Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-05 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
Jigokudani Monkey Park is in Yamanouchi, in the valley of the Yokoyu River in northern Nagano, within Jōshin'etsu-kōgen National Park (locally known as Shiga Kōgen). Its name, “Hell's Valley”, comes from the steam and boiling water that bubble out of small cracks in the frozen ground, among steep cliffs and cold, forbidding forest. The Japanese macaques that live here once lived in the mountains around Shiga Kōgen, but ski-resort building and forest clearing in the 1950s drove them down towards the villages.
Our source puts the park about three and a half hours from Tokyo. We have not checked the route, the walk in, opening hours or fees, so check local information before you go.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- Jigokudani hotspring in Nagano Japan 001 — Yosemite · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- 地獄谷野猿公苑 (52639714203) — 迷惘的人生 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · resized
- 地獄谷野猿公苑-紀念品商店 (52637840843) — 迷惘的人生 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · resized
- 地獄谷野猿公苑-Snow Monkey (52738030396) — 迷惘的人生 · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source · resized
- Tourists and Japanese macaques at the Jigokudani Yaen-koen — Abasaa · Public domain · source · resized
- Road to Jigokudani Yaen-koen 01 — Abasaa · Public domain · source · resized
- Onsen Monkey — Asteiner · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Onsen Macaque — Asteiner · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
- Nagano Monkeys — Bilovitskiy · CC BY 4.0 · source · resized
- Jigokudani YaenKouen (Monky park) , 地獄谷 野猿公苑 - panoramio (9) — z tanuki · CC BY 3.0 · source · resized
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.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-05 · 地獄谷野猿公苑【公式】 | 営業時間と料金 · 地獄谷野猿公苑【公式】 | お知らせ | 料金改定に関する大切なお知らせ
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Animals
Getting there
We do not have step-by-step transit directions for this spot yet. Open the location on Google Maps for routes from where you are staying.
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