Yamanouchi Reviews

I took a long walk to the hot spring where there is a monkey. There are many foreigners.
There was a monkey in the hot spring at 10 o'clock when it opened, but it became a feeding time soon and I was gone.

Monkeys are very cute, especially kids)) really liked it) bought a ticket to the park immediately along with a bus ride from Nagano station. From the bus stop about 3.5 km you need to walk. On the way there are cafes and a toilet with a warm seat))

The point that life must go! More people than monkeys! Are foreigners!

Well worth a visit. When it's cold and snowy, the females and young monkeys bathe in the thermal pool, while the males watch over the troop. You can get really close to them and watch them for as long as you like. It's fascinating to see how human they look sometimes. The path to the hot springs can be slippery when icy, so walk carefully.

The Monkeys were almost just an excuse, the hike up to top where the monkeys are, the anticipation and the scenery makes it a delight. You won t be disappointed with the close encounters with the snow monkeys, despite a protected sanctuary the monkeys are as wild as they can be.

The hike up can be very slippery with ice and snow so dress appropriately or you can rent your gear here.

You will not see many bathing monkeys unless it is very cold, which it hasn't been lately in the area/last winters.

It was nice to see the monkeys but the park is a bit disappointing. The area does not look very natural, the pool and surroundings are artificially constructed from rocks and the monkeys come to eat seeds left on the ground by the park keepers.

We came in April and while there was still a little snow about, it was warm and the monkeys were not bathing. The monkeys apparently are not always present in the park, but they were when we visited.

It s about a 2km walk from the Roman Museum bus stop, with toilets on the way and near the park at the park entrance. There is also a cafe with reasonably priced food including ramen and sushi.

In retrospect we could have skipped this stop from our trip around Japan.

Try to get there as early as possible! You can practically have all the monkey experience to your self!

Worth the trip to see the Snow Monkey Park. The monkeys were everywhere and very comfortable with the tourists. It had just rained so the path was quite muddy. Recommend you get dropped off (for a small fee) at the parking lot which is a few minutes walk compared to 1.7km from the hotel drop off if it has been raining or you prefer to skip the walk.

Snow monkeys are hot in the summer and do not enter the hot springs. This monkey is so well-behaved that it s safe for children

I went during the end of Autumn but there was already little snow. We went early when there weren't much people yet. Seeing the Japanese Macaques was amazing.

If you are ever in Japan, and even remotely close, do yourself a favor, and visit this park. You will not regret it.

Great experience..do come early the monkeys tend to leave later in the afternoon. And there is a far better chance to see them during winter time.

In the latter part of November, I was wondering if I was not so cold, but a good child with a good service entered the hot spring ^ _ ^
I was surprised to see a monkey soon after coming out of hot springs. I enjoyed it very much.

Worth a visit!! But make sure you can walk at least 30 mins. Pleasant walk but beware of the falling snow on the tree. Kids will love it but make sure they don t feed the monkeys.

A leisurely stroll along the path to the pool and if you're lucky you will see the monkeys drinking from the pool, grooming, playing and lazing around.

Really neat to see all the monkeys. Went in early December, and the monkey's were not bathing in the hot spring but running around the area. I suspect this is because there was little to no snow on the ground and it isn't as cold as it would be later in the winter.

I will walk about 600 meters from the parking lot on foot.
On the day I visited, when I checked on the rain in the morning, I displayed a no monkey. It does not seem that monkeys are always present at any time.
I was informed of the report that the group entered the park in the afternoon so I went immediately.
Because there is a difference in height between walking sections, elderly people seem to be better prepared to go.
There was someone who gave up at the shop in the middle.
By the way it is already a warm period so you can not see the monkey soaked in the hot spring.
I certainly do not want to choose a time.

Stop at the parking lot on the side of Shibu Onsen and walk about 25 minutes on the forest road. There was an uncle in the parking lot, and if I went from the narrow road to the other side, there was a parking lot a little closer but it was charged, so I stopped here (free here). The distance was quite good, but the forest road was very clean and comfortable, so it was correct. When I arrived at Snow Monkey Park, I thought it was a good facility with a good reception in a good sense. Some monkeys are worried about baggage, so it is recommended that you leave your luggage in a locker. You can heal the fatigue of walking because there is also a water supply. The monkeys you are looking for are very close to each other and are very relaxed so you can observe them carefully. It was a pity that I couldn't see the hot springs because it was a hot time.

Great to see the monkeys. Took some great photos, using a telephoto lens.

