Top 10 Scenic Wonders of Japan: Jigokudani Monkey Park’s Hot Springs Even Monkeys Love
Last updated 2026-09-25 — Is there a hot spring so comfortable that even monkeys fight to soak in it with humans? It’s the Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture. This unique sight has even been ranked among the top ten most desired scenic spots in Japan by foreign tourists.
By / MOOK Scenic Spots Home Travel Life Network Editorial Team Compilation and Report
Is there a hot spring so comfortable that even monkeys fight to soak in it with humans? It’s the Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park in the mountains of Nagano Prefecture. This unique sight has even been ranked among the top ten most desired scenic spots in Japan by foreign tourists.
Nagano’s Jigokudani Valley has gained fame for its snow monkeys that love soaking in hot springs. (Photo / Koichi Kamoshida)
The Jigokudani Wild Monkey Park is located in the Yokoyu River valley at an altitude of 850 meters in Shiga Kogen, within Japan's Joshinetsu Kogen National Park.About one-third of the year, this area remains harshly covered in deep snow. Due to the steep cliffs and rising steam from hot springs, ancient people referred to this place as “Jigokudani” (Hell Valley). Japan often names places in the deep mountains that emit steam and the smell of sulfur “Jigokudani.” You may know of several “Jigokudani” in Japan—for example, there’s one in Hokkaido and another in Kyushu. But among them,Nagano’s Jigokudani Valley is uniquely renowned as a hot spring paradise for wild monkeys. Tens of thousands of visitors travel long distances to these remote mountains every year just to catch a glimpse of the monkeys’ lazy, cozy, and red-faced charm as they relax in the hot springs.
The sight of snow monkeys enjoying their hot spring bath is both adorable and heartwarming. (Image source / guide.travel.co.jp)
The sight of snow monkeys enjoying their hot spring bath is both adorable and heartwarming. (Photo / Koichi Kamoshida)
These wild monkeys earned the nickname “snow monkeys” because they are often seen nestled in hot springs with their heads covered in snow due to the year-round snowy conditions in Nagano.
It’s common to see monkeys soaking together and sharing family time in the hot springs. (Photo / Koichi Kamoshida)
When winter temperatures plummet and the valley is blanketed in snow, these clever animals have found a cozy way to live. Observe their contentedly flushed faces, foraging for food in the snow before returning to the hot springs to warm up. Here you can see baby monkeys playing in the water, adult monkeys huddled close together, and monkeys of all sizes helping each other pick off lice. Their carefree expressions help visitors forget all their worries.
The park has special hot spring baths dedicated to the snow monkeys. (Image source / guide.travel.co.jp)
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