Snow Monkey Park
From Matsumoto I took a train, a bus, and walked to get to this point.
After getting to the entrance to the park, there is a steep uphill climb. It seems like everything in Japan is uphill!
Finally! The snow monkeys!
Monkeys everywhere seem to be picking bugs off each other, even when they are in the onsen.
See the paper cup in the yellow pack? A monkey came out of the onsen and attacked the cup! The man with the big camera was able to get his pack away from the monkey. They kind of look like people, but they are wild animals.
There were lots of foreign tourists at the monkey park. One of my students told me that Japanese people can see monkeys all over Japan, so this isn't such a novelty for them.
Food is thrown out on the snow to keep the monkeys around the onsen area.
10 comments:
I'd love to go there some day when I get a chance to go back to Japan. A lot of people don't like the monkeys because they can be so aggressive (and, I think because the moneys are smart enough to know how to get what they want in that way). I was once up around Lake Chuzenji and it was pouring rain one night. I saw a group of 3 monkeys, looking just like a tough teenage gang in the street, run into a shop and then dash out towards the lake's banks. The store owner told us that the monkeys regularly steal yokon (jelly like sweets) from the shop. Their favorite flavor was green tea, and they identify the right boxes, and ignored the others. It was quite entertaining for my friend and I, but obviously not so much for the shop owner.
Hi Pamela what amazing pics you got it all looks so pretty with the snow and i thought monkeys only lived in hot places like the jungle,i have learnt alot from you post today thankyou for sharing my friend xx
How amazing and interesting, Pam, and beautiful pictures, too ! Your posts allow us to travel through Japan, and discover new things. THANKS for that :D
XOXO
Nadine
Many snow monkeys! My experiences with monkeys in India would make me very wary of getting close to them. Monkeys can be scary. I'm happy to admire them from a distance - or through your photos!
I love these pictures. Their monkey faces look so wise. I always wonder what animals think, because I believe they do think more than humans think they do.
xx, Carol
I think those monkeys really wanted to post for you! When I was there, they all looked the other way, sigh!
Thanks for sharing. I'd seen a short video clip of snow monkeys on tv but you give more context. Amazing how close people are to them. I'm glad your out sightseeing - one of my favorite occupations, too.
Wow these pictures and reading about your experience is such a treat!
Lots of snow. I suppose being in a 'hot tub' in the middle of snow while everyone photographed you would be a kick.
Stay warm!
I've been looking forward to your monkey pictures, and here they are :) And they sure seem to be enjoying themselves - onsen and getting bugs picked off, that's a full spa day with snacks for them! Seeing those pictures I always imagine there faces are red because of the hot water, but I'm pretty sure that's not the case :D
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