12 Things to Know Before Visiting Jigokudani Monkey Park (Japan Snow Monkeys)
Visiting the snow monkeys at Jigokudani Park is a real must-do while you’re in Japan. Seeing the fluffy, red-faced macaques bathing in the hot springs was certainly an experience that we’ll never forget!
We’ve spent a lot of time traveling all over Japan but Jigokudani Monkey Park remains a real standout for us. So if visiting is high on your Japan bucket list (and it should be), then this guide will cover everything you need to know to make planning your trip a breeze. From when to go to what to wear and how to get there, we’ve got you covered!
1. About Jigokudani Monkey Park
Jigokudani Monkey Park is a hot spring park that’s home to around 200 Japanese snow monkeys, who love to bathe in the hot spring when the weather is cold!
The park is perched along the edge of the Yokoyu River in Nagano, and it first opened in 1964. We were told that the hot spring was built for the snow monkeys after they were caught bathing in the onsen of a local inn. How cute is that?
Japanese macaques are called “snow monkeys” because they’re the only primates (other than humans) who are known to live in snowy climates. They’re also the only monkeys known to bathe in hot springs, so we were very excited to see this! This species is native to Japan and they’re easily identifiable by their red faces and light, fluffy coats.
The monkeys here are free to come and go as they please. The staff give them just enough food to keep them coming back, but not enough to interfere with their ecosystem or make them reliant on humans.
2. Where is Jigokudani Monkey Park?
Jigokudani Monkey Park is located here in the Nagano prefecture. This area is in the center of Honshu Island (aka Japan’s mainland), and is known for its mountains and hot springs. The region is about 225 kilometers (140 miles) northeast of Tokyo.
The Monkey Park itself is 34 ki (21 miles) from Nagano City. It takes about an hour to drive from the city center, or you can take the Nagaden Snow Monkey Express bus from Nagano Station. There’s a bit of the walk from the entrance to where the monkeys are, but more on that later.
We actually visited Jigokudani Monkey Park from Shibu Onsen, a cute hot spring town in the Nagano prefecture. The drive was just under 15 minutes, and some hotels were within walking distance of the park, so this was super easy. We’ve got more details on where to stay coming up later in this article!
3. When are the monkeys there?
Despite their name, the snow monkeys are at Jigokudani Park all year round. However, during the summer, there’s no snow and so the monkeys don’t tend to bathe in the hot springs, as it’s just too warm. To see this phenomenon, it’s best to go between October and May, with the optimal months being December to March.
4. How much is the entrance fee, and when is the park open?
The entrance fee to the park is 800 JPY ($5.50 USD) per adult, or 400 JPY ($3 USD) for children. It’s also free for kids aged 5 and under.
The park’s opening hours are from 8:30 am until 5 pm during the summer months, which are from April to October. Then, from November to March, it’s open from 9 am until 4 pm.
If you’re arriving in Nagano by train and are spending a few days in the area, you can also buy a Snow Monkey Pass from a booth in the station. This pass costs 4,000 JPY ($27.50 USD) and grants you access to the park as well as all trains and buses in the area for two days. To find the booth, head down the escalators towards the Nagano Dentetsu line station and you should see the signs. Remember to bring cash as they don’t accept credit cards.
5. What are the best tours to Jigokudani Monkey Park?
Full-Day Nagano Tour including Snow Monkeys, Zenkoji Temple & Sake Tasting
We think that this tour from Nagano is the perfect way to enjoy some sightseeing and check out the famous snow monkeys, without needing to rent a car! It tops our list not only because it’s a great all around tour, but also because it has 500+ positive reviews!
It begins at Nagano Station, but during the winter, pickup is also offered from the Kitaazumi District, which is where the ski resorts are.
The tour kicks off with a visit to Zenko-ji Temple, which is one of the most famous in Japan. We were super impressed by the big temple gates here and the history is so interesting! Then, you get to do a sake tasting at a local brewery near the temple. We had a blast when we did this and couldn’t resist buying a bottle of the amazing hand-filtered sake to take home, but of course that part is totally optional.
The day wraps up with a visit to Jigokudani Monkey Park. The tour runs year-round and allows about an hour inside the park to watch the monkeys. It costs $160 USD including lunch and free cancellation, and it promises such a fun day out.
Book this popular tour from Nagano easily here!
