Winter in Japan: Snowy monkeys warm in an Onsen

To avoid the harsh cold of winter in Japan, thick fur and high resistance to cold are not enough, especially if you're a cute little macaque baby! As a result, wild Japanese macaques (also known as snow monkeys) have had to find many tips to survive and make their daily lives comfortable ... Their favorite technique: bathing in an onsen (Japanese hot spring)!

The people in Japan enjoy bathing into hot springs, accessible throughout the country for relaxation. Onsen are typically known for their medicinal and mental virtue. Apparently, Japanese macaques do exactly the same thing without using a soap and a towel...
 

Children and adults on a winter holiday in Japan are delighted to see snow monkeys bathing in a hot spring surrounded by snow and mountains. Is there anything cuter than a snow monkey baby bathing in an onsen?
If you travel to Japan during the winter, an excellent destination to see wild Japanese macaques is Jigokudani Yaen-koen (地獄谷野猿公苑) in Joshin-etsukogen National Park (上信越高原国立公園), located in Nagano Prefecture.

Access: You can reach Jigokudani Yaen-koen from Niigata (3 hours), Kanazawa (3.5 hours), Tokyo (4 hours), Nagoya (4 hours) and Osaka (6 hours) by a car. By combining a train and a bus, you can also reach Jigokudani Yaen-koen from Tokyo Station or Nagoya Station. From both stations go through JR Nagano Station, then take a train or bus until nearest bus stop, Kanbayashi Onsen. And you need 30 minutes of walk.