
I’m finally close to the Korakukan area. Would you look at this view? I know I’ve been talking about how this place has so many breathtaking views this whole time. However, this view was the one that really left me speechless.
Here’s a sign telling visitors that lunch and drinks are available once they cross the bridge to Korakukan. This was pretty self-explanatory and I appreciate that a lot of the signs here are translated to English.
As I was nearing the park, the smell of rotting eggs finally hit me. Not to worry though as this is actually quite normal especially for areas where there are hot springs. According to my research the smell is caused by bacteria breaking down sulfur compounds in the water which then result in the production of hydrogen sulfide gas. Thankfully, you will eventually get used to the smell.
Another thing that you’ll get used to is the view. How many times have I been talking about the view again? Here’s another look at the Kourakukan ryokan before I cross the bridge.
Some of the signages you’ll find as you cross the bridge. There’s so many people here though that you could probably just follow a group and you probably won’t get lost. Still a nice touch though especially if you’re the type to go off the beaten path.
Here’s the profile view of the Kourakukan ryokan with a beautiful skyline serving as a backdrop. Let me tell you, my excitement levels were through the roof as I was taking this picture. I really could not wait to see the snow monkeys chilling in their onsen baths.
Speaking of snow monkeys. Would you look at that! My first sighting of the Japanese macaque! From the looks of it, he seems like a very chill guy (or is it a girl?).
Remember that smell of sulfur that hits you once you arrive near the bridge? That comes from the smoke that you see billowing up here. There are plenty of these vents around here and I’ve read that there are also geysers which I’m definitely excited to see.
So this was a super interesting read. Apparently this is a natural monument to commemorate a huge landslide that happened sometime in the 1930s-1940s. It’s said that the landslide massively altered the terrain here including the hot springs.
Oh so there really is a geyser here! I wonder if I’ll be able to get the chance to take a picture of the Shibu no Jigokudani Geyser though. Also, it’s nice that the signage also talks about the storied history of Kourakuken as well as how the snow monkeys ended up getting their own onsen in efforts to keep them off the human ones.
I’ve finally reached the entrance to the park! However, the queue here is quite long. Of course, this is to be expected since like I’ve been saying, this is a popular spot for tourists.
Here’s a little secret though. You can actually skip the queue directly! That’s right, if you purchased the ticket pass then you won’t have to fall in line to pay for the admission fee. If you’re unable to get a hold of the ticket pass though then you’ll need to shell out JPY800 (JPY400 for children 6-17).
After skipping the queue, I’m now just a few steps away from entering the park. As you can see, this particular entrance is one way only. In addition, you’ll be able to freshen up or do your business as there are restrooms nearby.
Now I wouldn’t recommend bringing valuables here especially if you’re on a day trip. However, if it’s really unavoidable then you could rent out these lockers and store your valuables here.
Here are some more infographics on both the Japanese serow and Japanese macaque. Both these animals are usually found together in this area especially during the winter season. As of this point, I still hadn’t seen a serow which was kind of a bummer.
A poster advertising the Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort. Unlike Kourakukan, this mountain resort is more focused on outdoor activities such as skiing so if that’s more your thing then you might want to check this out.
Before you go to where the snow monkeys are, I highly recommend that you read this infographic. While it might be tempting to touch the animals and feed them, it is actually discouraged. While the monkeys are pretty chill and are generally accustomed to human presence, they are still wild animals. As such, the best thing you can do is observe and/or take pictures.
I’m now inside the park and again, it’s just wonderful view after wonderful view here. This particular pathway seemed really scenic for some reason. Maybe it’s thanks to the contrast between the trees in the opposite bank of the stream having already lost their leaves while the majority of the ones in the pathway still have theirs. Whatever it is, the atmosphere here just seems so magical.
Woah! Just look at the number of people lining up here. If you still haven’t noticed it yet, what they are encircling is the snow monkey’s onsen.
Look what we have here! I saw this little guy chilling and observing the whole scene of people milling about. He was probably wondering why the people are paying so much attention to monkeys having their baths.
To be fair to us though, it’s hard to not pay these snow monkeys any attention especially if they’re making faces such as this. I’m not sure if the little guy is making a face of disgust or what but he does seem like he’s tired of the attention. Don’t worry buddy, we won’t be staying here for long!
He seems to have gotten shy now as he stopped paying attention to me as I was taking his pictures. Can’t believe I got rebuffed by a snow monkey! Oh how will I ever be able to recover from this? Kidding aside, it did seem like he didn’t want the attention anymore so I decided to go on to the onsen.
