Tokyo: Snow Monkey Park with English speaking guide,10 hours

Highlights

• Immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Joshin’etsu Kogen National Park
• See Japanese macaques in their natural habitat without any cages
• Watch the monkeys soak in hot springs and interact with each other
• Learn about the park’s history and conservation efforts over the years
• Enjoy a peaceful walk through the forest to reach the park

Description

Begin your adventure at the Snow Monkey Park, home to the Japanese macaque, native to Japan and widely found in the forests and mountains of Nagano. Learn how, in the 1950s-60s, the development of ski resorts and deforestation pushed some troops down from their mountain habitat into lower areas near farms and villages. There, they raided crops and clashed with locals. Discover how, in the early 1960s, a local Nagano Electric Railway employee named Sogo Hara began feeding a troop of macaques near the hot-spring area of Jigokudani (literally “Hell’s Valley” due to geothermal steam rising from the ground). This was intended to keep the animals from raiding farms and help them coexist with people. Over time, the monkeys became familiar with human presence and began to remain in the valley year-round. According to local stories, monkeys began soaking in hot water after observing humans or after an apple dropped into a bath and a young monkey entered the onsen to retrieve it. Regardless of the exact version, the behavior caught on among the troop. This behavior was charming but impractical at a nearby guesthouse’s open-air bath, and soon people who wanted peaceful coexistence created a dedicated bathing pool for the monkeys. As a result, Jigokudani Monkey Park opened in 1964 as a refuge where wild monkeys could be observed safely and naturally without cages. The park’s snow-covered monkeys soaking in hot springs first drew major global attention when LIFE magazine featured them on its cover in 1970, helping popularize the term “snow monkeys.” Since then, it has become one of Nagano’s signature attractions, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors annually from around the world. The park is set within Joshin’etsu Kogen National Park and remains a place to see Japanese macaques in as natural a setting as possible — no cages, just the monkeys coming and going freely from the surrounding forests. Feeding by staff continues as a way to encourage the monkeys to stay near the valley, but visitors are not allowed to feed the animals themselves.

Includes

Observation of Japanese macaques in their natural habitat Access to Jigokudani Monkey Park Viewing of snow monkeys soaking in hot springs

Important Information

• Visitors are not allowed to feed the animals The park is set within Joshin’etsu Kogen National Park Monkeys come and go freely from the surrounding forests

Easy cancellation

Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund