Le Singe Baladeur au Wild Monkey Park

Jigokudani

Wild Monkey Park

Jigokudani literally means hell's valley, however it is the closest thing to heaven on earth for a spoiled group of monkeys who live there. The Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen-Koen) may be the only place in the world where wild monkeys can be observed bathing in their own natural hot spring.

Photo By Christopher Domitter

The monkey park is situated in the Joshinetsu Plateau National park in northeastern Nagano Prefecture. The surrounding area is one of the best all season recreational areas in Japan. You can hike in spring and summer, and ski or snowboard in winter. Visitors, researchers, and photographers have been coming to the park since it opened in 1964. As the home of this lucky group of Japanese Macaques numbering approximately 250, the park provides a unique opportunity to witness the wild monkeys in their natural habitat.