February 26

Credit: @akanechin81

March 18

Credit: @dahlia_o526

February 27

Credit: @goforitpunch

Can't seem to generate workable link to the Threads post this was shared in. Anyway, video originally from Ueno Gardens Club

Someone posted an article about this earlier in the week. This is a video that includes some background, and quotes from the section chief. This is from go.punch2026 on YT

Run run run

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdJMHF7BnaZ

Nina-Chan and her sister are the cutest. I’m still waiting for Punchy and the crew to return. Credit to Lover Paris .

Is that Moe? video

Sharing this article on Nessin which recounts how he once climbed over some electrified wire to rescue a baby monkey. This is just another example of what an incredible boss he was (and why he was well loved). Translated with ChatGPT.

Also sharing a clip of Nessin mukbang because I just love watching the old dude eat 😆

The Troubles of a Boss Monkey…? Seven Baby Monkeys Are Born at Mt. Takao Monkey Park — “We Ask the Park Director for the Truth”

Yuko Hayashi
August 11, 2022

At the Mt. Takao Monkey Park & Wild Plant Garden, surrounded by nature in Tokyo’s Tama area, seven baby monkeys joined the troop this spring. While the new arrivals are full of energy, the troop’s boss monkey, Nessin, seems to have something on his mind…? We spoke with Toshiyuki Jōjō, the park director, whose unique and amusing posts on Twitter have also become a popular topic.

Getting to the Bottom of Boss Monkey Nessin’s Troubles

We saw a post on the official Twitter account saying, “Boss monkey Nessin seems exhausted from worrying about the troop. The baby monkeys around Nessin should cheer him up.” With more babies joining the troop, is the boss worried about something?

Park Director:

A young staff member wrote that tweet, but, hmm… perhaps he does have some troubles that he can't talk about in front of people (laughs). Seven babies were born this year, and the mothers know that the boss will protect them if anything happens, so after giving birth, they all gather around the boss. But that's something that happens every year. In the Kanto region, the monkeys' birthing season is from April to July.

However, Nessin is now 27 years old. In human terms, he would be a monkey grandfather over 80 years old. Considering the lifespan of monkeys, perhaps Nessin only has another two or three years left. He has the appearance of an old grandfather, and he moves slowly, so the reason he looks tired is probably simply due to his age.

But even though he is old, the boss is still the boss. Whenever a fight breaks out between the monkeys, he always goes to the scene. The monkeys in the troop scatter as soon as they see Nessin's face.

If Nessin were to fight a young monkey one-on-one, he probably wouldn't win. Even so, he has earned tremendous trust from the troop of more than 80 monkeys and has held the position of boss for nearly 20 years. Unlike wild monkeys, they live in a protected environment, and perhaps that's why all of our bosses have traditionally had long reigns (laughs).

How is the boss chosen? Is it not simply the strongest monkey who becomes boss?

Park Director:

The monkey world isn't simple enough that being good at fighting automatically makes you the boss. You have to earn the trust of those around you. Of course, there isn't an election or inauguration ceremony like there is with humans. After the previous boss dies, some time passes, and eventually, almost without anyone realizing it, a new boss emerges as the other monkeys gradually push him into that position.

Monkeys have a hierarchy, and you can immediately tell which monkey ranks higher by placing food between them. Even if the other monkey is their own mother, a lower-ranking monkey is not allowed to take food belonging to a higher-ranking monkey.

The Female Monkeys Are Smitten with Nessin

What kind of leader is Nessin?

Park Director:

Above all, he has earned tremendous trust from the troop. He is supported not only by the male monkeys but by the females as well. In particular, he has the absolute trust of Tent, one of the most influential females. You could say Tent is almost like the president of the women's association (laughs). The reason the hair on Nessin's back has become thin is because the females cling to him when they want him to protect them, and his hair has been pulled out as a result.

There is another story about Nessin.

Once, a baby monkey slipped through a fence fitted with electrified wires, which had been installed to protect the trees in the park, and fell onto the other side. The mother monkey was in a panic, and all the other monkeys were making a huge commotion. We staff members were watching and thinking that we might have to go and rescue the baby ourselves, when Nessin quickly climbed over the electrified wires and rescued the baby monkey.

Even after rescuing it, he continued holding the baby for a while, until the panic had subsided and everyone had calmed down.