Half-Day Tour of Jigokudani Monkey Park and Shibu Onsen
We think that this half-day tour is perfect for those who are staying in either Iiyama or Nozawa Onsen. It’s a great way to explore a different side of the Nagano prefecture and honestly, for $69 USD per person, we think it’s a bit of a bargain – especially as that price includes Jigokudani admission tickets.
The tour begins around 1 pm and kicks off with a visit to the snow monkeys. During the summer, the tour also includes a complimentary visit to the Sake and Beer Storehouse Museum for a tasting. There’s also a traditional art gallery upstairs, which we enjoyed checking out.
Then, it’s onto the super cute town of Shibu Onsen for a guided walking tour. This is a traditional hot springs town filled with historic buildings and winding backstreets, and we absolutely loved it here. If, like us, you never say “no” to a soak, then there will be the chance to visit a local onsen for an extra 500 JPY ($3.50 USD).
All in all, this is an ideal way to visit two of Nagano prefecture’s best attractions in a single afternoon. We love the pace of this tour and the fact that there’s some time to explore independently, but at the same time you benefit from the ease of having everything planned!
Book this half-day tour here to get FREE cancellation!
Snow Monkey Tour from Tokyo with Lunch and Transport
This full-day tour is our top choice for seeing snow monkeys from Tokyo because of everything it includes at an affordable price.
Since you’re coming from Tokyo, expect about a 4-hour bus ride in each direction. The bus is comfortable with bathroom stops every 2 hours, but charge your phone before you leave because there are no USB ports onboard.
The stars of the day are the monkeys of course and watching the babies run in and out of the hot springs was adorable. If you love these little guys as much as we do, this tour will have you smiling ear to ear.
Before heading back, there’s a delicious Beef Sukiyaki lunch which is a mixture of beef and fresh veggies in a delicious soy sauce broth. We also appreciated that there’s a cafe nearby to grab some coffee before the drive back to Tokyo.
Book this snow monkey tour from Tokyo here and pay later!
Private Tour of Snow Monkey Park & Zenkoji Temple from Tokyo
We love this private tour from Tokyo because its flat rate makes it cheap for groups and hotel pick-up and drop-off means you don’t have to figure out how to get to a pick-up point in Tokyo. If you’re looking for a personalized and stress-free way to see snow monkeys, this tour was made for you.
What makes this tour even better is your first stop is one of our favorite temples in all of Japan, Zenko-ji. Built in the year 642, this Buddhist temple has a fascinating history and exploring it with a guide is the best way to see it.
We like private tours for long drives because they’re so much more comfortable and you can stop for the restroom any time you need. And with a 4-hour drive each way, this is especially important. If you prioritize comfort, book a private tour like this one and avoid a group tour!
Once you reach Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, it’s an easy 30-minute walk to the hot springs through the snow-covered forest. Since you’re not on a group schedule, you can spend extra time here enjoying the monkeys and taking pictures. This isn’t a place you want to be rushed at!
To top off a perfect day, you make a stop at the amazing Enza Cafe near the Snow Monkey Park. We love their ramen, but they have a super diverse menu to choose from!
For a VIP experience, book this private tour to see snow monkeys!
6. When is the best time to visit the Snow Monkeys?
The ideal time to visit Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park is from December to March. This is when the weather is coldest, and therefore the monkeys are most likely to be found soaking in the hot springs! Plus, the park is so pretty when it’s covered in snow.
With that being said, it’s possible to see the monkeys bathing in the onsen between October and May. However, there are never any guarantees with wild animals (or the weather!), so we would recommend visiting between December and March if possible.
Related Read: If you’re here in the winter, make sure you check out the awesome ski destination of Niseko!
7. Can you visit in the summer?
Yes, you can! The park is open year-round and the monkeys do still hang out here during the summer, they just don’t tend to soak in the onsen because it’s too warm.
We think that this tour is a great way to visit the park during summer, because during the “green season” it beefs up the itinerary with a sake tasting and temple visit, which should make up for the lack of bathing macaques!
8. How long is the walk to the snow monkeys from the park entrance?
The trail to the monkey park starts at the information center and gift shop, and is 1.6 kilometers (1 mile) long.
This takes about 25 minutes to walk during the summer, when there’s no snow on the ground. During the winter, it took us around 40 minutes, and I strongly suggest wearing a good pair of snow boots!
