Japanese Macaques

The Prefecture of Nagano is often named ‘The roof of Japan’. This is a mountainous area in the centre of the island of Honshu, where a lot of hot springs are located. The cold climate and abundant snowfalls make the Japanese Alps the real Mecca for lovers of winter sports. But there are much more wonderful things than good mountain skiing here. In the mountainous canyon Jigokudani (which means ‘Hell Valley’), there is a park of monkeys who indulge themselves having a bath. They are Japanese (or snow) macaques – the only monkeys adapted to living in the cold climate.