Japan ‘snow monkey’ park to cap visitors after overcrowding, bad behaviour

Jigokudani Yaen-Koen, a park in Japan's central Nagano region renowned for its wild Japanese macaques bathing in hot springs, will soon cap daily visitor numbers. An official announced on June 26 that the park will limit entries to 2,000 people per day, implementing an online advance ticket system in August to manage overcrowding and instances of bad behavior.

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We have been seeing incredibly long queues of visitors waiting outside the ticket booth. To ease that, we will have them buy tickets in advance online.

The park, situated in a valley at an altitude of 850 meters, is celebrated for its unique sight of monkeys soaking in volcanic hot springs, especially on cold, snowy days. Its website describes it as the "world's only place" to witness such a phenomenon, attracting a significant number of tourists, predominantly non-Japanese.

Recent years have seen a sharp increase in visitor numbers, with daily totals sometimes reaching 3,000 to 4,000. This surge has led to long queues and a rise in misbehavior, including visitors attempting to feed, touch, or even bathe with the monkeys. The park official noted that the shift to online booking aims to alleviate congestion at the ticket booth.

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We will have them buy tickets in advance online.

This measure comes amid broader concerns about overtourism in Japan. In 2025, the country welcomed a record 42.7 million tourists, partly due to a weak yen. Popular destinations like Kyoto have faced complaints about overcrowding and disrespectful tourist behavior. Similarly, a cherry blossom festival in Fujiyoshida was canceled due to resident complaints about traffic, littering, and trespassing, highlighting the challenges of managing increased tourism.

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tried to bathe