What are your eyes focusing on? Baby snow monkey looks at tourists as they photograph them bathing in Japanese hotsprings

  • Yamanouchi: Animals bathed in hot springs at Jigokudani monkey park, Yamanouchi 
  • The video was shot by Jimmy Ky, a 23-year-old photographer from Sydney, Australia.
  • Mr Ky captured the footage of snow monkeys cleaning each other. 
  • A baby monkey also comes up and taps Mr Ky’s knee inquisitively 










This is the adorable moment when a tiny snow monkey decided that it wanted to get closer to a tourist who was filming them as they bathed at hot springs in Japan.

Footage filmed at the Jigokudani Monkey Park in Yamanouchi, Japan, by aspiring travel photographer Jimmy Ky, shows the macaques cleaning each other in the hot springs. 

Inquisitive baby monkey comes close to one of our tourists and taps their knee, gazing at them.

As tourists gather around the springs to capture footage and photos of them, the others seem unaffected by the sight of them cleaning each other in the water. 

The footage shows one of the baby monkeys climbing along the rocks above and below the water. 

Tourists can be heard laughing while the two monkeys in the hot springs clean each other. 

The baby continues to climb across the rocks, while others remain in water.

The baby monkey taps the tourist’s knee, and then he continues walking on the rocks. 

The baby snow monkey clamber across the rocks towards the tourist at the Jigokudani Monkey Park in Yamanouchi, Japan

The baby snow monkey clamber across the rocks towards the tourist at the Jigokudani Monkey Park in Yamanouchi, Japan

Mr Ky, 23, from Sydney (Australia) said that it was a surreal experience as it was the first time he had ever seen monkeys in person.

“My friends chose to go snowboarding at nearby resorts, but I wanted to explore the snow monkeys instead. 

‘The monkeys weren’t phased by people and were happy to continue cleaning each others in the hot springs.

The others cleaning each other in the water seem unfazed as swarms of tourists gather round the springs to take pictures and footage of them

The other people are not bothered by the water, and swarms upon swarms of tourists gather around the springs for footage and pictures

“It really puts into perspective how amazing animals and how similar primates to humans in many ways.

The Jigokudani Monkey Park allows visitors to experience wild monkeys bathing naturally in a hot spring.

It is home to Japanese macaques also known as snow monkeys.

The park is located in the natural habitat of the monkey, in the forests in the Jigokudani Valley.

The Jigokudani Monkey Park offers visitors the experience of seeing wild monkeys bathing in a natural hot spring

The Jigokudani Monkey Park allows visitors to experience wild monkeys bathing naturally in a hot spring.

It is located near the onsen, which means hot spring, towns Shibu and Yudanaka, and has one man-made swimming pool where the monkeys congregate.

This pool is just a few steps from the park’s entrance. You will likely see monkeys as you walk to it.

Visitors to Japan can enjoy watching the interactions of Japanese macaques in large groups.

There is a live camera beside the monkey pool which can be accessed online and shows the animals moving around

The monkey pool has a live camera that can be accessed online. It shows the animals moving around.

The monkey pool has a live camera that can be accessed online. It shows the animals moving around.

The park is open all year round but many visitors come when it has snowed as the monkeys are even more photogenic. 

Monkeys may enter the pool at any time of the year but sometimes require encouragement from park wardens.

It is inhabited by Japanese macaques, which are also known as snow monkeys

It is inhabited also by Japanese macaques (also known as snow monkeys).

The park is located in the monkey's natural habitat, in the forests of the Jigokudani valley in Yamanouchi

The park is located within the natural habitat of the monkey, in the forests in Yamanouchi’s Jigokudani Valley.

Jigokudani, the name of the park, is a Japanese word that means “hell valley”, which is a common title for Japanese valleys with volcanic activity. 

Although it is not as dramatic and picturesque as other jigokudani Valleys in Japan, it does have some steaming hotsprings. 

In the valley is a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn known as Korakukan.

Visitors can pass through the Ryokan while on their way to Monkey Park. 

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