Jigokudani
The Monkeys That Bathe in Hot Springs
Imagine walking through a snow-covered forest and, suddenly, coming across a scene that seems impossible: among white trees and frozen mountains, a group of monkeys is calmly sitting in a pool of hot water. They are not escaping the cold. They are bathing.
This happens in Jigokudani, Japan, one of the most famous places in the world to observe Japanese macaques.
A Spa in the Middle of the Snow
Jigokudani is located in a mountainous region of Nagano Prefecture, where winters can be very cold and snow covers the landscape for long periods.
But underground, there is another story. The region’s volcanic activity heats water that rises to the surface in the form of hot springs. The Japanese call these waters onsen. And the macaques discovered they could use them to escape the cold.
The Monkeys That Discovered Hot Water
Japanese macaques are famous for their ability to live in some of the coldest environments inhabited by primates.
During winter, when temperatures drop and snow covers the ground, getting into a pool of hot water can help them conserve body heat. The monkeys climb into the water, stay calm, and rest while snow continues to fall around them. The scene seems almost human. But behind it lies a survival strategy.
A Family in the Water
Japanese macaques live in social groups. In Jigokudani, it is possible to observe how different members of the group stay together in the hot springs.
The young play, adults rest, and some animals seem to become completely relaxed while only poking their heads above the water. It is an extraordinary opportunity to closely observe the behavior of a wild species.
And there is something especially curious: not all macaques use the hot springs in the same way. Bathing has become a characteristic behavior of the groups living in this region.
Why Do They Bathe?
The main explanation is related to the cold. Hot water helps the monkeys maintain a comfortable body temperature during the harshest months of winter.
But the behavior also has a social dimension. Macaques live in groups and spend a lot of time together. The hot springs also become a place where they can stay close to one another while resting.
That makes bathing more than just a simple way to keep warm.
A Natural Spectacle
Jigokudani is especially spectacular during the winter. Snow covers the branches of the trees, the mountains appear white, and steam rises from the hot waters.
In the middle of all that frozen landscape, the faces of the macaques appear. Some have their fur covered in snow. Others remain with their eyes half-closed in the hot water. It looks like a scene invented for a movie. But it is completely real.
A landscape from another planet
Jigokudani belongs to the From another planet category because it seems impossible that such a scene could exist on Earth.
Snow-covered mountains, steam rising among the trees, and groups of monkeys calmly submerged in hot springs.
From a distance, it could look like an image of a frozen planet where life had found a strange way to survive. But it is not science fiction. It is Japan: a place where monkeys bathe in natural pools while the snow falls around them.