Lovely little place! A scenic and not too long walk through the forest gets you to this cute monkey onsen. The monkeys are not afraid of tourists and will walk right up to you. Careful, the snow can be slippery, so prepare for icy floors

The walk to Jigokudani is pleasant enough, wending through Japanese cedars and alongside a channel towards the park. One more push up some stairs and there's an admission office. And right on the other side of that are the famous "Nihon-Zaru." Like, really, just on the other side of the panel door, the first thing I saw was a trio of family members grooming each other in the shade. Further along were many more, most of them clustered around fabricated settings where park keepers can focus the monkeys attention with food. You won't find the residents bathing during the summer, and that wouldn't normally be a problem. But the overwhelming July heat actually caused the monkeys to retreat from the observable area. A keeper cited this as the reason for their strange behavior. Otherwise they tend to lounge in the area well until dusk. I was a little unlucky but got enough exposure to the monkeys to feel the trip was valuable. The setting and scenery are also gorgeous, featuring an steep incline up into the mountains covered in lush foliage. Well worth a visit if you're in the area for onsen bathing of your own.

Definitely a must during winter.
You take a relaxing walk into the woods until you reach the hotsprings.
You will be able to take amazing shots if you just take your time.
Be sure to wear tracking shoes, since the area around the hotsprings can be quite muddy.

It's a long slippery 45mins walk through ice and snow to the park entrance. The info guide estimated it to be 30mins but do account for longer as it's really slippery! We didn't get to see monkeys in the onsen but there were plenty playing around, eating.

Park has luggage storage facilities if you need.

This is a sightseeing spot that many people will come to. I personally know that there are really many monkeys and they are close. Because they are really wild animals, you should still not be too close. Ordinary mobile phones or cameras can easily take good pictures. However, many foreign tourists take special cameras with telescope lenses (except to avoid being too close, but also because they have better close-ups). Although there is not much snow this year, monkeys do not see the hot springs, but it is still a good experience. .

This is my first Snow experience and its a very wonderful place. I hope i can visit again

1.6km of easy hiking/walking each way to the snow monkey park. well worth the drive from Tokyo

Lots of monkeys. They ignored people but didn't shy away from walking right next to visitors so you could see them up close.

Reached on foot from Yudanaka, enjoying the views. Impressions of the sea, monkeys cool.

Lovely 30 minute walk through forrest with snow dusted trees to see the snow monkeys. I could imagine this experience would be all the more special if there was more snow and it was snowing. It wasn t quite cold enough for monkeys to get in the water, however it was still a fun place to visit and the baby monkeys playing were particularly cute. Great fun for kids.

It is beautiful place with snow. A long flat 1.6 kilometers way is easy to walk.

Great place to visit. You get so close to the monkeys, and they aren't phased by you at all. Good value

The walk from Shibu Onsen was uphill for the first part, but leveled out after a bit. It was a beautiful, crisp day and the nature made for a nice retreat.

The monkeys seem well cared for and there is a small educational center too where you can learn about the group. Apparently each monkey has a rank, from number one all the way to 160!

Fun trip. Need to plan ahead of time for transportation, otherwise stay there overnight.

Not that easy to get to but well worth it. Where we came from it took us 3.5 hours each way. Make your way to Nagano and it s not too bad. We came via train so purchased tickets at the counter for around 3700Yen which was a two day pass on the train and bus plus entry into the park. It s a good idea to get the pass in case of a bad weather day. Make sure you catch the right train to Yudanaka Station and then catch the bus to the bus station near the Park.
You can also catch a bus from Nagano. With your Snow Monkey Park Pass you can see the timetable of all the public transport which is useful if you re here later in the day and not sure about those last minute connections. The walk from the bus station to the entrance is about 500m in a gentle incline uphill. There is a merchandise shop at the start plus a tv screen that is streaming what the monkeys are up to LIVE inside the park. The walk in takes around 20-30 minutes. It s uphill and as we went in winter there were such skippering icy sections as well as a lot of mud. The actual entrance where you pay is about 200m from where the monkeys are in the pools together. You ll start to see some before you get there but don t be distracted, get straight to them.
There is only one hot pool and the monkeys come and go depending on the weather and their families. You can get very close and I mean VERY close but they really ignore you. It was snowing while we were there adding to the experience.
Easy to anthropomorphise these macaques but don t under estimate them. They are smart creatures and when you leave I recommend reading the interpretation signs in the merchandise building. This place also has toilets and a water machine.
The walk out is much quicker and all down hill.
Please take out any of your rubbish. Respect the monkeys. Be mindful of other patrons and don t hog the photo opportunities.
A must visit.

