Jigokudani Yaen-koen — the “Hell Valley Wild Monkey Park” — sits at about 850 m in the steep, steaming valley of the Yokoyu River, inside Joshin’etsu Kogen National Park. It opened in 1964 as a place where people could watch a troop of wild Japanese macaques at close range without cages or fences. The monkeys come down from the forest by day, drawn by the feed the wardens scatter, and go back into the mountains to sleep.
What made the park famous is a habit that began in the early 1960s, when young monkeys copied human bathers at the nearby Korakukan inn and climbed into its outdoor bath. A pool was later built just for them, and soaking has been handed down the generations ever since. The troop numbers roughly 150–200 animals. They bathe mostly in the cold months; in summer you are more likely to see them grooming, foraging and minding that year’s babies around the pool than sitting in it.
Top things to do: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
Walk the forest trail from Kanbayashi
The usual approach is the Yumichi trail, a broad, mostly level path of about 1.6 km through cedar forest from the trailhead at Kanbayashi Onsen. Allow 25–40 minutes each way. In winter it is packed snow and ice, so wear boots with good grip; crampons and boots can be rented at the trailhead.
Watch the pool — and everything around it
The man-made pool is the stage, but the best watching is often on the slopes and along the river: mothers carrying babies, juveniles wrestling, adults grooming in rows. There are no barriers, so the monkeys walk past within arm’s reach. Give them room and keep your hands to yourself.
Check the live camera before you set off
The park runs a live camera on its website, and it is worth a look on the morning of your visit. The monkeys are wild; on some days, especially in autumn when the mountains are full of food, they arrive late or not at all.
Come back in another season
Snow from late December to March gives the classic picture. Late April to June brings newborn babies, summer is green and quiet, and late October has autumn colour in the valley. See our month-by-month guide.
How to get there
- From Yudanaka Station: a local bus takes about 10–15 minutes to the Kanbayashi Onsen or Snow Monkey Park stops; from there it is a 30–40 minute walk in total to the park gate.
- From Nagano Station: an express bus from the East Exit runs towards Shiga Kogen and reaches the Snow Monkey Park stop in about 45 minutes. Otherwise take the Nagaden train to Yudanaka (about 45–50 minutes by limited express) and change to the bus.
- From Shibu Onsen: about 5–10 minutes by bus or ryokan shuttle to the trailhead, or 30–40 minutes on foot uphill to Kanbayashi. Full details in getting to Yamanouchi.
Insider tips
- Park hours are roughly 08:30–17:00 from April to October and 09:00–16:00 from November to March, and the park is open every day; admission is around ¥800 for adults and half that for children. Hours and fees change — check the official site before you go.
- Rules: do not touch or feed the monkeys, do not show them food or plastic bags, do not stare into their eyes or crouch face-to-face, and leave selfie sticks, drones and pets behind.
- Arrive at opening time or after 14:30 to avoid the midday tour groups. Staying overnight in Shibu or Yudanaka makes this easy.
- There is a small heated visitor room and toilets at the park, but no café inside — eat at the trailhead or in the onsen towns.
Best tours & tickets: Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park and the rest of the Yamanouchi area:
Guided day trip from US$138 Nagano: Snow Monkeys, Zenko-ji Temple & Sake Day Trip
The best-reviewed snow monkey tour on GetYourGuide by a wide margin. A local guide meets you at Nagano Station, shows you round Zenko-ji, then takes you out to Yamanouchi for lunch, a sake tasting and an unhurried afternoon with the monkeys — transport and park admission are handled for you.
- Zenko-ji Temple with a guide in the morning
- Lunch and a sake tasting included
- The forest walk to the Jigokudani monkey pool
Half-day guided tour from US$76 Nagano: Snow Monkey Park, Soba Lunch and Shibu Onsen Tour
A compact half day that covers Yamanouchi’s essentials: the walk to the monkeys, a bowl of handmade soba, and a stroll through the cobbled lanes of Shibu Onsen collecting bathhouse stamps. The lowest-priced guided option on this page.
- Guided visit to the Snow Monkey Park
- Handmade soba noodle lunch
- Shibu Onsen’s lanes and bathhouse stamp rally
Private tour from US$136 Snow Monkeys & Best of Nagano: Togakushi, Zenko-ji and More
A flexible private tour run by a local outfit: do just the snow monkeys in half a day, or extend it into a full day paired with a second sight such as Togakushi or Zenko-ji. Good when you want a guide’s eye for the quieter corners.
- Choose an efficient half day or a full day
- Private car and English-speaking guide
- Add Togakushi, Zenko-ji or other nearby stops
Coach day trip from US$149 From Tokyo: Snow Monkey 1-Day Tour with Beef Sukiyaki Lunch
The classic one-day coach trip from Tokyo and one of the most-booked snow monkey tours on GetYourGuide. It is a long day on the road, but everything is arranged: the drive into the Nagano mountains, a sukiyaki lunch and time on the trail and at the pool.
- Round trip by coach from Tokyo — no train changes
- Beef sukiyaki lunch included
- Free time at the Jigokudani monkey pool