9. What should you wear to Jigokudani Monkey Park?
If you’re visiting during the winter, then we urge you to dress warmly! As we mentioned above, make sure to wear good footwear for the walk into the park, as the trail is covered in snow.
We visited the park in winter and it was snowing on the day we visited. We had waterproof jackets on, but our pants got soaked and we got really cold. Some of our fellow visitors had ponchos, which helped them to stay dry, or waterproof pants and an umbrella would have been ideal. Make sure you learn from our mistakes!
During the summer, the temperature can be pretty warm and the path into the park is just dirt. So basically, during the green season, just wear whatever is comfortable for you, and shoes that you don’t mind walking in.
10. Is there parking at Jigokudani Monkey Park?
Yes there is. We parked in the main lot, which is free, although spaces are limited, so it’s best to get there early in the morning or later on in the day. There were parking inspectors in the lot who showed us where to park. The main lot is just a minute’s walk from the gift shop, where the trail to the hot spring park begins.
There’s also a paid parking lot on the other side of the river that is just a 15-minute walk to the Monkey Park. Don’t worry, there’s a foot bridge! However, it’s down a very narrow access road that’s actually closed during the winter, and it can be difficult to find. For that reason, we say go for the free parking if you’re driving here!
11. Where to stay near Jigokudani Monkey Park?
We highly recommend staying in Shibu Onsen, which is a historic hot spring town about 15 minutes’ drive from the Monkey Park. We loved the traditional feel of this town, and it’s home to tons of cool ryokans in the area.
A ryokan is basically a Japanese-style inn, and they really showcase what Japanese hospitality is all about. We highly recommend staying in a ryokan at least once while in Japan, so where better to do it than this 1,300-year-old town?
Yudanaka Yasuragi
Yudanaka Yasuragi is where we stayed in Shibu Onsen and we loved it! In fact, it’s our best stay to date in Japan. It was super traditional with futon beds and a beautiful onsen that we loved soaking in. It’s a small inn with just six rooms, so it’s small and super friendly, but that means it books up fast, so don’t dawdle if you want to stay here.
What really made our stay here was the fact that the owners were just so lovely. We opted to do the kaiseki dinner for $33 USD, and it was such a fantastic experience. We enjoyed 13 different courses (yes, you read that right) and even got to cook delicious wagyu ourselves on a hot stone plate. It was easily one of the best meals we’ve had in Japan.
I would stay here again in a heartbeat! Rooms start from $110 USD/night, so this is a very budget-friendly option by local standards. We booked online in advance to lock in our rate.
Minshuku Miyama
If you ask me, the biggest draw of this ryokan is the beautiful outdoor onsen. I would be bathing all day long if I stayed here! It’s also just a 20-minute walk to the entrance of the monkey park, so it’s a super convenient location.
Minshuku Miyama also offers guests the chance to do a kaiseki dinner, which we highly recommend, as it’s such a unique cultural experience. Prices start at $100 USD per night but again, this is a very popular ryokan so we would advise you to book well in advance – the further, the better!
Kanbayashi Hotel Senjukaku
And for those looking for a luxurious stay, we think that Senjukaku is hard to beat. It’s a big, beautiful property surrounded by super scenic gardens, and both the indoor and outdoor guest onsens are just gorgeous!
Admittedly, all of this luxury doesn’t come cheap. $460 USD per night is the cheapest price that we’ve seen and like all the other hotels in this area, it books up pretty far in advance, especially during winter when all of the skiers are in town. We would recommend reserving with Booking.com to get the free cancellation option.
12. Is visiting the snow monkeys in Japan worth it?
Yes, it most definitely is! It even tops our list of the best activities around Nagano!
The snow monkeys are so cool to see and we loved watching them bathing in the hot spring. But honestly, we’d even come back here during the summer because we loved the park and the monkeys so much.
Thanks for reading!
You just can’t pass up the opportunity to see the snow monkeys in Japan! Hopefully our guide to Jigokudani Monkey Park has been helpful as you plan your visit. I know we will definitely be coming back here the next time we are in this part of Japan.
For more tips on amazing experiences here, check out all our blogs on Japan. We’ll share our favorite experiences in the cities we’ve visited along with tips on how to get around and the best tours!
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