Shimotakai County

The Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑), located in Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, Japan – often referred to as the Snow Monkey Park – is home to a very special troop of monkeys. Created in 1964, the park was established as a conservation area in which the monkeys would have a refuge within what was already their natural habitat. Once in the park, the naturally-curious monkeys observed humans using the hot spring (Onsen) of a nearby guesthouse and before long, started copying the behavior. The rest as they say, is history.