The hook
In the mountains of Nagano, wild monkeys have learned to do what no other wild monkeys on Earth do: sit up to their necks in a hot spring while the snow comes down, and soak.
01Why it's worth it
Japanese macaques are the northernmost monkeys in the world, built for cold, and the troop at Jigokudani worked out decades ago that the valley's steaming spring beat shivering through the winter. Now they come down daily to bathe, dozens of them, pink-faced and half-asleep in the water while snow settles on their heads, ignoring the humans a few feet away. It is one of those sights that sounds invented until you are standing in the steam watching it happen. The park feeds them nearby so they are around all year, though the classic scene needs deep winter snow.
02How to experience it
The park is in the Joshinetsu Kogen highlands near Yudanaka, a few hours from Tokyo and an easy add to a trip through the Japan Alps. From the entrance it is a two-kilometer walk through forest to the spring, lovely and a little icy underfoot in winter, so wear real shoes. December to March is when they bathe most and the scene is at its best. Keep your distance and don't feed them; they are wild animals, not an exhibit.