A park in central Nagano Prefecture, Japan, famed for its snow monkeys bathing in hot springs, announced on the 26th that due to a surge in visitor numbers and the occurrence of inappropriate behavior—including bathing with the animals—daily visitor numbers will be restricted.
The "Jigokudani Monkey Park" is located in a mountain valley at an altitude of 850 meters and is home to many wild Japanese macaques. These monkeys often bathe in volcanic hot springs.
According to the park's official website, during the cold and snowy winter, "it is common to see many monkeys soaking in the hot springs, with some staying in for several hours at a time." The site emphasizes that this park, known as a "monkey paradise," is the "only place in the world" where such scenes can be witnessed.
In recent years, the number of visitors has risen sharply, with the vast majority being non-Japanese tourists. A park official said that on some days, the number of visitors can reach 3,000 to 4,000. The official said that as long lines often form outside the ticket office, to alleviate this situation, visitors will be required to purchase tickets online in advance. The online reservation system will be launched in August, and the daily number of visitors may be capped at 2,000.