I am accustomed to humans, so it is worth going because I can not see any fear and can see it nearby. There is a distance from the parking lot unless you go with easy walking clothes

It's a nice 1.5km walk each way through the forest. The monkey's are fun to watch for a short time but they will not be in the water if is a sunny day. The macaques monkey's are similar to other monkey in asia just alot thicker fur. There is alot of people there, and I personally would prefer to ski or snowboard more than see the monkey's

This is a great thing to do in the Yudanaka area, but definitely not the main event (spoiler, go to an onsen). Definitely go see the Snow Monkeys and support this natural preserve.

So neat! Monkeys are everywhere! It's a decent hike up to them. I recommend good hiking shoes and warm layers. We walked on ice most of the trek.

A rather busy place to visit, but worth the trip for the famous monkeys.

There is a little parking at the bottom of the hill but I wouldn t rely on it, as there are many more visitors than spaces. Lots of onsen and cafes are within easy reach too.



In order to reach the monkeys you ll need to walk through the woods for about 2km. It can be rather uneven and muddy. You can buy or rent appropriate footwear at the start of the trail, but it d make more sense to prepare ahead.

Touching and feeding the animals is forbidden.

Make sure you go in the winter season as other times the monkeys may not be bathing in the hot springs

Well worth the effort it takes to get there, the walk to where the monkeys are is very scenic and not strenuous. It's worth checking if the monkeys are in the park using the live cam before committing to the visit.

The monkey was in the hot spring and was very relaxed
Because the road was under construction? There was a lot of mud because of snow.

Hell Valley Wild Hot Springs.
It is called an urgent bus to the "Shiga Kogen". It is called an urgent bus, so it is more expensive than the average bus. Nagano is going to the upper hot spring bath, asking for 1400 baht! Just twenty minutes! ! It s killing the price of tourists!

From Shanglin Hot Springs Station to the entrance of the real mountain road of Nojigongyuan, it takes about five minutes. After five minutes, the real test begins.
After the sign of the entrance, the road began to be mixed with snow and ice, very slippery mountain road, so we can only advance at a very slow pace, the signboard is written for 25 minutes, but at this pace... I think the letter will take at least 45 minutes.

On the mountainside, there is a house like a rest center! There is a warm stove for you, and the most interesting ones - the photos of the monkey king, the Japanese are really careful, this kind of thing also keeps a record, after a break, then a short paragraph, finally arrived at the wild hot springs, a large group of people Surrounded, each person also took the camera, and those scorpions seemed to get used to being photographed, and they enjoyed the hot springs.

Nice place. Good for sightseeing. Nothing so boom. But worth scenery

An amazing experience to see these snow monkeys enjoying the snow and onsen. A must do if you're in the area.

It's a bit of a walk from the bus stop and the park itself is actually fairly small. But nothing beats seeing a monkey in an Onsen. The little guys are super cute and totally unafraid of tourists. The place looks amazing in the snow. The park is well run and clearly cares about the welfare of the animals.

This was definitely one of the highlights of my trip to Japan and one of the best experiences I've had in my life! Perhaps my love of monkeys makes me biased but I think this is a great day out, even speaking objectively. The monkeys were far calmer and less aggressive than my experiences with Thai monkeys. As long as one follows the rules, they largely ignore humans, while still allowing one to get rather close. I'd recommend taking lots of photos but then putting the camera away to enjoy the experience and watch the amusing antics, the adorable nursing baby monkeys, and the colony politics that unfold. This was an easy day trip from Tokyo if you leave early enough and there is a relatively inexpensive direct shuttle bus from Nagano Station. Then, at the end of the day, enjoy a well-deserved bowl of delicious ramen at the bottom of the mountain.

The promenade from the Uebayashi Onsen bus stop is well maintained and easy to walk, but it is about 30 minutes on foot and quite a distance of about 2 km.
The road from the parking lot on the Shibu Onsen side is near, but access is quite difficult on a narrow road like a mountain trail which was forcibly cut.

Of course, when I visited the monkeys, I was able to see the fights of Kenka and small monkeys.

Never a dull moment with the monkeys! Nice, scenic walk to reach the park.

