Jigokudani Monkey Park
It is not difficult to see why countless visitors flock to the famous “hell” in Nagano Prefecture especially in winter. The world-famous “Snow Monkey Park” is located in the Valley of Yokoyu River in northern Nagano, where steep cliffs and steaming hot springs in the area resemble harsh hell-like conditions — but in a picturesque kind of way. Hence the park name Jigokudani, which literally means “Hell Valley” in Japanese. Thanks to the heavy snow that the park receives each year, we are able to watch families of Japanese macaque monkeys happily bathe in roasting hot springs up close. Hell Vall...