A walk through Jigokudani Snow Monkey park….
Snow Monkeys of Jigokudani
Winter 2025 Limited Editions
March 2025 — I chased a surprise blizzard to Nagano and arrived just as it hit. The result: two of the most intimate, soul-grabbing snow-monkey moments I’ve ever witnessed.
“Comfort in the Storm” — a mother’s tender embrace amid the chaos of falling snow — and “Snow Monkey Dreams” — pure serenity in the storm — are the undisputed crown jewels of the trip. Both are now released in ultra-limited editions of 10 worldwide, with one-of-one museum-grade options available.
“Bus ticket bought three hours before departure. Nearly missed it grabbing coffee and onigiri. The storm didn’t care — and neither did I.”
The full 2025 Snow Monkey collection (March + November expeditions) is live below. New one-of-ones and micro-editions dropping weekly through February 2026.
2025年 地獄谷の雪猿
冬季限定エディション
2025年3月——突然の猛吹雪を追いかけて長野へ。到着と同時に雪が降り始めました。そこにあったのは、これまでで最も心を揺さぶられる二つの瞬間。
「Comfort in the Storm」——嵐の中で母が子を抱きしめる姿、そして「Snow Monkey Dreams」——静寂そのもの。どちらも世界10枚限定、一点ものミュージアム級作品もご用意しています。
「出発3時間前にバスチケットを購入。おにぎりとコーヒーを買いに行って乗り遅れそうになりました。——でも、全てが価値があった。」
2025年3月・11月の撮影から選りすぐった全作品を下記ギャラリーで販売中。2026年2月まで毎週、一点ものや超限定リリースを追加予定です。
A very cold January morning, just after fresh snow falling. A mother cradles her baby in the warmth of the steaming onsen, their bodies pressed together in perfect trust. The deep indigo water glows against the warmth of their fur—a quiet harmony of emotion.
My first official Black and White release from Jigokudani. Inside a shallow, dark cave—a natural womb sheltered from the storm—a mother rocks her young one just as a human would. In this silence, the outside world ceases to exist; it is just these two souls, finding comfort in the dark.
After a skirmish, the battle-scarred elder sits in perfect peace while a companion grooms him. With a fresh cut on his face and snowflakes melting into his fur, the chaos of the blizzard is held back by their stillness. Resilience and connection, captured in a single frame.
A young monkey sleeps deeply in the steaming onsen, cheek pressed against warm rock. As heavy snow falls and turns the water a surreal, deep indigo, the world settles into total serenity.
As the blizzard grew fiercer, the usual territorial tensions faded. Two monkeys wrapped tightly together, sharing body heat and shelter—a quiet reminder that even in the wild, friendship is the best defense against the cold.
A large snow monkey pauses his foraging to gaze up the mountain, head tilted as something—or someone—catches his attention. A moment of quiet, fleeting curiosity caught in the high-country air.
I revisited this frame from my archives, finding a peace in his expression that I hadn't fully appreciated before. It’s a quiet portrait, reflective of the early days when I first started learning the rhythm of these macaques.
Eye to Eye Close-up Portrait Limited Edition. One of the very last frames from the November 2024 trip. This striking snow monkey paused, locked eyes with me, and delivered the perfect portrait pose while casually chewing a piece of rice husk. Captured on medium format at intimate distance — every snowflake on the fur, every whisker, and that soul-deep gaze are rendered in breathtaking detail. Pure, unflinching presence.
The undisputed king of the troop descends from the high ridges. He strides along a frozen outcrop, seemingly small against the vast, icy landscape, yet his presence commands the entire frame. A cinematic portrait of a true survivor.
The loving patient expression on the mother Snow Monkeys face says it all. Her little one has a very tight grip on the tufts of fur around her cheeks—not the most comfortable experience for her, but her steady, undying love is his life support.
During the height of the blizzard, a young monkey was having a rough day. Her mother pulled her close and rocked her for over an hour. Seeing that light in their eyes—that unmistakable human-like comfort—is one of my most cherished memories.
Moments after a skirmish, the larger monkey bears a fresh cut; his smaller companion looks on with unmistakable worry. It’s a raw, rare glimpse into the emotional lives these animals lead when they think no one is watching.
"You groom, while I chill." Two babies at ease in a navy-blue onsen, groomed while the first flakes of a storm drift down to melt on fur as they gaze downward exposing their pale-blue eyelids. Bonding in pure serenity, before the world turns white.
A tiny baby floats in the onsen, hands clasped, staring straight at the lens with eyes that stop you in your tracks. There is a universal language to this kind of wonder, captured right in the middle of a Nagano winter.
First trip, first love. A majestic Japanese mountain Snow Monkey in profile, eyes closed in absolute bliss. With this Macaque's mane backlit by the soft glow of the winter landscape and snowflakes resting on its chin, this was the moment I fell in love with Jigokudani.
