The title says it all.  The monkeys can be found in Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park which is located in the mountains near Nagano.  These little guys come out of the mountains to sit in the natural onsen (hot spring) in the winter.  It’s a bit of a hike to get to the onsen, but it was a gorgeous walk through a quiet snow-covered forest.  Along the way, I met a nice couple from Mexico City who were on their honeymoon, and we helped each other navigate to the park.  The onsen area does get a little overrun with people since everyone wants to get some pictures, but it did not detract from the experience.  It’s amazing how close the monkeys will get to you as they play with each other and run around searching for food.

The path to the snow monkey park.