Years ago, I saw a video of a group of monkeys enjoying a soak in a hot pool which got me filled with jealousy. Here I was, working my ass off to afford some niceties of life. And then there were those snow monkeys in Japan. And like a salty ajeossi, I flew to Nagano to see some animals enjoy their lives for free, in real life.
Here’s my journey across the world to central Japan, dived deep into the mountains in search of these blessed creatures in their “natural habitat”.
What is the Snow Monkey Park?
Snow Monkey Park, or Jigokudani Yaen Koen, or a mixture of the above words as found online, isn’t exactly a park where you can find monkeys made from snow. Normal monkeys visit the park everyday to soak in the geothermal pools commonly found in the area, frolic in the sun, or simply to chill.
They became viral when scenes of them enjoying a hot bath deep in winter – and surrounded by snow – made rounds on the internet. “Snow”, “monkey” and “park” made for a catchy name for this new tourist destination. Consequently, thousands flock to this mountainous park just 35km east of Nagano to catch a glimpse of the chill monkeys.
How to get there
Armed with that knowledge, I made my way to Nagano after touching down in Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. After a night at Nagano, I set off towards the countryside in the wee hours.
The journey to the Snow Monkey Park would start from a bus (“Nagaden Snow Monkey Express”) from Nagano JR station, followed by a short hike into the woods where the hot pools are found. Alternatively, one could take the local line Nagano Dentetsu Line and change to the local bus at Yudanaka where the Snow Monkey Park is located.
Taking the Nagaden Snow Monkey Express
As I had arrived at Nagano late at night, I could only purchase the one-way bus ticket to the Snow Monkey Park (JPY1,800 / USD26) at the ticket office when it opened at 9am. As it was the shoulder season, the Snow Monkey Pass, which covers unlimited use on the Snow Monkey Express Bus, Nagano Dentetsu Line, and local buses at Yudanaka to the park, along with one entry to the Jigokudani Monkey Park at JPY4,000 / USD55, wasn’t available.
The express bus sets off from the east exit of the JR station. I referred to it as the other side of the station from the department store Midori. 15 minutes before the scheduled departure, the queue was already forming at berth 23. There were multiple signs in the station that pointed to the boarding point.
An hour later, we entered the town of Yudanaka, and within minutes, alighted at the bus stop outside the park.
Frankly speaking, the bus stop didn’t look like there was a popular park nearby. We were dropped off at an empty car park outside Shigakogen Roman Museum which was closed at that time. This was perhaps the part of the journey where I felt lost the most. After orienting myself with Google Maps, I exited the car park (and saw the huge Snow Monkey Park directional sign), and started the hike towards the park.
Hiking through the forest of Central Japan
The remaining journey to the Snow Monkey Park was made up of a few stretches of hikes. From the car park, it was a 15 minute uphill climb on paved roads. There were several lodgings and cafes along the way, which looked pretty serene for those looking to get in touch with their inner self.
Leaving those built up areas behind, I entered the path that weaved through the tall pine trees. Along the way, there were signs put up providing details about the flora and fauna for those who are interested in the biodiversity of the forest. Near the halfway point, there was also a pavilion for those who needed some rest. Although the hike consisted of a gradual climb up the mountain, it was nonetheless a 40 minute slow walk.
Eventually, the thick vegetation parted and I stepped into the clearing where the village of the Snow Monkey Park was located. The trickling of water that I heard along the way came from the river that flowed through the village, which consisted mainly of a hotel with restaurant and onsen.
Arriving at the Snow Monkey Park
After a short walk through the village, I finally arrived at the entrance to the Snow Monkey Park! It marked the final, but most gruelling part of the journey. The ticket office (and real entrance) was at the top of a four-storey climb up the steps. There was a slope beside the steps for those who have difficulty with climbing stairs. But to be honest, the park itself was super handicap unfriendly; the slope was merely for those of us who just needed a less gruelling climb to the top.
The entrance fee was JPY800 / USD11 for an adult, half price for kids, which could be paid via credit cards.
Exploring the Snow Monkey Park
The park was massive, but simple. Past the unassuming ticket office entrance, the footpath split, with one leading down to the riverbank, and the other upwards where the famous hot pool was located.
Over at the riverbank, a mother and child were sunbathing on the embankment. The viewing site was of course still a distance from the river, so it required some powerful camera lens to capture the pair properly.
Up at the pool was a lone monkey, chilling on a pillar. The small group of us crowded around the monkey like visitors at the Louvre around the Mona Lisa portrait. We could literally touch the monkey, but no one did, because we were tourists respectful of local rules and possessed sensitivity towards nature. 😊 A staff came to feed the monkey, so that it would face the crowd. Yes, we were filming its butt most of the time.
And that was it.
