Japanese macaque monkey sitting on a rock.

Jigokudani Monkey Park

8.8.2018
Japan, Places

Jōshin'etsu-kōgen National Park is a national park in the region of Chūbu in Japan. The park on the main island of Japan, Honshū, is spans across the prefectures Gunma, Nagano, and Niigata and has several active and dormant volcanoes on its territory.

Sunlit autumn forest path covered in golden fallen leaves

Dirt road leading to autumnal forest on hillside.

Japanese garden with towering evergreen cedars, vivid red and orange maple foliage, a sculpted pine, and a traditional tiled roof under a clear blue sky

Person photographing autumn pampas grass field in Joshinetsu Kogen National Park, Japan

Bright sun rays piercing through tall forest trees onto a leafy hillside

Sunlit tall cedar trees in a dense green forest with lush undergrowth

Sunlit tree trunks in a dense dark forest with lush green undergrowth

Dense forest of tall, slender trees on a hillside; some trees are bare.

Aerial view of a river flowing through a forested valley with a footbridge, walking paths, and small rural buildings in autumn light

Water geyser erupting from a man-made structure near a rocky river.

Inside the national park, in the valley of the Yokoyu-River, is the Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑, Jigokudani Yaen Kōen) located. The name of the park comes from a large population of wild Japanese macaques, who retreat to the valley in winter.

A highlight for visitors is swimming in the warm waters of the onsen (Hotsprings). Especially at warm temperatures and without snow the monkeys do without a warming bath.