Winter Bathing Macaques in Snowy Nagano

Photorealistic scene of a troop of Japanese macaques soaking in a natural hot spring in the snowy forest of Nagano, Japan (Jigokudani Monkey Park). Steam curls around their thick brown fur and red faces as pale winter light filters through a cold sky. Snow-covered rocks and evergreen pines frame the pool, with distant snow-dusted mountains in the background. In the water, macaques relax and groom one another; a mother clings to a baby while others huddle on a rocky ledge to share body heat. Highlight winter survival habits: geothermal warmth provides critical heat to conserve energy, social thermoregulation via huddling, fur grooming and drying to maintain insulation, and foraging glimpses in the snow outside the spring. The mood is tranquil, intimate, and documentary, with high detail on fur texture, steam, and the contrast between cold surroundings and warm water.