Haegen's Home Page: Jigokudani Monkey Park

While Beth was excited about the Geisha, I was excited about the monkey Park. The Jigokudani Yaen-koen Monkey Park is a half an hour walk from Kanbayashi Onsen. Our hopitable host at the Shimaya Ryokan dropped us off at the base of the mountain where the park is located. The park, established in 1964, is a place to observe over 200 free-ranging Japanese Macaque up close.

The Macaque have their own private onsen (hotspring).

Trivia: the three monkeys who "hear no evil, see no evil, and speak no evil" were based on the Japanese Macaque. The three truths of the Tendai sect of Buddhism are Mizaru (see no evil), Kikazaru (hear no evil), and iwazaru (speak no evil). The Japanese verb ending-zaru and the word for monkey (salu) are similar in sound. Perhaps the use of the monkeys represents religious symbolism.