Today, we drove three hours to Nagano (the neighboring prefecture to Gunma) to see wild monkeys! The roads were icy and snowy and the scenery beautiful as we drove out of Gunma into the snow covered trees and mountains of Nagano. Nagano is certainly famous for its beautiful scenery and amazing skiiing...it was the host city to the 1998 Olympics, so many foreigners visit Nagano every year. I don't think I saw so many foreign tourists in one spot in Japan besides Tokyo!
As we reached Nagano, we veered off of the main highway and onto smaller roads which led us to a smaller town where we parked our car. From here, tourists must walk 1.6 km to the monkey onsen on a slippery, but beautiful snowy path. Once you arrive to the destination, you will be amazed by the site!
At the onsen, dozens of monkeys take refuge in the hotel pool for warmth and relaxation; very similar to the behavior of humans on a cold winter day. The temperature was probably around -4C...so that is why you will see me all bundled up in the photos. We stayed at the onsen taking pictures for about 1 hour. The monkeys are free to wander and walk around the humans without any fences or gates for protection. Tourists must be respectful and keep their distance; however, the monkeys do not seem frightened in the least. Many monkeys casually walked right next to me, searching for food under the snow or carrying their babies on their backs. It was so much fun to watch the monkeys interact with each other and to see how popular this place really is for tourists.
There were amateur and professional wildlife photographers gathered together at the base of the pool, taking close-up shots of the monkeys. CNN News Network was also present, interviewing tourists about their impressions of the monkeys and the onsen in general. I was asked to be interviewed since I live in Japan and I'm also from America. The reporter was interested in my impressions of the monkeys as well as the environmental issues that become ever present when humans and wild animals mingle and co-exist. It was really fun to talk to the reporter about my opinions...check out CNN in a few weeks for the interview!
Overall, the day was amazing...being surrounded by snow-covered peaks and watching the monkeys in their natural habitat was absolutely fantastic. I strongly encourage any visitor who visits Nagano, to also take a day trip to visit the monkey onsen. It is worth the 1.6 km walk!
If you want to see me and other JET English teachers on CNN News, check out this link:
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