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Published: January 13th 2009
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After Kyoto, we headed for Nagano in search of the amazing Snow Monkeys that our friends (Brigette and Steve) had told us about. The journey to Nagano was stunning running through the mountains. Nagano was a fairly standard working town with a small splattering of hotels to accommodate people on business trips. We stayed in "The Annex Hotel" was was a basic 2 star setup. The only mention of Snow Monkeys was on the rather low tech advert by the train station ticket booth (see photo). We sorted out a two day train ticket to Yudanaka which strangely worked out cheaper than buying two separate tickets or even a return on the same day. Next day we got up ultra early and caught the local train to Yudanaka which wound its way slowly higher and higher into the mountains. When we reached Yudanaka it was snowing which showed how high we had climbed. As buses only ran every 2 hours on Sunday we waited patiently for the next bus in the warm railway station waiting room and ate our home made banana sandwiches! Ironically the later express train (a shorter journey time) from Nagano arrived after 1 hour and a couple
of people stepped off it and literally onto the bus, so much for the early bird catching worms and all that!!
The bus was equipped with snow chains so we knew there must be more snow ahead. Slowly the handful of locals that accompanied us got off the bus one by one as we made our way even higher into the mountains, finally it was our stop. We could not see anything that told us where the Snow Monkeys were so we asked the bus driver. He didn't speak much English but he clearly pointed up an unmade snowy track, so we got off and started to trek up the mountain. The basic map given to us said that there would be a 25-30 minute walk to reach the Onsens (Hot Springs) that the monkeys hung out in. We climbed higher and higher and absolutely no sign of anyone else's foot prints in the snow or a sign for the Onsens. So after about 25 minutes we started to get a bad feeling that we had taken a wrong turn somewhere. We made it to a road and managed to flag down a passing car. The two Japanese ladies
(Mum and Daughter) were amazed to see us so far up the mountain. We showed them the basic map and asked which way to the monkeys. It was obvious by there initial reaction that we were very far away, in fact we were actually part way to the next village in the opposite direction... no wonder the trail was so difficult. They took pity on us and kindly drove us about 10 minutes by car across the mountain to the based of the correct path leading up to the monkeys. Which incidentally was not the same direction as the bus driver had told us..... NOT VERY AMUSED!!! The ladies also gave us an apple each as we must have looked rather tired and hungry....
Now on the right path we set off once again for the monkeys. After about 20 minutes we reached an enormous geezer projecting water high into the air, we turned right and headed further up the mountain. There were monkeys literally lining the final ascent to the onsens as if they were greeting us, so we knew we were very close. As we turned the corner we saw the amazing sight of the monkeys bathing
in the hot onsens - this is a moment we will never forget, it was like being inside a David Attenburugh documentary. We were able to get so close to the monkeys as they relaxed, washed, groomed, played and even got frisky with each other! The two days of travelling, hours of trekking and the bitter coldness were now distant memories as we gazed transfixed on the monkeys for the next few hours. They have a very complex social structure with several mini groups within a larger group. Each monkey had a role and a pecking order, they had such human expressions too - truly wonderful to watch.
We met a lovely Australian family whilst on the train journey to Yudanaka and then later at the Onsens they had actually seen a documentary on the monkeys are were fulfilling an ambition to finally meet them. The place had the same magical impact on all who came to see them that day. Due to the long travelling required and the cold we only saw a hand full of people on the whole trip.
Sadly it was time to leave the monkeys and we remember our friend Steve telling us
how difficult it was to say goodbye (we now know what he meant). We headed back down the mountain with an extra spring in our step and memories that will last a lifetime.
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Ian & Sylvia
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Kyoto?
Happy new year. Did we miss Kyoto or maybe it wasn't very interesting?