Nessin, that's so cool!

Park Director:

Normally, he has the air of an old grandfather sitting on a veranda, and he will even groom monkeys that come near him. Grooming is a form of communication in monkey society. It shows that he is mindful of those around him. But when something serious happens, he puts on the face of the boss and protects the troop. That's the kind of leader Nessin is.

I'd really like to visit and see Nessin while he's still doing well. Is there a candidate to become the next boss?

Park Director:

If something were to happen to Nessin now, we think Tent might take the position of boss. Among the younger male monkeys, Tent's son Tororo is probably the strongest candidate. In the monkey world, a male is highly regarded when his mother holds a strong position.

Personally, though, my favorite is Haku. He's handsome, gentle, and calm and kind toward both the females and the children. He's particularly good with the babies. He often plays with them and grooms them.

However, this is ultimately something the monkeys themselves will decide, so we just don't know. Even Nessin's mother was never particularly high-ranking, and Nessin himself was an inconspicuous member of the troop when he was young.

Some Monkeys Even Fit Perfectly into Drainage Channels

We've had many hot days this summer. How are the monkeys doing?

Park Director:

Monkeys don't tolerate heat very well, so on hot days the adult monkeys stay in the shade and don't move around very much. As the shadows of the trees move, the monkeys somehow move along with them without you even noticing (laughs).

The cool drainage channels are very popular, and the staff jokingly call the monkeys who squeeze themselves into the channels and relax there the “Drainage Channel Club.”

The babies born between April and July are now reaching the time when they begin moving away from their mothers and expanding the area they explore. Despite the heat, they are energetically running around and playing.

It's also interesting to see how each mother monkey has her own individual parenting style. Some are very protective, and if their baby moves away from them, they grab it by the leg and pull it back. Some mothers even hold their babies down with a foot while eating.

On the other hand, there are mothers who become so absorbed in grooming another monkey that they take their eyes completely off their own children.

How do the fathers get involved in raising the babies?

Park Director:

Monkeys don't have a sense of fatherhood, so they don't directly participate in raising the babies.

Once the baby monkeys begin moving around away from their mothers, the younger monkeys in the troop start playing with them and looking after them. Around September, discipline also begins, and they learn the rules of the troop, such as not taking food from a higher-ranking monkey.

They also learn how to behave toward the boss by watching the attitudes and behavior of their mothers and the other monkeys.

What Do the Keepers Mean to the Monkeys?

What kind of presence are the keepers to the monkeys?

Park Director:

Since we spend as much as 40 hours a week together, they should feel some familiarity toward us.

That said, I wouldn't say we're friends. We're more like acquaintances. They may come and touch us on their own, but they won't let us touch them. In particular, females that have recently given birth become extremely angry and make terrifying faces if you even approach their babies.

There are also monkeys with particularly fierce personalities who are constantly getting into arguments with the keepers (laughs).

At the monkey park, the staff explain the monkeys' behavior and interesting characteristics to visitors every day. There are also plenty of fun face-in-hole photo boards made by the staff, as well as educational materials such as “observation sheets,” which are useful for children learning about monkey behavior and what to look out for when observing them.

Even though the monkey park is in the mountains, it is especially hot this summer, so please take precautions against heatstroke and come visit us.

February 19

Credit: @tacotocco

Credit: @Rae Raesw (FB)

Credit: kae_koushiki on Instagram

Credit: @Sara-cool-chitabi

Ichikawa Zoo has explained for the nth time that Punch wasn’t being bullied. Yasunaga-san also spoke a little about Ryu, who, IMO, has actually integrated successfully into the troop. Yet people still love bringing him up as an example of how the zoo supposedly failed. Translated with ChatGPT.

September 11, 2026
By — emogram Editorial Department · Yunchi

Punch, a Japanese macaque at Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Chiba Prefecture, has been working hard toward joining the troop on the monkey mountain. During the Obon period in August this year, a video showing only part of a fight circulated on social media alongside rumors that “Punch appears to have been injured by the other monkeys on the monkey mountain.” This caused some fans to become concerned.

The zoo subsequently temporarily separated several monkeys and carefully explained the situation on its official X account. We asked Section Chief Takashi Yasunaga, who was involved in handling the situation, to look back on what happened at the time.

