Offbeat Traveler: Jigokudani Monkey Park
By Michael Robinson, Los Angeles Times
When I lived in Chicago, a hot shower always made me feel better about winter, even if I wasn’t sure why I lived in a place where I couldn’t feel my toes after a short trek through the snow.
So I understand the joy Japanese macaques must feel when they get a chance to step out of the cold and hop into the hot springs at Jigokudani Monkey Park in Nagano, about 150 miles northwest of Tokyo. (Kazuhiro Nogi / AFP/Getty Images)
Park admission costs 500 yen, about $6. It is open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. in winter, and 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. in summer. Visitors are likely to see more of the monkeys in the hot springs in winter. (Hiro Komae / Associated Press)
