Snow Monkeys

Today was time to see the Snow Monkeys. They are located up in the Mountains of Nagano about an hours train ride followed by a 15 minute bus ride and theeeeeen a walk up a steep hill and a 2km walk through the forest.

After finally reaching the very small village located next to a steam geyser all of a sudden these monkeys just started appearing from nowhere, first one, then another and then behind us and you then start to see them everywhere once you can distinguish them from the bush and rocks.

We paid our 500yen to go into the park which basically followed a river up into the mountain further. Once we went around the first corners there were monkeys everywhere, i'm not talking a few im talking a couple of hundred all doing their own little things, cleaning themselves, playing, fighting and even doing one another. :)

We walked further along the path with the monkeys following us, it was so weird having them walk near you and they aren't even bothered that your there. At the end of the trail there is a man made bath made out of rocks with hot spring water pumped into it. The monkeys sit in this bath to keep warm and clean themselves. There were little baby monkeys in their with their parents, some were scared of the water screaming when their parents would slightly dip them into the water. Others were little water baby's swimming like mad all around the pool.

It was quite an amazing site to see that many monkeys up close and not being disturbed by people taking pictures and even young kids screaming with excitement.

Check out the photo's.