A complete photography guide to Jigokudani Snow Monkey park

Find out how ot explore the Jigokudani Snow Monkey park with this photography guide: how to get to the park, and best photography tips!

Before planning my trip to Japan, I knew I wanted to see some iconic places: Tokyo, Kyoto, Mt. Fuji,… After doing some research, I found out that Japan has very special wildlife. Did you know that one species of monkey lives in snowy areas? And these species of monkeys are in Japan?

This post is about the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, situated close to Nagano, where, especially during winter, it is possible to see the famous Japanese Macaque, also known as Snow monkeys, in their natural habitat, swimming in the hot springs, surrounded by a snowy and freezing landscape.

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Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park photography guide

How to get to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park
What is the best season to photograph Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park?
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park: photography tips
The ethical side of the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park photography guide

How to get to the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park

Getting to the Jigokudani monkey park can seem complex, but it is not. I highly recommend taking the snow monkey pass. This pass costs 3600JPY and it covers both the transportation from Nagano to the Monkey Park entrance and the ticket to access the Monkey Park. Unless you rent a car, this pass is cheaper than taking a transportation method and buying the ticket separately. This ticket is valid for 2 days, and it was my chosen way to visit the Jigokudani Monkey Park.

There are two options from Nagano. A direct bus and a train + bus combination. As I will mention later, getting there early is essential, so I strongly recommend taking the train + bus when going and the direct bus to do the return trip to Nagano.

What is the best season to photograph Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park?

The answer to this question is very simple. Winter. Winter is the best season to visit the Snow Monkey Park. Not only because the snow, mist and occasional rain/sleet will make your photos look amazing. Winter is the best season because it’s when it’s more likely to see the monkeys.

Although it can feel a bit like it, it’s not a zoo. Monkeys descend from the mountains to the onsen pools, and they have 2 reasons to do so: food and weather conditions.

Early in the morning, the workers of the park throw some food into the onsen area, so monkeys descend. However, during the summer, fewer monkeys come to the onsen area. It can get warm in the area, and the shade of the forest is way more comfortable than the warm onsen pools. Instead, in winter, monkeys get in the water or nearby, play, and enjoy the warmth of the onsen water.

Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park: photography tips

Here you have the top 8 tips to make the most out of your trip to the Jigokudani monkey park! Enjoy the Snow Monkey Photography guide!

Wake up early if you want to see the monkeys

Monkeys wake up early and have breakfast early. The park opens at 9, and it is then that the park workers throw some food into the onsen to call the monkeys. This is when they are more active, when they might take a bath in the onsen and when the young ones will be playing and fighting. After 10-11 am, the activity level is reduced, and the chance of taking unique photos decreases. Be there at 9, it is worth it.

Jigokudani snow Monkey Park photography guide by aniolvisuals — Grooming at 9am

Winter is the best season

They are called snow monkeys for a reason. As I mentioned above, winter is the best season for visiting the Jigokudani monkey park. If you look for reviews online, the experience between those who visit with everything covered in snow, frozen and those who find mud and sun is radically different. If you want to take photos, I would seriously think twice before visiting the park after February or March. Luckily for us, there is a very useful tool, a cam broadcasting live from the park 24/7. It’s a great way to check if there is snow or not when you are planning to visit.

Jigokudani Monkey Park baby monkey by aniolvisuals — It is during winter that macaques swim in the hot springs

Don’t take only close-ups

When taking pictures of moving animals, it is not easy to frame them. This is why I recommend giving some air to the picture, and if necessary, crop later when processing the image. Just imagine taking a beautiful portrait of a snow monkey with its babies, and then realising that part of an ear is missing.

Jigokudani Monkey Park snow monkey eating by aniolvisuals — An almost perfect image, the lack of air on the top kills it

Observe the monkeys behaviour

If you follow my tips 1 and 2, it is likely that at least for 30 minutes, you will have quite a lot of space to move and shoot. Take lots of SD cards, but also observe. Play with the mist, frame the monkeys with the surroundings and observe their behaviour. Monkeys have an amazing resemblance to us (thank you, Darwin!), and their facial expressions can turn a normal photo into something unique.

Jigokudani Monkey Park by aniolvisuals — Surprise!

Get at eye-level for more powerful photos

When taking children’s portraits, one of the most common tips is: get to their eye level, and they will not fear (or not as much) the camera and you. With the monkeys, the same tip applies, but for slightly different reasons. Perspective is everything, and by getting on your knees, the power that the image of a monkey can reflect changes a lot.

Jigokudani Monkey Park guide by aniolvisuals — A powerful Japanese Macaque

Avoid eye contact with the monkeys

This tip is intimately related to tip 5. If getting to the monkey eye level puts both of you at the same level, by making eye contact with the camera, the power of the image will change completely. However, avoid looking at them for long periods in the eyes, or showing our teeth, as this can be interpreted as a challenge and start a fight.

Pro tip! If your camera has an eye-recognition technology, even if it has not been developed to be used with animals, it usually works with primates, and macaques are very similar to us! Focusing on the eyes and getting sharp images is everything!

Be respectful

We all want to get a unique shot, see the monkeys and enjoy our time in the park. Being respectful, not only to other visitors but also to the monkeys and the area, should not be a point in this guide, but my experience there taught me that some tourists should learn that animals are living creatures too. Keep your trash and do not bother the animals. Remember that we are the visitors in their natural habitat

Jigokudani snow Monkey Park by aniolvisuals

Wear appropriate clothes

Getting to the monkey park is easy, but to reach the entrance, there is a 20-30-minute walk crossing the forest. This is a very beautiful route, but if you are visiting during winter, beware of your steps, ice and snow make the path slippery. At the beginning of the path, there is a house where crampons can be rented.

Taking photos at -10 degrees Celsius is difficult. Bring some good gloves, and if possible, some photography gloves.

Jigokudani Monkey Park photography by aniolvisuals — I also met the Joker!

The ethical side of the Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park photography guide

I am not an activist, and I don’t want to make an ethical claim here. Yet, I feel I have to mention some things regarding this experience. This is a photography and travel blog, and I don’t conceptualise travelling or taking photos without being respectful and socially compromised. Some posts online mention that during summertime monkeys are forced to visit the onsens, that they are only visible because they are given food, and even in some cases that violence towards the monkeys has been seen.

My experience, as has been described, was different; monkeys were there when I arrived, but it was also at -10 Celsius degrees. This is the reason why I recommend visiting early in the morning and during winter, to experience the authentic behaviour of the snow monkeys. Be critical of what you see, and make decisions based on all available information.

Hope you enjoyed the Snow Monkey Photography guide! If you want to see more of my work in Japan or any of my other trips, visit my Instagram!