Retired Nomads Part 4: Nagano, Japan

March 19

Our last day was a trip to see the snow monkeys (Japanese Macaques) in the natural hot springs. I was most nervous about this guide showing up. It was booked through Get Your Guide and the company they used contacted us saying their credit card service wasn’t working and could we pay cash. We were already paid in full. They then said we could cancel the reservation and then pay them cash. Uh, no. They said OK they would send their best guide, and tour would go as planned. I suspect they were trying not to pay Get Your Guide their percentage. It also listed a very ambitious itinerary which using Google maps would not work. I think it was the itinerary if you were staying in or around Nagano.

Host of the 1998 Winter Olympics, Nagano is an outdoor sports mecca particularly famous for skiing and snowboarding. Often called the "roof of Japan," it boasts the highest mountain ranges in the country. It’s also where the Snow Monkeys that keep warm in the natural hot springs are.

Our guide Sarfraz was very early to pick us up. He said if he didn't get a jump on the traffic, it would take hours to get into the city from where he lived. He said he was down in the parking garage and had been napping until it was time for the tour to start. We didn't know how to get there so he said he would come to the back entry. Good plan except it was blocked for only buses so we walked to where they let him park briefly while he picked us up.

In case you were thinking Sarfraz didn't sound very Japanese you would be right. He was from Pakistan and observing Ramadan. Since Greg had worked many years ago in Pakistan for a few months they had things to talk about. He was super nice, and we discussed the plan for the day. He mentioned stopping at other places but said most people opt to spend all of their time with the monkeys. We agreed. It was snowing pretty heavily and honestly; we didn't need to see more temples in this weather.

fresh snow outside of our hotel in Tokyo

views from the car

We made a couple of comfort breaks and finally arrived after about 3.5 to 4 hours to get there. He got stuck in the snow trying to go up the hill to the cafe but finally got it out. He said we should just walk from there.

The park is officially called the 'Jigokudani Yaen Koen' or Jigokudani Monkey Park. It has long been thought that the primary reason why the monkeys bathe is to survive the cold of winter hence the common sight of numerous monkeys in the hot spring. However, recent research has shown that the monkeys do so as a form of stress relief with a particular tendency for pregnant (or females attempting to become pregnant) monkeys to spend longer periods soaking.

The resort had hoped the natural hot springs would be a draw for their guests to use, however the monkeys took it over, so they created a park so the springs could be just for them. So, it is now a draw for another reason. The monkeys are wild and are free to come and go. Sarfraz told us that in the summer they run all over the surrounding town. They do use the hot springs year-round, though winter is the best season.

The monkeys are fed by park staff two to three times a day. They are usually given barley seed or soybeans with apples handed out during green season. The monkeys were first fed in the 1950s to keep them interested in the region in and around the park. During that period, the development of nearby ski resorts forced the troop out of the mountains and into areas of human habituation, where they learned to raid farms for crops and vegetables.

Local farmers were understandably frustrated by this and saw the monkeys as pests. One of the founding reasons for the park was to give the monkeys somewhere to go where they'd be safe and feeding was first introduced in an effort to get them to stay put, for their own safety.

We hoped cafe would stand out as there were other buildings we passed. We didn't need to worry it was obvious. We ordered some pizzas which were quite good.

Enza cafe near the snow monkeys

Teriyaki chicken pizza

walking from the cafe

Now, it was time to trek to the monkeys. We came across a gift shop and I popped in hopes of finding a magnet. (they had some cheesy looking ones, so I didn't get one)

me heading to the gift shop

Then we entered the first area and finally came to a sign that said 1.3 km to the monkeys. It snowed soft to hard while we hiked to get to them. It really was pretty. It wasn't too slippery, and we were trying to be careful.

The tricky part in the snow was the steps to get into the park that didn't have handrails.

Once in the park we still had quite a bit to walk. Maybe it was the weather, but it seemed farther than the signs said.

We came across a few monkeys close to the trail, but we hadn't reached the springs yet.

the ones by the trail were the first ones we saw

resort

part of the steps had handrails

inside the admission area (where they had great magnets)

crossing the bridge to the springs

We spent quite a bit of time with them, and it wasn't very crowded. There were lots of monkeys all over the mountains and in the springs. It was pretty full of them until a guy came out with some food and some followed him.

They were running past us and brushing up against us or were sitting right next to us. There was a large male making trouble with lots of screeching and running about. It was snowing the whole time.

the water was steaming

you can see the snow streaks in the photos

this one came and sat right next to us

they were all over the mountain

almost got the shot

back over the bridge to hike back

Japanese serow high up the mountain

On the way back we came across a Japanese serow high up from the trail. It is a Japanese goat-antelope, an even-toed ungulate. It is found in dense woodland in Japan, primarily in northern and central Honshu. The serow is seen as a national symbol of Japan and is subject to protection in conservation areas. Someone on the trail pointed it out to us and told us what it was. We could only see the back end of it.

Sarfraz was eager to show us more of the area, but we were fine with just going back to Tokyo.

Here is the tour description:

Jigokudani Monkey Park - Snow Monkey Tour with Get Your Guide

Hotel Lobby 8:00 Pick up at hotel Drive (1.5 hours) took almost 4 hours maybe due to the snow

Jigokudani Monkey Park - Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (1 hour) Needs more hours here)

Zenko-ji Temple Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (1 hour)

Matsushiro Castle Ruins Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (1 hour)

Nagano Prefecture Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (1 hour)

Shibu Onsen Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing (1 hour)

Obuse Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing (1 hour)

Yamanochi Photo stop, Visit, Guided tour, Sightseeing, Walk (1 hour)

Nagano Car (1.5 hours) – took 3.5 hours

The guide was nice and said he’d take us anywhere even when we got back to Tokyo as he had no one at home waiting for him. In better weather we would have done way more and taken him up on the offer. We said just drop us off at the hotel. The snow was gone in Tokyo and the evening was OK.

We dropped our things and went for dinner. We desperately were trying to find anything but noodles, but it seemed that's what every restaurant had. We finally found a place full of young people.

this 3D cat was supposedly a "must-see"??

Godzilla

restaurant

"free" with seating charge

fried chicken

pork dish

Snow Monkeys - Nagano, Japan https://photos.app.goo.gl/JyjPtrSY9PQQ78SG7

March 20 - Travel Home

We had our last chocolate croissant from the Groove Hotel ice cream/pastry shop, and we finished packing and went to wait for the airport bus. It was a bit windy and cold but not snowing!

We had plenty of time at the airport and I got some final magnets. We had Indian curry and naan for lunch. Both of our flights went without issue, and we watched movies, read, played games and slept. Got to Orlando and picked up the rental car and made it home for a late night to bed.