Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
Open by month
Open in January — at its best. Monkeys in the snow, December to February. New Year (Dec 29 – Jan 3): open.
Open in February — at its best. Monkeys in the snow, December to February.
Open in March. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in April. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in May. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in June. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in July. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in August. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in September. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in October. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in November. No seasonal closure recorded.
Open in December — at its best. Monkeys in the snow, December to February. New Year (Dec 29 – Jan 3): open.
Checked against the official site on 2026-10-11.
Wild Japanese macaques soak in a hot spring pool, often with snow on their heads.
Nearby
- Shibu Onsen (Yudanaka-Shibu) ≈ 15 min by car
- Shiga Kogen ≈ 15 min by car
- Manza Onsen ≈ 30 min by car
- Obuse Town and Hokusai Museum ≈ 35 min by car
- Chatsubomigoke Moss Park ≈ 40 min by car
Travel times are rough estimates by car.
- Best time
- January, February, December — Monkeys in the snow, December to February
- Getting there
- 15 min by bus from Yudanaka Station, then a 35 min forest walk
- Fee
- ¥800 (¥1,000 from Dec 1, 2026)
- Booking
- In winter (Dec-Apr), visitors with web tickets get priority entry (official). official ↗
- Good to know
- Icy path in winter — wear boots. Online tickets get priority Dec–Apr
- Time needed
- 2 h
Checked against the official Japanese website on 2026-10-11. Report outdated info