Discover Japan’s Magical Snow Monkeys | Winter Adventure in Nagano 🇯🇵
Welcome back to TravelM&S Today we’re in Nagano Home to the famous hot spring loving snow monkeys of Jigokudani Monkey Park We stayed at Courtland hotel right across Nagano Station. It’s walking distance to the bus stop that takes us straight to the monkey park. Having a 7-Eleven right next door is also a big plus ! This is where we will be going to wait for the bus. We got to the bus stop early, but there was already a queue. Luckily, we made it onto the first bus of the day ! The first express bus to the Snow Monkey Park leaves at 9:00AM sharp. We wanted to secure our spots on the bus. So that we can avoid the crowd later at the park. If you buy your Snow Monkey Pass online. You’ll need to pick it up inside Nagano Station at the ticket counter. We made a separate video walking you through that process. Check the link in the description if you need details. The bus was completely full. Some people even had to sit in the middle aisle. Which was really interesting. because the seating arrangement is new to us. By the way, Nagano is also one of Japan’s top ski destinations. The bus journey takes about 45-60 minutes. On the way, we passed through foggy mountain roads. Stunning Northern Alps views, and classic winter snow scenery. We reached the bus stop. But here’s the catch, the park entrance isn’t right there you’ll need to walk. There’s a vending machine with cute Pikachu designs at the bus stop area. There’s a toilet near the entrance The paths were super slippery, even with snow boots So we put on crampons for extra grip Honestly, I didn’t think they’d make much difference, but wow they really helped ! Hi from TravelM&S ! The are cute direction signs to the entrance Looks like they are having a great time ! Along the way you’ll find a food truck selling roasted sweet potatoes and coffee. But we had already filled up at 7-Eleven. At the park entrance, there’s a gift shop where you can rent snow gear. Store luggage, or grab last minute winter essentials. If you come here, do wear proper winter shoes. Because we saw plenty of people slipping and falling on the trail. From here, it’s about a 45-minute walk to reach the snow monkeys. The hike is beautiful, tall trees, mountain views, and a magical winter vibe. Everyone was excited and in good spirits. And you really feel the anticipation build as you get closer. We met someone in the bus who is also from Australia who slipped lightly on the trail. But we grabbed on to her bag to help keep her steady. It’s good to watch out for each other during the journey. Words can’t capture how stunning and otherworldly the walk through the forest is. You really have to be here to feel its magic and beauty. We stopped at a bridge leading to Jigokudani Hot Spring Korakukan. Where you can actually stay overnight and bathe with the monkeys ! Definitely a bucket list experience for the brave. This is the entrance ticket price if you choose to buy your tickets at the gate. With the Snow Monkey Pass, you can skipped the ticket line and headed straight in. Just walk up the left hand lane, and someone will check your pass and let you in. Lockers are available if you need to store belongings. And then, finally we saw the Snow Monkeys ! Some were lounging in the hot spring Others climbing around, and a few giving us curious stares. Here’s a bit of history: Back in the 1960s Monkeys used to sneak into a ryokan’s outdoor hot spring. Guests weren’t thrilled about sharing their bath. So the park created a dedicated hot spring just for the monkeys. And that’s the pool you see today. Fun fact: females and young monkeys are the main bathers. Alpha males rarely enter the pool. They patrol outside to protect their status. Occasionally, young males sneak in, but older males will chase them out. We even saw some monkey drama unfold right in front of us! We even saw some monkey drama unfold right in front of us ! Some of the monkeys were munching on sunflower seeds scattered by park rangers inside and around the pool area. High ranking females claimed the best spots. Often with babies clinging to them. An absolutely heart melting sight. You can see the baby clinging tightly to its mother’s chest. We ended up spending almost two hours here. Watching their natural behavior is absolutely captivating ! Get ready for an adorable moment ! Fights do happen regularly here But they break up almost as soon as the fight starts. On the way out, we stopped by the souvenir shop. Lots of cute snow monkey merch, luggage tags. They even have a display of monkey skeletons which we felt was a little random. There’s also a spot where you can touch sample monkey fur and try the adorable eki stamps. By the time we left, the queue for tickets was massive. Another reason to grab the pass ahead of time ! This is the natural hot spring steam vent. You will find them around onsen areas in Japan. As we walked back, we spotted a lone monkey sitting on a railing. Posing like a total celebrity for everyone’s cameras. When the sunlight broke through the tall trees. The forest turned golden. Absolutely magical. If you have extra time, check out Enzo Café near the park entrance. They’re famous for their “Monkey Marshmallow Latte” We didn’t try it this time, because we didn’t have time. But it’s definitely on our list for next visit. Here’s the toilet near the park entrance. You can see the Northern Alps here. We are walking back to the bus stop. To catch the bus back to Nagano Station. And that wraps up our visit to Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park. This was one of the highlights of our Japan trip. A must visit if you’re ever in Nagano. We’ll see you in the next video. If you enjoyed this video, please give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more great content ! Thanks for watching !
Discover everything you need to know for an unforgettable trip to Nagano’s famous Snow Monkey Park ! In this video, we cover how to get there, ticket prices, the hotel we stayed in and insider travel tips for making the most of your visit.
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Where to collect the Snow Monkey Day Pass video link:
Website to buy Snow Monkey Day Pass:
00:00 – Intro/Highlights
00:44 – Nagano Station
01:45 – Snow Monkey Park Bus Stop
03:01 – Snow Monkey Park Info & Gift Shop
03:17 – Forest walk to Snow Monkey Pool
04:55 – JiJigokudani Hot Spring Korakukan (Ryokan)
05:51 – Snow Monkey Park ticket gate
06:55 – Snow Monkey Pool
10:59 – Snow Monkey Park Souvenir Shop
12:34 – Snow Monkey Top Model
13:04 – Forest walk back to bus stop
14:13 – Enza Cafe
15:36 – Bus trip back to Nagano Station
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