It was very very cold for hot country me, so much that my hands didn't want to leave my jacket pockets. Anyhow, my thick fat gloves made it impossible to work those tiny hidden away buttons of my handphone to take some photographs.
Googled and borrowed the following 3 photos from Xuan's Howdy Days (what do you know, she's from Singapore too!).
Biyu Ryokan has two morning minicoach shuttle services daily to the Snow Monkey Park, dropping guests right in front of this Gifts and Rentals Shop just next to the first steps up the hill and start of the short walk to the primates' onsen.
You can buy or rent boots, caps, gloves, jackets, etc to keep warm for the walk. Very cheap rates. You can leave your boots etc at the shop and pick them up later when you return the rented stuff.
Stop!!
Go no further until you've read this!
The slippery sloping path in the photo above is very sneakily treacherous, and it'll be the first spot you'll have a fall if you take it lightly. The dirty snow has covered up a flight of steps. And be careful when leaning across to hold the guiding chain against the hillside. Bets are on you fall here.
Snow all over the place. Cold very cold. And this was a fine day, mind you.
It's a fine day because it's not snowing. And the path is not totally snow covered. It's slushy with melted snow and is muddy brown. I found the brown parts more slippery than the snow-covered parts; there is a sort of crunchy bite and grip when stepping on the snow covered parts.
For shivering me, the walk seemed endlessly long. These signs were supposed to be encouraging; but hell, we have a longer way to go than the distance we had walked up to this here.
This is the Hotel Jigokudani Onsen Korakukan which is the nearest accomodations to the snow monkeys' hotbath about 10 minutes further up the hill.
Another two patches of snow covered slopes on the right, you can see the flight of steps up to the next level, and then another hundred metres to go.
Up these steps and see the hotel from above.
Here's a report in TripAdvisor . And a guided tour video.
First close-up views of the snow monkeys. Little round blobs. Reminded me of the shmoos in the Al Capp comic strip Lil Abner. They were all looking for food and have turned away so you'll not be able to see if it had found some food which it's keeping to itself.
Click here to continue on our visit to see the Snow Monkeys.
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