Jigokudani Monkey Park revises fees on 1 December

The operator of Jigokudani Monkey Park (Jigokudani Yaen-koen) in Yamanouchi, Japan, will revise admission fees on 1 December 2026. The change gives the park a current visitor-planning story as the winter season begins and online ticket holders receive priority during the colder months.

Jigokudani Monkey Park fee revision starts on 1 December

The park’s official visitor guide states that admission fees will be revised effective 1 December 2026. It does not list the revised amounts in the guide, so travellers should check the operator’s latest ticket information before setting out.

The same guide identifies the site as open year-round without set business holidays. It also says that conditions including weather, snow monkey behaviour and natural disasters can lead to a temporary shortening of hours or a closure without prior notice. The official visitor guide therefore remains the key reference for a visit after the fee change.

How the December change relates to the monkey park

The site is an observation area for wild Japanese macaques rather than a bathing facility for people. The operator says that staff use a regulated feeding routine to attract the troop for observation, but the animals may not appear on every day.

The park lies at an altitude of 850 metres in the valley of the Yokoyu River, which rises in Shiga-Kogen and forms part of Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park in northern Nagano Prefecture. It was established in 1964, and its hot-spring pool remains the central feature for visitors watching the macaques.

That setting makes the 1 December fee change more than a general price notice for travellers. It arrives as winter conditions alter the approach and as the operator gives online visitors priority from December through April, linking the administrative change to the way access is managed at the mountain site.

The forest approach shapes every visit

There is no paved road through the park or along the full approach. The operator warns that the routes include unpaved ground, steps and uneven surfaces, and that wheelchairs and carts cannot use either approach.

The operator’s access information lists Yudanaka Station, Nagano Dentetsu services and the Snow Monkey Park bus stop as parts of the public-transport route. From the bus stop, the final section is on foot through the forest, while drivers use the Kanbayashi Hot Springs area before continuing along the trail.

Visiting Jigokudani Monkey Park: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• The admission-fee revision takes effect at Jigokudani Monkey Park on 1 December 2026.
• Online ticket holders receive priority from December through April, while temporary closures can occur because of weather, monkey behaviour or natural disasters.
• The site is in Yamanouchi, Nagano Prefecture, and the public-transport route includes Yudanaka Station and the Snow Monkey Park bus stop.
• The forest approach has unpaved sections, steps and uneven surfaces, and wheelchairs and carts cannot use the approaches.
• The official language is Japanese and the national currency is the Japanese yen.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Jigokudani Monkey Park

When does the fee revision take place at Jigokudani Monkey Park?

The operator says admission fees will be revised on 1 December 2026.

What is Jigokudani Monkey Park?

It is an observation site for wild Japanese macaques in the Yokoyu River valley, established in 1964.

Where is Jigokudani Monkey Park and how do you get there?

The site is in Yamanouchi in northern Nagano Prefecture. Public transport uses Yudanaka Station or the Snow Monkey Park bus stop, followed by a forest approach on foot.