basic information

Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen are the two most prominent of more than half a dozen hot springs, clustered together in Yamanouchi Town in northern Nagano Prefecture. The area is most famous for its so called "snow monkeys", wild Japanese monkeys who are enjoying the naturally hot waters just like the human visitors.

Jigokudani Yaen Koen or "Jigokudani Monkey Park" is the chosen home of more than one hundred Japanese Macaques, Japan's indigenous monkeys. The park is located in a valley, named "Hell Valley" for the volcanic activities to be observed there, and features a hot spring pool for exclusive use by monkeys.

The monkeys enjoy bathing especially during the cold winter months, when the air temperature drops below freezing and the valley is covered by a thick layer of snow. But even in the summer they take occasional baths, sometimes allured by food thrown into the pool by park wardens.

Korakukan

Monkey Park

Hot springs for use by humans can be found further down the valley. The Korakukan, a wooden onsen ryokan, stands just below the monkey park, while dozens of ryokan with hot spring baths are located in and around Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen. Shibu Onsen with its narrow streets offers a particularly nice atmosphere.

Several ski resorts are located not far from Yudanaka, mainly in Shiga Kogen (Shiga Highland), the site of some olympic ski competitions in 1998. If you continue beyond Shiga Kogen, you will get to the spectacular volcanic landscape around Mount Shirane and eventually to Kusatsu Onsen.

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how to get there

How to get to Yudanaka and Shibu Onsen:

From Nagano Station (100 minutes, 8000 Yen from Tokyo Station by JR Nagano Shinkansen), take the Nagaden Railway to Yudanaka Station, the terminal station. The one way journey by limited express takes 45 minutes and costs 1230 Yen.

Yudanaka Station is located in the center of Yudanaka Onsen. Nagaden buses provide access from Yudanaka Station to Shibu Onsen (5 minutes, 160 Yen), Kanbayashi Onsen (15 minutes, 220 Yen), Shiga Kogen (30 minutes, 700 Yen) and Mount Shirane (70 minutes, 1630 Yen, not operating in winter).

How to get to the Monkey Park:

To access the monkey park, take the bus from Yudanaka Station to Kanbayashi Onsen, from where you can reach the park in a 30 minute walk along a walking trail. Alternatively, there is a road from Shibu Onsen to within a 10-15 minute walk from the monkey park, however, the road gets closed in winter.

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hotels & ryokan

Shibu Hotel A friendly ryokan with natural onsen in Shibu Onsen. You can stroll to the Monkey Park. Free shuttle also available. Yudanaka Seifu-so A traditional ryokan with wooden building by Yudanaka Station. Unique onsen - private, open-air, apple, leaf baths etc. Shimaya Ryokan An affordable ryokan providing free shuttle to Jigokudani Monkey Park. Enjoy 100% natural hot spring of Yudanaka Onsen. Hotel Shirakaba-so 3 min to the gate of Shiga Kogen ski resort. Free internet, private bath and outdoor bath. 45 min to the Monkey Park. Hotel Yudanaka 8 different baths. 3 min from Yudanaka station. No curfew. Dorm rooms, laundry, barbecue and Japanese pub available.

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