John Daub: So here we are in Nagano: Jigokudani.
This place is very famous for those hot
spring bathing Japanese snow monkeys,
as you can see behind me,
really enjoying hot tub life.
And yes they are very cute.
But it's more than just a tub full of monkeys.
In this episode we're going to
be exploring how they live,
what they eat,
and of course a lot of really beautiful
shots of morning meditating snow monkeys.
Irrashaimase! (Welcome!)
Peter von Gomm: ONLY in JAPAN
John: Nagano in winter is a beautiful place.
The prefecture is mostly in the
mountains covered in snow
from December to March.
About an hour away from Nagano city
center is Jigokudani or Hell Valley.
Looks more like the North Pole down
there but there's a place with a warm
refuge in the middle of the frozen world below.
Complete with hot bath and meals for the
resident monkeys of the mountains and, in
the morning, it's a peaceful place to be.
It's a fact that the monkeys hate to get wet,
but the troop here is special.
The only place in the world where you'll see
monkeys soaking like this.
So where exactly is Jigokudani Yaen Koen?
It's an hour and twenty minutes on the
Hokuriku Shinkansen bullet train from
Tokyo Station and Nagano Station and an
hour from there by bus.
From Mount Fuji we're just to the east
of the Japanese alps to the 1300 year old
Shibu Onsen and Yamanouchi town.
The valley is in the Joshin Etsukogan
National Park: 572 square miles of forest
and mountains.
When you get to the parking lot,
you still need to go another 1.6 kilometers,
or a mile, and I'll do that for you in
less than a minute.
In winter the hike can be a little icy.
Best to be prepared for the conditions.
Snow or hiking boots are very helpful.
Because there is a lot of geothermal
heat under the ground, some spots of the
trail will be clear.
And that's how you do it.
It is a pretty long walk....
hike especially if you carry a bunch of
bags and traveling with kids but
take your time.
You don't have to go that fast.
All right let's get back in the monkey park.
Entry is 800 yen for adults 400 for kids.
The park is well maintained with bridges, steps.
The staff consistently shoveling
and plowing in winter.
And since this is an area famous for its
hot springs it means hot water and
refuge for wildlife from the cold.
The hot spring bath temperature here is
about 45 degrees Celsius where the water
comes out and 39 degrees Celsius
at the far end.
Monkeys really don't like to take baths.
Like cats, they avoid water, but a third
of this group here will soak in spots
that make them comfortable.
Others may just sit around it
like a campfire.
Takizawa: Actually, monkeys really don't like getting wet.
They won't go into the hot spring proactively.
It's cold so it can't be helped, right?
So they weigh between waiting in the cold
or going in the hot water.
John: When you see their faces
they seem so satisfied.
Takizawa: Of course they go in because they want to warm up
they feel happy when they're warm
so that's reflected on their faces.
John: But maybe there are other reasons
besides staying warm that these japanese
macaques love to soak.
Maybe it's just relaxing.
But aren't they cold when they get out?
Don't they need a towel?
The thick winter coat is super warm
and dries fast.
They don't feel the chill the
same way humans do.
Typically a monkey
will soak for up to 20 to 30 minutes.
Sometimes even longer.
The snow monkeys don't stay here for the night.
They make their way to different places each night
in the valley for safety, but coming back
here in the morning, the society on full
display for everyone who visits.
The monkeys will take shelter often in trees.
Evergreens in winter are good
for blocking cold winds.
Much of the forest is bare until spring.
As you can see there are monkeys
running all around this area.
Of course you are in their home.
This place has some rules
that you need to follow.
Keeping your distance and not petting or
feeding the monkeys is essential to keep
the monkey society from seeing human
visitors as anything but visitors.
Takizawa: Don't touch them, don't feed them.
There's a reason for this.
They'll become ferocious and aggressive to people
then we can't observe the monkeys at this distance.
Then we'll need fences and nets.
John: And seeing the young ones here playing
on the bridge we wouldn't want it any
other way.
They're not pets; they shouldn't
see us as a source of food or affection.
This is why they don't attack or harass visitors
as long as visitors don't break the rules.
In a way these rules are meant to
protect you too.
So just watch them especially the young
monkeys playing on the bridge here.
There aren't any cages here.
The monkeys roam free.
This is as far as you can go to the
front of the bath and they don't seem
shy about being photographed at all.
You can see them anytime on the park's
live webcam too.
Visitors can go down to the river.
The area bare of snow due to the natural
geothermal heat underground.
In many ways, Hell Valley is a paradise for monkeys.
Down here you can observe the monkey
society, how they work together, and
identify the bosses too.
So why does the monkey park exist?
It started in 1964 as a means
to protect them from us.
The village is just a couple of kilometers away:
Yamanouchi and Shibu Onsen.
You can see the geothermal
power at the geysers around town,
the same at the monkey park.
There are a couple of thousand people in town
and if the monkeys came this way they'd become
a menace and be trapped or get into accidents.
It's best that they stay in the valley
and the snow monkey park does just that.
Takizawa: The monkeys here haven't been
to areas people live yet.
We don't want to exterminate the monkeys
so we built this park to keep them around here
so they won't go to habited areas by humans
then we can protect them.
John: Next to the park is an old Japanese inn,
Korakukan, opened in 1864 - 100 years
before the monkey park.
It moved to its present spot in 1911.
This is the first place in Japan monkeys bathed.
An apple rolled into the bath and
monkeys went in to get it.
After that monkeys were often in the bath here.
But really it's not recommended
to bathe with wild animals.
They may be carrying stuff that you
don't want to bring home with you.
In 1970 the Japanese snow monkey was
highlighted on the cover of LIFE magazine
and they've been a curiosity ever since.
Attracting visitors from all
over the world to observe them
in their natural habitat.
The Japanese macaque is
the northernmost primate in the world.
As far north as Aomori so it really is a
unique environment meaning you won't see
them eating bananas here.
Feeding time
They're being fed oomugi, or barley, today.
Barley is full of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
Slightly nutty, chewy texture so
monkeys love it.
Takizawa-san dishes out handfuls of it all
around so everyone gets a meal.
He goes around the onsen bath,
handfuls in every corner.
They eat like this one at a time.
They only eat food that grows locally
like this barley, apples, soybeans, and
food found in these mountains.
Next he goes up the hill.
And there's peace once again.
For a few minutes all monkeys are
focused on one thing:
eating as much as they can.
Takizawa-san next goes down to the river
covering the monkeys there.
Done
for now.
The babies wouldn't survive if they were
born in winter so everything here is in
a cycle: a schedule to increase survival.
All four seasons are interesting here.
Seeing the newborn babies in spring and
mothers nursing them.
Taking their first steps and walking in
the summer, becoming playful and
adventurous.
Nagano's autumn foliage is stunning here
and they start growing their winter coats out.
Mating for the babies six
months later in the spring again.
John: Is there a monkey that loves to soak?
Takizawa: Right now there's one in the hot spring.
Her name is Tomiko-san.
She loves it the most.
John: She's always here!
John: I think Tomiko-san knew
we were talking about her.
You really get to know the monkeys after
a few days here.
Tomiko-san: Thanks for coming. See you again soon.
John: Mata ne. (See you again.)
But nothing beats being here.
Seeing our distant cousins monkeying around,
enjoying a meal and hot bath
before taking one myself.
These snow monkeys are truly ONLY in JAPAN.
And that was the Japanese
snow monkey park experience.
If you like this episode,
consider subscribing to the
ONLY in JAPAN channel
and join me on another
adventure as I take you to all the
corners of this amazing country.
Mata ne! (See you again!)