How did the local monkey tradition of "roasting fire" in Japan come about? What's the story behind it?

In Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, there is a place called the Monkey Center, where many local monkeys are kept and taken care of. The monkeys have been roasting on bonfires in winter to keep warm, and the monkeys show a cozy expression whenever they do so, an event that has prompted many people to go and watch.

Monkeys roasting on a fire to keep warm

When winter comes, it's cold enough for locals to wrap up in heavy coats. The monkeys don't have coats, but they do have campfires to keep them warm. The keeper will light a bonfire in the yard when it's cold, and soon, many monkeys will gather near the bonfire, some of them sitting lazily around the bonfire, and some of them combing their hair for their companions, the scene looks very spectacular. The monkeys are also very comfortable in the cold winter months, as you can see from their faces.

Fire-roasting has a long history

The monkeys' fire-roasting has a long history. Fifty or sixty years ago, people here suddenly realized that when they lit a bonfire, the local ones were not afraid of it, but would come to the bonfire to warm themselves. Since then, people have been lighting bonfires every year during the cold winter months, specifically to keep the monkeys warm. Even though the outbreak in Japan is not over by the end of 2020, keepers are still continuing the tradition by lighting bonfires for the monkeys to keep them warm.

There are actually many other places in Japan that have plenty of scenes of animals and humans living in harmony. Inuyama City has such fire-roasting monkeys, Nara and Miyajima have deer everywhere, Nagano has onsen monkeys every winter, and Okunojima has a very large number of cute rabbits living on it, etc. All of these places have been able to make their lives more and more comfortable because of the local people who protect these wild animals. As a result, these places have attracted people from all over the world because of their many animals, and people have traveled to the area to experience an environment where people and animals live in harmony.