The park was massive because the monkeys had plenty of space to roam around. There were practically no fences marking the park’s boundaries. However the space in which visitors could see the monkeys was very confined. To be honest, I was fine with that. After nearly an hour of uphill trek, I spent half my time in the park sitting by the footpath enjoying the rich foliage and fresh air of the river valley.
Returning to Yudanaka
After soaking in nature’s sights, I began my 1.6km trek back to the bus stop where I dropped off. Having achieved what I had come here for, the walk seemed less gruelling, and I also slowed down to admire the local architecture.
I didn’t intend to take the Snow Monkey Express bus back to Nagano. Instead, I wanted to explore the village first. Yamouchi – also known as Shibu Onsen, was one of the ancient onsen towns in Japan. It’s past its prime, but it now evokes old town charm. In fact, the village boasted the beautiful Kanaguya, which was a source of inspiration for Spirited Away.
Shibu Onsen – Sakaeya Ryokan
Being a far flung village, I waited for 15 minutes for the next bus to take me to the main street Yudanaka. A one way bus trip cost JPY310 (USD4), to be paid in cash. I dropped off a bus stop by the river, and strolled through the town to find Andai Onsen. Unfortunately, my research didn’t highlight that the Onsen wasn’t open to the public during shoulder season. In fact, barely any shops were open while I was there. Thankfully, I chanced upon Sakaeya Ryokan, which was one of the largest hotels in the village, and their onsen was open to say trippers. They had just opened for the day, and I got to say I was showered with attention by the kimono-dressed staff! I really appreciated that they took their time to explain their packages. In fluent English too!
She led me through an intricately designed corridor before dropping me off at the onsen. Despite its age, the village was seeing a revival as newer hotels like Sakaeya sprung up. Sakaeya’s onsen was modern, and had the usual locker and a well stocked make up area.
The onsen though was modest, with 2 indoor carbonated pools, an outdoor pool and a shower area for 7. The 2 pools were carbonated, which was supposed to be good for the skin and improve blood circulation.
I would say the small sheltered outdoor pool was the highlight of the day. The pool faced the mountain, so we were literally close to nature! Moreover, the owner applied landscaping to the slopes to enhance the viewing pleasure from the pool. As it was late afternoon, the entire place was bathed in soft golden hues.
One end of the pool looked out to the valley. It was framed by the wooden ceiling and pillars at the top and side, and a bamboo screen at the bottom. The yellow leaves of the tree hung over the frame, and were illuminated by the sun low on the horizon. A gentle breeze was rustling the leaves and its shadows danced upon the bamboo screen. And there I was, soaking in the water, admiring the poetic scene illustrated by pure manipulation of architecture.
What was even more amazing, I had the entire onsen to myself for a good half an hour before I was joined by another guest! Hence all the photos I took; this was the first time I got to take a video of the inside of an onsen because it was empty.
Saying Goodbye to Yudanaka
After the relaxing soak, it was a 45 minute stroll to the train station. The road weaved through the village, overlooking the river and the mountain ridge beyond. The setting sun cast a silhouette over the river valley, as the locals began to wind down the day’s activities. With half an hour before the next train departs, I bought a few snacks at the nearby Lawson and chilled by the railroad.
The local train was a throwback to yesteryear. For the 10 minutes, we coursed through the laid back countryside in the cosy and vintage train car. At Shinshu-Nakano, a mid-sized city and a regional transport hub, I switched trains for my remaining 50 minutes journey back to Nagano.
Planning for the Departure from Yudanaka
When leaving Shibu Onsen via the Local Dentetsu Line, there must be plenty of planning.
First, the local bus to Yudanaka train station runs every hour. And it appeared that the bus wasn’t timed to the train’s departure timing; the 2 recommendations I had from Google were half an hour from the train’s departure.
Alternatively, one could take a slow walk through Shibu Onsen, which is about 2km long (30 minutes). Google map recommended me 2 routes: 1 through the town’s old street, and the other tracing the bus route. While the old town’s road offers local sights, the buildings turn modern the closer we get to Yudanaka station. The road also brought me up and down the slope of the hill that the village was built upon, which at some point was about 5 stories from the river. Therefore, I couldn’t fathom why Google Maps indicated this route as “mostly flat”.
The bus route follows the river valley, and was definitely flat. As Yudanaka station was on a higher elevation, one only needed to climb some 2 stories of slope at the end of the walk. Either route has its pros. But as I had earlier trekked through the forest trail for 2 hours, I wasn’t really keen for more strenuous walks.
The train leaves Yudanaka station every hour. However, the schedule alternates between the train that goes direct to Nagano, and another that ends at nearby Shinsunakano, where it connects to another local train going to Nagano. There are also 2 limited express trains that are also specially decorated (most likely as part of marketing for the Snow Monkey Park and Shibu Onsen), but one wasn’t in operation during late October, and the other only plies the route 4 times a day, once every 3 hours.
Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen) – A Formal Recap
For those who are interested to visit the Snow Monkey Park, here’s an overview of the journey getting to and from the sightseeing spot:
Snow Monkey Express
Direct bus from Nagano JR Station to the bus stop outside the Snow Monkey Park. One can buy the Snow Monkey Pass (only for peak season) that also covered the return trip on the same bus. During off peak season, only the bus tickets would be available at Nagano; one can opt to buy a one-way or return ticket.
Nagano Dentetsu Line
This is the local train line from Nagano to Yudanaka (a.k.a Shibu Onsen), the town just by the Snow Monkey Park. From there, one can take the local bus to the Snow Monkey Park, dropping off at the same bus stop as the Snow Monkey Express. The train ticket costs JPY1290 (USD10) (one-way, limited express) (+300 to reserve seat, -100 for local), and the local bus costs JPY310 (USD2) per trip.
One can choose either mode of transport, or you can be like me, mix-and-match my journey. I had wanted to visit Shibu Onsen and soak in a true-blue onsen. Therefore, I arranged my trip such that I would take the Snow Monkey Express to reach the park directly, then take the local bus to Shibu Onsen. The downside is that the local bus isn’t frequent, so it is a must to watch the time.
Or be like me, stroll through Yudanaka after my onsen soak.
Hike and Climb and Be Wowed by Nature
After deciding your mode of transport, be mentally prepared for the 30 – 45 minute hike through the forest. The path was easy and it was always nice to be close to nature. However, the trip could be long for those who are not mentally prepared. This is especially so if you are visiting in winter (you’ll need warm clothing and perhaps hiking sticks) or rainy season (a good pair of water resistant shoes would be ideal).
Also, there’s this grueling climb up the steps at the final stretch of the journey.
And note that you’d have to retrace your steps to return to civilisation, so it would be twice the hike and climb. That said, the view and monkey experience at the Snow Monkey Park would be worth it!
What I liked about the trip to Snow Monkey Park and Shibu Onsen
- Easy hike through forest.
- Close encounters.
- Cheap.
- Post trip Shibu onsen.
Japan has plenty of nature to offer. However, what stood out was how convenient it was to access nature. At just 1 hour train or bus ride away, I got to enjoy a trek through a secondary forest and soak in authentic onsen!
Cons
- Out of the way and limited bus schedules.
- Tough uphill climb at the end.
- Seasonal.
On the other hand, Yudanaka is way past its prime. Even the locals lost interest in the onsen town. Therefore, getting to and from Yudanaka – and hence the Snow Monkey Park – required careful coordination of timings. Any miscalculation, and you have to wait another 15 minutes to half an hour for the next bus or train!
Of course, I was also at the Snow Monkey Park during the shoulder season. It was a fault of mine, which was also inevitable for a working adult. During the warmer months, there was plenty of food to be found in the mountains, so the monkeys don’t drop by the Snow Monkey Park in droves like they do during winter. Nonetheless, a few of them would still visit the park to chill. I was there at the end of Oct; the staff said that I would have better luck at seeing more monkeys 2 weeks later.
There are always 2 sides to a coin. With the monkeys came the crowd. I wouldn’t be able to get so close to a monkey, or enjoy Shibu Onsen to myself if I visited during the peak season!
Parting Words
I’m not an animal person, but the monkeys looked cute and insta-worthy. Making the trip to the Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen) – via a 1 hour train/bus ride and another hour of hiking through the forest trail – seemed like an overkill. However, the nature was refreshing, especially during the cool late Autumn season. So for me, it was a great balance between getting close to nature and being touristy.
For those less inclined to mountains and nature, visiting the Snow Monkey Park during winter would be a much better idea. The monkeys would be around the hot pools seeking warmth and food (from humans). That said, don’t expect to be able to interact with the monkeys, unless they initiate engagement. That helps make for a sustainable and nature friendly tourism.
If you enjoyed my trip reports, do check out my travelogues getting in touch with the nature of central Japan.
Singapore to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport on ANA B787-9 Economy Class (NH842 SIN-HND): Trip review on the early flight out of the lion city to the land of the rising sun.
Hello Nagano: Sights and bites in Nagano in between day trips out of the city
[Review] 1-Day Kamikochi & Matsumoto Castle Tour (from Nagano / Matsumoto): Hiking in the land of the gods – in the rain.
Matsumoto in 10 hours: Visiting Japan’s 1 of 3 remaining original castles, and more.
Snow Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen Koen) in Nagano: No snow, no monkey?
Till then, stay wanderlust!
All photos and videos were taken using Google Pixel 9 Pro XL, and edited with Google Photos.
