While Christmas in Britain so far has been unseasonably mild, the forested mountains and cliffs of Jigokudani are predictably freezing.
Nicknamed "Hell's Valley", the Japanese mountain range is home to a few hundred snow monkeys.
And sometimes the only way they can beat the winter chill is by taking a plunge in the hot springs of the Yokoyu-River.
The primates, also known as Japanese macaques, reside in the forested mountains and cliffs of the surrounding area.
When temperatures drop to well below zero in Nagano, steaming rock pools provide welcome relief for the relaxed critters.
If you're in any doubt, just look at how contented these monkeys appear to be.
In fact, with food on offer from park attendants, many of the macaques now spend the summer months in the springs as well.
After dark, the macaques - dubbed the Snow Monkeys - return to the cliffs.
Dutch photographer Ron Gessel took the snaps at Jigokudani Park, in Nagano.
In the self-taught snapper's images, some animals are seen grooming one another, while others focus on looking after their babies.
Usually noted for his street art, Gessel caught a good number of the primates simply chilling out.
Jigokudani Yaenkoen park opened in 1964 - since then thousands of people have visited to observe the relaxed lifestyle of the Japanese Macaque.
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