totomai.net: Macaque

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Macaque

It is rainy season right now in the Philippines but it still feels like summer. I kind of miss the Japan weather and made me remember one of the the last trips I had - a date with the Japanese macaque or popularly known as snow monkeys.

I went at Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park last January twice. First one was via bus tour, second one was via a private car. I must say I enjoyed the latter. This is because you can take control of your time, and you are not in a hurry. In case you take the bus tour, the tour company gives you a limited time and considering that there are lots of bus tours, expect the place to be overcrowded. Going to the place takes time already. You cannot enjoy it that much. The park is closed every Monday, entrance fee is 500 yen.

photo by Manong

The Jigokudani Yaen-koen is located in the Valley of Yokoyu River which takes its water from Shiga-Kogen of the Jyoshinetsu-Kogen National Park in the northern part of Nagano prefecture. Looking at the very steep cliffs and the fountains of hot water, people started to call the valley ‘Jigokudani (Hell valley)’. The altitude is 850 meters, winter seasons in Jigokudani is so harsh, for example, temperatures drops to 10 degrees below zero and snow falls over 1 meter. more here

the warmth of hot springs

a refuge to snow monkeys
and loveless humans

/totomai

Going back there with a friend via a private car, we arrived before the park opens so we were able to roam around the area. And when the park opens, we were the first one to enter. It was completely different as if the park was all ours. We got a chance to take photos of the snow monkey freely. When we decided to go down, that is time bus tour companies had arrived. Snow monkeys in hot springs up close!!!

Also, don't be disappointed if you there will be no monkey when you visit. The park cannot control the monkeys to show up. It’s their sanctuary of sort. Snow monkeys roam freely in the area and are used to the presence of tourists.