xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Text by Sohrab Saadat Ladjevardi

Wintertime…. in New York, and I’m missing my Japanese snow monkeys!!! Did you know that the snow monkeys are the most northerly non-human primate in the world?  When temperatures drop to below freezing and snow covers their habitat, they spend the winter warming up in the volcanic hot springs called onsen in Japanese. If you have a day to spare on your trip to Tokyo, consider visiting the Jigokudani Monkey Park (地獄谷野猿公苑 Jigokudani Yaen Kōen). The park is located in Yamanouchi (a Northern Nagano Prefecture).

The monkeys are adorable, so sweet, and although I don’t want to say it: they behave like us humans. They are not afraid of humans. You can get really close to them and even talk to them.

Here is a very nice video showing my sweet monkeys bathing in an onsen. I wish I could be with them. Since coming to NY after a long life in Japan I have been missing the onsen, the right place to get away and relax from the hectic city life. Enjoy the two video with the nice koto and shakuhachi music. Allah akbar I envy my monkey friends!!!! 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Read more about the sweet monkeys.