Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park in Nagano offers travelers a rare chance to see wild Japanese macaques bathing in natural hot springs. Reaching the park involves taking a bus from Nagano Station, paying an 800 JPY entrance fee, and walking a scenic forest trail through the mountains of Yamanouchi. While winter is the most famous season for viewing the monkeys in the snow, visitors can also see them in the spring alongside nearby hot spring towns like Shibu Onsen and Nozawa Onsen.
Nagano Station to Jigokudani: Bus Transit, Ticket Fees, and Shibu Onsen
The creator begins their journey by taking a bus from Nagano Station directly to the Snow Monkey Park area for 1,800 JPY. After arriving at the entrance, they purchase an entry ticket for 800 JPY to observe the wild Japanese macaques. The video documents the daily monkey feeding time, a quick rest stop break to warm up from the cold, and monkeys bathing in the hot spring water. The trip continues with a stay at a traditional Japanese inn priced at 21,000 JPY and a walk through the neighboring hot spring town of Shibu Onsen. Finally, they revisit the park, show the return route toward Tokyo, and visit Matsumoto Castle.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Yaen-Koen & Shibu Onsen
- 💡 Best for: Solo Travelers, Budget Planners
Owen Tucker’s 5,000-Mile Journey to Take a Polaroid with Japanese Macaques
Owen Tucker and his friends travel over 5,000 miles to Nagano in an attempt to swim alongside Japanese macaques. The group explores the snowy region while planning to capture a polaroid photo of the wild animals in the hot springs. Along with the monkey park visit, the vlog covers other local activities like snowboarding in the surrounding mountains. The creators walk through the snowy trails to reach the natural hot spring pool where the monkeys congregate. The video documents their attempts to get close to the bathing primates before concluding their winter adventure in the Nagano area.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
- 💡 Best for: Adventure Seekers, Friends
1 Minute Animals: Japanese Macaque Adaptation in the Snowy Mountains
This short educational video explains how Japanese Macaques survive the freezing mountain winters of Japan. The narrator shares facts about their unique behavior of soaking in natural hot springs to stay warm. It highlights these primates as the only wild monkeys known to bathe in hot spring pools. The clip concludes by presenting these primates’ social structures and winter survival tactics.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
- 💡 Best for: Quick Learners, Families
Andrew Chung’s First-Time Visit to Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano
Creator Andrew Chung documents his very first visit to the Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano, Japan. The video utilizes a first-person point-of-view perspective to show the journey into the park. Viewers see the natural mountain environment where the wild Japanese macaques roam freely. The footage focuses on capturing the monkeys’ behaviors up close as they interact near the water. The walk concludes with direct shots of the animals in their mountain habitat.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Monkey Park
- 💡 Best for: First-Time Visitors, Casual Travelers
Oxmo Around The World: Exploring Jigokudani Yaen-koen in Yokoyu River Valley
This video highlights Jigokudani Yaen-koen, located at an altitude of 850 meters in northern Nagano. The creator shows the natural hot springs sourced from Shiga-Kogen in the Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park. Wild macaques bathe in the warm waters of the Yokoyu River valley while visitors watch from the designated viewing areas. The clip showcases the unique geography of this protected wildlife habitat.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Yaen-koen
- 💡 Best for: Nature Lovers, Quick Learners
Foxmask: Why Humans Are Banned from the Snow Monkey Hot Spring
Creator Foxmask explains why tourists are strictly prohibited from entering the hot springs at the Snow Monkey Park. The video shows wild Japanese macaques soaking in the steaming geothermal waters, mimicking human bathing habits. Because the spring is reserved exclusively for the local monkey population, human visitors must stay on the designated observation paths. The video ends with close-up footage of the monkeys relaxing in the warm water.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
- 💡 Best for: Casual Viewers, Wildlife Enthusiasts
Spring in the Japanese Alps: Nozawa Onsen, Shibu Onsen, and Warm Weather Macaques
The family from Our Wandering Hearts explores the Japanese Alps during the spring season, visiting Nozawa Onsen, Shibu Onsen, and Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. In Nozawa Onsen, they try local food, test a hot foot bath, and visit the Ogama cooking spring where locals prepare food in boiling water. Next, they stop in Shibu Onsen for lunch and try an onsen egg while looking at the mountain views. At Jigokudani, despite temperatures reaching 27°C, they encounter numerous Japanese macaques, including several babies. The vlog shows a close-up interaction with a monkey and their child Cali before concluding with a stop at a local cafe.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park & Shibu Onsen
- 💡 Best for: Families, Road Trippers
Japan Cute Animals: Short Footage of Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
This brief clip from the channel Japan Cute Animals features the wild monkeys residing in Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. Located in Nagano, the video highlights the natural environment where these animals live and gather. The footage captures the monkeys interacting with each other near the park’s central hot spring. The video concludes with a close-up shot of a monkey in the snow.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
- 💡 Best for: Animal Lovers, Quick Viewers
Hana’s Birthday Solo Trip: Nagano Temple Lunch and Tokyo Fall Foliage
Creator Hana from blushing_baby documents the second day of her solo birthday trip to Japan with a winter day tour to Nagano. She starts by enjoying a traditional temple lunch in the snowy Nagano area. Afterward, she walks to the hot springs to observe the snow monkeys playing and bathing in the warm water. The vlog then transitions back to Tokyo, where she walks through a night-time fall foliage illumination event. The video concludes with scenes from her evening in the capital city.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
- 💡 Best for: Solo Travelers, Birthday Planners
Matt Guy’s Full Winter Walk and Forest Trail Guide to the Snow Monkeys
Matt Guy presents a real-time, ASMR-style winter walk through the mountain forest path leading to the Japanese snow monkeys. The video focuses on the natural scenery, forest sounds, and instructional signs along the snowy trail in Yamanouchi. Viewers follow the path to see where the monkeys play, bathe, and gather around the hot spring pool. Matt highlights specific travel guidelines and tips from his comprehensive travel guide, including details about the nearby Fudoson-no-yu Oyado Kotobuki inn. The walk concludes with a look at the steaming hot spring waiting at the end of the trail.
- 📍 Featured Spot: Yamanouchi Forest Trail & Jigokudani
- 💡 Best for: Slow Travelers, ASMR Lovers