We drove here in a car we rented in Hakuba. It was much cheaper than the bus trips. We had been warned but its quite a long walk from the car park. Steep and icy at the start too! We got there early morning and had the place mostly to ourselves. The monkeys are tame and you can get really close to them to take photos, even with your phone. It's funny to see how wiry they are once their fur gets wet. The pool they sit and surroundings looked cheaply knocked together, all concrete and exposed pipes, which did not suit the natural setting. On our way back to the car, we passed three busloads of tourists who'd just arrived. It looks like it must get very crowded.

There is a monkey's hot spring just 30 minutes from the free bicycle parking lot on the ice-burn road. Unfortunately, I could not watch it while taking a bath, but there were many Japanese macaques gathering because they were feeding around.

Cute little park but extremely remote. Better to arrive with a car, otherwise I'm not sure its worth it.
The monkeys are cute and playful.

It is a valuable place to see the wild Japanese monkey up close.

Rather than saying Jigokudani Monkey Park, it would be better for people who told Snow Monkey Park to be able to communicate globally.
There are more visitors to Japan than Japanese people.

It is famous for a monkey who enters a hot spring in Jigokudani, but in winter, it is necessary to walk the forest road for 30 minutes from the parking lot and it is dangerous not to be a non-slippery shoe.
The other day, there were elderly people who broke down on the slope near the entrance of the forest road and fractured, and the ambulance was put out.

Best place to see the monkeys. 30 minutes walking. Bring good walking boots or rubber boots. It's a muddy walk up

I went there around September, but many monkeys came and healed me
If the time is not right, it will not come down from the mountain for several days, so it seems better to check in advance with a live camera or Twitter.
The road to the toll parking lot is a mountain road and it is difficult for cars to pass each other.

It was a sign that there was no monkey, but it was dinner time or it came down from the mountain and a baby monkey was riding on a rock in the hot water. Did you jump in?
Wild but mature monkeys were spending their time carelessly.

It is a very unique experience. The only downside is 30minutes walk from the bus stop to the monkey park. Other than that, the park is well recommended...

I entered a hot spring when the monkey was cold, but unfortunately it did not enter the hot spring because it was warm.

Amazing experience. One walks among/next to the monkeys and can watch them enjoy the hot springs. Nice short hike from the entrance of the park through a beautiful Forrest. Information center shows a informative short movie about the monkeys.

Natural ecology, seeing them is quite relaxed and healed

Winter 2019-2020 is too warm to see monkeys in snow or hotspring, unfortunately.

(winter visit) Inexpensive. Monkeys didnt hassle people at all, like Bali monkeys do. Best to go on a cold day I think - that way the monkeys are more likely to be in the hot pools. Fairly crowded but not frustratingly so.

This is a very beautiful place. The trail up is peaceful and relaxing, not too strenuous. We arrived around noon and the monkeys were being fed. Afterwards they got in the hot springs, seemed like a good time to be there. They monkeys were very cute. Had a great time.

It was quite a struggle to get to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. The narrow pathway uphill through the forest was a physical challenge when I had to carry my infant daughter on her stroller. Not to mention the prospect of not seeing any monkeys when we get there. In the end, we were treated to a spectacle as we got to see the Japanese macacques in their full glory.

Our spring day was relative warm, so the monkeys didn't take a dip. The park is worth a visit as it's not at all a zoo-like set-up

Remember to collect the plastic bags before going up the mountain! Otherwise the monkey will attack

Amazing monkey visit... just don't miss your bus back add we discovered today stranded in the snow with 2 little kids! Thankfully after much cajoling they sent the minivan back to collect us. Very close call!

I seemed to feed but I can see wild monkeys at hand. I heard that there were no monkeys from the way home on the way, but there were many.

I want to go again! ! Although it was not winter, the monkeys were immersed in hot springs. The best thing was to have met a child monkey. When I tried to take a picture with my baby monkey facing my smartphone I looked strangely behind my appearance in a smartphone and photographed a picture. Please be careful as it will be intimidated if you inadvertently approach a parent monkey.

Watch the monkeys bath in natural spring water in outdoor onsens made famous by the Winter Olympics held in Sapporo

From the parking lot, in the winter we walk pretty bad road anyway. Heels and sandals are forbidden. If you walk hard and walk, you take a bath with reasonable probability. At least it should not be disappointing that there are few monkeys.

Relaxing walk in the forest. Then we were shocked at how many monkeys there were. We were lucky and as we saw adults and babies. Really enjoyed the experience. We have heard that sometimes the monkeys are not around so we must have come at that right time. Highly recommended for adults and kids.