Wow! It looks like the three monkeys in the onsen are really enjoying the bath. They looked really comfortable out there that I actually kinda wanted to take a dip at the human exclusive onsen myself.
Like the guy I pictured earlier, it seems like the snow monkeys here have kind of had it with the human attention they’ve been getting. Despite that, the draw of the onsen is probably so strong they’ve decided that it’s still worth taking a bath despite the attention.
I found these images of the monkeys grooming really cute. Apparently when Japanese macaques groom each other, they’re actually strengthening their social bonds. Other than this, I’ve also read that it’s a way for them to reduce stress. Now I ask you, which of these macaques look the most stressed out?
So I tried researching more about Japanese macaques and it turns out one of the foremost reasons for their love of onsens is that it’s great for regulating their body temperatures in the winter. I’d always thought that the macaques’ thick fur helped them with this but it’s probably not enough considering the extreme cold in these regions.
Thinking about it now, it’s amazing how the Japanese have managed to strike a balance between caring for their environment while also still advancing their interests. They could have followed in the footsteps of others and just displaced these animals while building spa resorts in the area. Instead, they decided to actually build onsens for these snow monkeys to better survive the winters in this area.
And thanks to this balance, both the snow monkeys and the people in Yamanouchi are thriving. The monkeys get to bathe in the hot spring waters while tourists pay the town for the privilege to take their pictures. Everybody wins!
Since there were still people coming in to watch the monkeys taking baths, I decided to finally start checking out the other parts of the park. At this point, I managed to take this picture of several of the Japanese macaques in the snow. A pair was grooming while another seemed to be entranced with something on the ground.
After quite some time outside, I decided to head back to warm myself before I eventually went home. Once inside, I came across their goshuin stamping booth. If you want a more tangible record of your visit here then I’d really recommend inquiring about this.
What if you’re not too keen on goshuin stamp collecting though? Thankfully, there’s a souvenir shop here where you can buy plenty of snow monkey themed items. These range from notebooks, pens, to even cute snow monkey stuffed toys.
Other items available for purchase in the shop include clear folders, mugs, and tin magnets. If I were to choose, I’d probably go with either the tin magnet and/or the mugs as souvenirs for people I know.
In case you did go for a mug as your souvenir, then you might want to pair it with these cute wooden coasters. Shoehorns are also available though I’m not really a fan of the designs that I saw.
Of all the souvenirs you’ll find here, I think the most useful would probably be the stationery. Or rather, you’ll probably get the most use from the Jigokudani themed stationery here. I can actually see myself using the notebooks a lot especially since I like to take down notes while I’m travelling.
The snow monkey stuffed keychains are also great and would probably get a lot of use especially for people who like cute things. Aside from looking real cute, I think the keychains are also reasonably priced.
Now some people might call me crazy for saying this but I actually like this shirt. I’m not sure if it’s the design (just look at the contented faces on those snow monkeys!) or the contrast of the white on black but I find it really appealing. That said, I’m not really sure of the quality of shirt so I decided to hold off on getting one.
So this is an interesting terrain map showing the range/distribution of the snow monkeys in Jigokudani Yaen-Koen. If they could come up with an updated and 3D printed map similar to this then I think that might actually make for a memorable (albeit expensive) souvenir.
If you really want to know what a snow monkey’s fur feels like, there’s this fur here on display that’s free to touch. Take note of the instructions though and make sure that you’re touching it softly. Personally, I’m intrigued at how they managed to take the fur…
Now I’m finally exiting the park. As you can see, there’s still quite a line outside! I can’t believe people are still lining up at this time. Just goes to show how popular this place has become.
As I exit the park, I get back again on the scenic trail I was raving about earlier. I also managed to take a pic of this small stone statue of a snow monkey that I didn’t notice earlier. Man, this whole trip was eye-opening in so many ways.
And with this my visit to Snow Monkey Park ends. Most people seem to think that it’s a tourist trap but despite this reputation, I think the park is still worth visiting. My experience here has been really positive and there were definitely a lot of interesting things here (including this load horse trailer from the 1970s) for people who enjoy the outdoors and interacting with nature.
After this hike, I went to the Crystal Terrace Restaurant in Yamanouchi Town to have some nice Italian food. You can read more about it on this article.
Have you been to Snow Monkey Park? If yes then make sure to share your experiences and thoughts about the park with us!
