Yamanouchi,Japan
Every winter hundreds of monkeys descend from the forest to warm themselves up in the thermal water springs of Jigokudani Park. The source, located at over 2,500 meters above sea level, can reach temperatures up to 122°F, perfect to meet the needs of this unusual community.
The Jigokudani Monkey Park is located in Japan in the valley of the Yokoyu River that is born in the Shigakogen Nature Park, in the northern part of the Nagano Prefecture. Situated at an altitude of 850 meters and characterized by very harsh temperatures, the valley has become famous because it is inhabited by about 200 Japanese macaque monkeys, also called snow monkeys.
The word Jigokudani means "Valley of Hell", and this is because the valley which is surrounded by woods and steep slopes is covered in clouds of steam and hot water flowing from small crevices into the frozen ground.
The place is famous all over the world not only for the wild monkeys that populate it, but also for the presence of the "onsen" - pools of boiling hot water which flow directly from the ground and where macaque monkeys usually immerse themselves during the cold winter months.
The park is the perfect natural habitat for these monkeys - they inhabit the forest and descend from the mountains to gather food in the wild. These monkeys live far from the inhabited centers and without fences.
They are accustomed to tourists and even welcome tourists taking photos of them. In the Jigokudani Monkey Park visitors can observe monkey life and at the same time enjoy spectacular and uncontaminated nature.
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