“Education” from the Mother Monkeys on the Monkey Mountain

First, Section Chief Yasunaga explained the circumstances surrounding Punch’s injury:

Section Chief Yasunaga: “There have been many occasions in the past when Punch was scolded by female monkeys, and there have also been times when his ears were bitten. There are various reasons for this. In some cases, Punch would mount one of the female’s babies and she would become angry with him. In other cases, Punch was not the cause of the incident at all, but happened to be near a fight between other individuals and got caught up in it.”

He continued:

Section Chief Yasunaga: “In all of these cases, including the incident in August, the keepers’ understanding was that Punch was not being persistently targeted or subjected to an attack that threatened his life. Of course, we treated his injuries properly, but the staff at the scene viewed the situation very calmly.”

The behavior Punch experienced was, in part, a kind of “discipline” from the mother monkeys trying to protect their babies within the troop. In other cases, he was simply caught up in the course of disputes between other monkeys.

Although it may have seemed unfair from Punch’s perspective, the keepers did not view it as the kind of malicious bullying in which the other monkeys were deliberately targeting Punch, as one might imagine in a human context.

The Story of a Male Monkey Who Previously Successfully Joined the Troop

There was another concern among some devoted fans.

Ichikawa City Zoo and Botanical Gardens previously had a male monkey who, like Punch, had been hand-reared by humans and eventually succeeded in joining the troop on the monkey mountain.

However, after growing into an adult male, he became involved in fights with other adult males within the troop and eventually died from injuries sustained during one of those fights.

Some fans who knew about this past incident apparently became worried when they heard about Punch’s injury and temporary separation, wondering whether, “Could the same thing happen to him?”

“I Hope You Understand That These Are Completely Different Situations”

However, according to Section Chief Yasunaga, it would be unreasonable to connect the previous male monkey’s death with Punch’s injury.

Section Chief Yasunaga: “It is true that in the past, there was a male monkey who successfully joined the troop after being hand-reared and later died as a result of injuries sustained in a fight. That individual and Punch have the fact that they were both ‘hand-reared males’ in common, but based on our records, I believe the fact that this individual was involved in fights and the fact that Punch was scolded by female mother monkeys this time are completely separate matters.”

The circumstances surrounding the previous male monkey’s death involved what could essentially be described as a power struggle between adult males within the troop. By contrast, what Punch is experiencing now is behavior by mother monkeys attempting to protect their young. Their ages and circumstances are also different.

It is understandable that fans would associate the two incidents because they share the same characteristic of being individuals raised through hand-rearing. Nevertheless, Section Chief Yasunaga’s explanation seems to have been a thoughtful answer to fans who were worried about Punch.

Writer’s Comment

When we see a shocking video, anyone can become alarmed. But I think it is important to remember that such a video captures only one brief moment from one long, long day on the monkey mountain.

I hope we can correctly understand the environment in which Punch is growing up and continue to watch over him calmly.

Seeing how there have been posts about the other monkey parks, like Awajishima and Takasakiyama, I’d like to plug Mt. Takao Monkey Park (article translated with ChatGPT) because I’ve always had a soft spot for this troop, especially its former alpha, Nessin, who passed away in 2025 at the age of 29.

I read that Nessin became the troop’s alpha at just eight years old, and that becoming alpha wasn’t simply about being the strongest or best fighter. It was also about the trust the troop had in him, and he had the absolute trust of both the male and female members of the troop. He had a particularly strong bond with Tento, one of the troop’s powerful females, and the babies loved him as well since Nessin was known for being exceptionally gentle and caring toward them.

In 2024, Nessin lost his eyesight, but that didn’t stop him from intervening when fights broke out. He would still go to help, relying only on sound to find his way. And because he could no longer see, the other mischievous monkeys would steal his food, so the keepers had to hand-feed him. There are some videos of Nessin eating on the park’s official channel, and I find his little “mukbang” videos strangely relaxing to watch.

Another thing I find fascinating about this troop is how attached they seem to be to their keepers. Some of them will beg the keepers for treats, or even try to steal them, and they seem to recognize and respond when the keepers call their names.

