News Monkeys run wild in Yugawara Onsen

According to the town's survey, more than 26,000 cases of damage to daily life have been reported over the past three years, including 930 incidents of injury to people just last year. Some residents said monkeys lifted window screens with surprising dexterity to slip inside and steal food. The animals have been spotted all across town—rattling parked motorcycles at golf courses, attempting to break into produce shops, and even invading accommodation facilities. At the 90-year-old hot spring inn Fukiya, monkeys climbed over the roof and entered the outdoor bath changing rooms, scattering amenities. "We can only scare them off with toy guns, but that's about the only countermeasure we've thought of," said innkeeper Mariko Yamamoto. At a guesthouse popular with foreign tourists, monkeys tore holes in walls, chewed through internet cables, and even cut off Wi-Fi service. "When they threatened us and I had nothing in my hands, the only option was to kick them away with my foot. It was frightening," said Masato Hyakutake, manager of Share House Yugawara. He added that the facility has since reinforced its doors, repaired walls with acrylic boards, and rerouted cables indoors to prevent further damage.

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