In the valley of the Yokoyu River lies the Jigokudani Monkey Park, a mountainous area well known for its steaming mists and bubbling waters that erupt out of the frozen ground. Loads of Macaques gather around the hot springs…. Bathing, playing and meeting friends. They even entertain themselves by making snowballs and having snowball fights between themselves!!
Because of the high altitude of the springs, the area is covered in a thick snow four months a year, when you can take the best pictures, but the monkeys bathe all year round, and the area is quite beautiful in summer and autumn.
But remember…..monkey etiquette. Don't feed them, poke them, pet them, tease them, or toss snowballs at them. Don't bare your teeth at them (especially the big males), and whatever you do, don't join them in the water.