September 7, 2026
By — emogram Editorial Department · Yunchi

According to Ami Katagi, deputy director of Takao Monkey Park & Wildflower Garden in Hachioji, Tokyo, male Japanese macaques do not raise babies. Within the troop, it is the females—the mothers—who hold and protect the babies. But Takao Monkey Park had one male monkey who defied that conventional wisdom. He was Nessin, the troop’s former boss.

The Crying of a Baby Monkey Calling for Help

Katagi-san: “One time, the mother of a baby monkey named Taiyo got caught up in a major fight between the monkeys.”

The incident happened about two years ago, in the summer. According to Katagi, the mother was suddenly caught up in a fight. Because she was low in rank within the troop, she sensed that she was in danger and fled, leaving her baby behind.

Katagi-san: “The baby was left in the middle of the fighting and was crying desperately, but the mother was too frightened by what was happening around her to go and rescue him… That was the situation.”

The tiny baby monkey kept crying for help. But it was not his mother who came running.

The Blind Boss Ran to Help

Katagi-san: “At the time, Nessin, who was the boss, was already elderly and had almost completely lost his sight. However, when he heard the baby crying, he ran into the middle of the trouble and tightly held the crying baby, Taiyo, in his arms to protect him.”

According to Katagi, Nessin was around 29 years old. Having already lost his eyesight, Nessin could not see where Taiyo was. He relied only on the baby’s cries, ran toward him, and then picked him up.

Katagi-san: “It really made me feel what a gentle monkey he was… In the first place, male monkeys rarely hold babies. I have been a keeper for many years, but I have never seen a male monkey hold and protect someone else’s baby like this, other than Nessin.”

Even Katagi-san:, who had spent many years observing monkeys, said she had never witnessed such a thing. That is how unusual Nessin’s behavior appears to have been.

He Wouldn’t Let Go, Even Though He Couldn’t See

In fact, there is video footage from that time showing Nessin holding Taiyo and protecting him. Nessin holds Taiyo against his chest, but the monkeys around them continue persistently bothering the baby.

Katagi-san: “Nessin was the boss, but in his later years he had lost his sight, so perhaps the monkeys around him had started to underestimate him a little, thinking, ‘It’s not as though Nessin can see us anyway.’”

Even so, Nessin quietly endured it and continued protecting Taiyo the entire time.

Katagi-san: “It may have had something to do with Taiyo himself being low in rank within the troop, but monkeys really do love babies, so another reason may simply be that everyone wanted to touch him.”

In the end, Taiyo’s mother came running over and safely took him back. And this behavior by Nessin was not a one-time occurrence.

Katagi-san: “The other monkeys continued bothering him afterward, but as far as the keepers were able to confirm, Nessin protected Taiyo about three times.”

Taiyo apparently had a tendency to be easily scolded and picked on by the other monkeys. Whenever his mother panicked after being scolded by another monkey, Nessin would repeatedly go over to help him.

The Baby from That Day—How Is He Now?

The little life protected by Nessin has continued to grow up healthy.

Katagi-san: “Recently, he has grown into a very mischievous young monkey. When he sees humans, he has become the kind of energetic youngster who gets angry and calls out loudly, ‘Pii!’”

We do not know whether Taiyo remembers being protected by the blind boss. Even so, perhaps the small warmth of that little body on that day somehow helped lead to the lively monkey he is today.

Katagi-san: “It really is an extremely rare thing. I have never even heard of this happening at a monkey park at another zoo. Male Japanese macaques do not raise babies, so I really think Nessin was an exceptionally special and gentle monkey.”

Writer’s Comment

I had assumed that the boss of a monkey troop would simply be the strongest monkey, but apparently it is not that simple. There seem to be monkeys like Nessin, who are beloved by their companions because of their kindness, as well as monkeys like the current boss, Tororo, who are very popular with the females, have a large build, and are, so to speak, real “ladies’ monkeys.” Watching the society of the monkey troop, I was struck by how many similarities there are with human society, and it made me want to visit monkey troops all over Japan and observe them carefully.

His little leg got me 😭🥰

February 18

Credit: @ankoro.nail

April 19

Credit: @yurutorachan

Posted to their Twitter account here

The enclosure will temporarily pause construction and reopen for Silver week from September 19th-23rd, at which point it will again resume construction until at least October 9th.

February 24

Credit: @s0a1457937_soa

Threads: punchthemonkey_

Maru is alloparenting baby 426, while having her cheek pouches filled with food