Photo/Illutration Japanese macaques huddle together to keep warm at Osaru no Kuni nature park on Shodoshima island in Kagawa Prefecture on Jan. 18. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

About 30 Japanese monkeys were huddled closely together to keep one another warm, reminding me of pre-pandemic, jam-packed commuter trains.

It also reminded me of "oshikura manju," a traditional children's game of standing back to back in a circle and jostling.

Known as "saru dango" (monkeys in a tight pack), this is a familiar winter sight at Osaru no Kuni, a Japanese macaque sanctuary on Shodoshima island in Kagawa Prefecture.

Located on the northern part of the island, this nature reserve offers a view of the Seto Inland Sea.

According to caretaker Yuki Kaji, 23, the pack is seen in the late afternoon on overcast and dry, cold, windy days.

"It can take the shape of a tight circle sometimes, or a narrow line at other times, so there's no predicting what it'll look like," Kaji explained.

The boss ape has special privileges, allowing him to get to the warmest spot by stepping on the heads and shoulders of others who are already huddled together.

All the elderly members and babies looked snug and comfy in the big circle.

But Kaji noted that when the pecking order becomes destabilized after the death of a boss, the circle remains small.

When I saw the formation from close quarters last month, the boss, Danjuro, was solidly ensconced in the center of the circle, with his No. 3, Kichiemon, dutifully occupying a spot nearby.

But Danjuro's top lieutenant, Ennosuke, was somehow out of the pack, looking alone and aloof.

These simians are named after Kabuki actors, but I saw the faces of politicians in them.

Haiku poet Seiho Awano (1899-1992) penned a piece to this effect: "A sudden cold wave keeps Japan's shape narrow."

Spring is here on the calendar, but the nation is still frozen. Just looking at tightly aligned isobaric lines on the weather map evokes images of heavy snow and blizzards.

My sympathies go to people in snow countries who must be struggling with the inclement weather.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the island's monkey sanctuary has been temporarily closed to visitors and will remain so.

But once the spring breeze starts blowing, Danjuro, Kichiemon and everyone will stop snuggling.

I hope the infections will level off while the saru dango can still be seen.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Feb. 8

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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