Tourists visit 'monkey school' museum

Tourists visit 'monkey school' museum

UTSUNOMIYA, Japan - Tourists visit a museum in Nikko, eastern Japan, on Oct. 4, 2014, exhibiting uniforms and other stage items used in a "monkey school" show at the Nikko Saru Gundan (Nikko Money Company) theme park closed late last year.

Japanese monkey troupe set for performance in China

Japanese monkey troupe set for performance in China

UTSUNOMIA, Japan - Toshio Manaka, head of the Nikko Saru Gundan (Nikko Monkey Troupe), which was disbanded at the end of 2013, trains a monkey in Nikko, northeast of Tokyo, on Aug. 22, 2014, as part of preparations for the troupe's first performance in China, slated for next May.

Graduation ceremony held for popular monkey group in Nikko

Graduation ceremony held for popular monkey group in Nikko

UTSUNOMIYA, Japan - A member of a popular monkey performance group at the Nikko Saru Gundan theme park receives a diploma at a "graduation ceremony" in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, on Dec. 21, 2013. The park opened in 1992 in Nikko, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan, and became popular because of the monkey performances. But it will close at the end of this year because foreign monkey trainers left Japan after the devastating 2011 earthquake.

Graduation ceremony held for popular monkey group in Nikko

Graduation ceremony held for popular monkey group in Nikko

UTSUNOMIYA, Japan - Toshio Manaka, president of the Nikko Saru Gundan theme park, reads a diploma during a "graduation ceremony" in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, on Dec. 21, 2013. The park opened in 1992 in Nikko, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan, and became popular because of the monkey performances. But it will close at the end of this year because foreign monkey trainers left Japan after the devastating 2011 earthquake.

Graduation ceremony held for popular monkey group in Nikko

Graduation ceremony held for popular monkey group in Nikko

UTSUNOMIYA, Japan - A popular group of monkeys attend a "graduation ceremony" at the Nikko Saru Gundan theme park in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture, on Dec. 21, 2013. The park opened in 1992 in Nikko, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Japan, and became popular because of the monkey performances. But it will close at the end of this year because foreign monkey trainers left Japan after the devastating 2011 earthquake.

Taiwan woman takes to life with Japanese monkey troupe

Taiwan woman takes to life with Japanese monkey troupe

UTSUNOMIYA, Japan - Monkey trainer Su Yali from Taiwan strikes a pose with a female monkey named Taiwan at ''Nikko Saru Gundan'' entertainment company in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture.

Tourists visit 'monkey school' museum

Tourists visit 'monkey school' museum

UTSUNOMIYA, Japan - Tourists visit a museum in Nikko, eastern Japan, on Oct. 4, 2014, exhibiting uniforms and other stage items used in a "monkey school" show at the Nikko Saru Gundan (Nikko Money Company) theme park closed late last year. (Kyodo)

Japanese monkey troupe set for performance in China

Japanese monkey troupe set for performance in China

UTSUNOMIA, Japan - Toshio Manaka, head of the Nikko Saru Gundan (Nikko Monkey Troupe), which was disbanded at the end of 2013, trains a monkey in Nikko, northeast of Tokyo, on Aug. 22, 2014, as part of preparations for the troupe's first performance in China, slated for next May. (Kyodo)