Meet Japan's snow monkeys

Japan’s most famous primates are the ‘snow monkeys’ of the Jigokudani hot springs near Yudanaka Onsen. To escape the chill of winter, the monkeys love to play in the natural hot spring baths. It’s a fantastic spectacle; unperturbed by humans and their cameras, whole families of monkeys eat, wash, splash around and even have snowball fights. While the monkeys can be seen year-round, they are particularly photogenic when the area is covered in snow during the winter months (December to March). The monkey park is accessed by a scenic mountain path just a short bus or taxi ride from the onsen towns of Yudanaka and Shibu.