Jigokudani Monkey Park
地獄谷野猿公苑
A hot-spring destination where the bath itself is the sightseeing.
What this place is
Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑, Jigokudani Yaen Kōen) is located in Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, about 3.5 hours from Tokyo.It is part of the Joshinetsu Kogen National Park (locally known as Shigakogen), and is located in the valley of the Yokoyu-River, in the northern part of the prefecture.The name Jigokudani, meaning "Hell's Valley", is due to the steam and boiling water that bubbles out of small crevices in the frozen ground, surrounded by steep cliffs and formidably cold and hostile forests.Originally, Japanese macaques lived in nearby mountains such as Shiga Kogen, but due to the development of ski resorts and forest clearing in the 1950s, they were driven out of their mountain habitat and came down to human settlements, becoming pests.
Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑) is one of the standout places to visit in Nagano. Give yourself unhurried time for photos, seasonal views, and nearby food stops. IC cards such as Suica, Pasmo, or ICOCA cover most trains and city buses.
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- Mineral-rich water that locals have soaked in for generations — each source has its own temperature, colour and smell.
- A bathing town you can wander in a yukata, with steam drifting between wooden inns and public baths.
- Open-air rotenburo tubs framed by mountains, river valleys or the sea, which change completely with the season.
What you can do here
- Take a day-use bath (higaeri onsen) even without staying overnight — most inns open their baths in the afternoon.
- Try the free foot baths (ashiyu) dotted around town for a quick warm-up between stops.
- Buy a bath-hopping pass and compare two or three different sources in one afternoon.
- Eat the local onsen specialities — steam-cooked eggs, puddings and vegetables sold near the sources.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
Getting there by public transport
- Nagano Dentetsu to Yudanaka + bus/walk.
- Nearest station/stop: Yudanaka.
Good to know before you go
- Wash and rinse at the shower stations before entering the tub; the bath water is shared.
- Some traditional baths still restrict tattoos — look for tattoo-friendly inns or private family baths (kashikiri).
- Bring a small towel; larger bath towels are usually rented or sold at the counter.
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