# Iwatayama Monkey Park

> Climb the forested slopes of Iwatayama mountain to encounter over 120 wild Japanese macaques roaming freely, with panoramic views of Kyoto as your reward at the summit.

- Prefecture: Kyoto
- Type: Attraction
- Address: Kyoto, Japan
- Official site: http://www.monkeypark.jp/eng-index.html

The monkeys are the easy part. Getting to them means twenty minutes of switchbacks up Iwatayama, a climb steep enough that most people arrive at the top red-faced and quiet. The trail starts behind Ichitani Shrine, a couple of minutes from Togetsukyo Bridge, and it is paved but relentless. Strollers do not work here. Neither do sandals in wet weather.

At the summit live around 120 wild Japanese macaques, individually named and tracked by the staff, who have been studying this troop since 1954. They are not tame and they are not fenced. The arrangement is inverted: the monkeys roam the open hilltop and the humans stand inside a mesh hut to hand out apple slices and peanuts, bought for a small charge at the counter. Feeding costs a few hundred yen for a bag, entry around 800 yen for adults and half that for children.

The rules matter here. Do not crouch to a monkey's eye level, do not show teeth, and do not stare, because all three read as a challenge. Keep food out of sight until you are inside the hut. Loose plastic bags get snatched. Staff enforce this cheerfully but firmly, and there is a reason.

The view from the clearing is the other half of the ticket. Kyoto spreads out below the whole basin, from the Katsura River curling around Arashiyama to the Higashiyama ridge on the far side, and on clear winter days you can pick out individual pagodas. Late afternoon light is the best of it. Winter is when the troop huddles into fur balls for warmth, and babies appear from around May, clinging to their mothers' bellies.

Compared with Jigokudani in Nagano, nobody bathes in a hot spring here. What you get instead is a wild troop fifteen minutes from a Kyoto train station. Last entry is roughly an hour before closing, and closing comes early in winter, so check before you start the climb rather than after.

## FAQ

### How do I get to Iwatayama Monkey Park?

From Hankyu Arashiyama Station, walk 5 minutes north toward Togetsukyo Bridge; the park entrance is just south of the bridge inside Ichitani Munakata Shrine grounds. From JR Saga-Arashiyama Station it's about 15 minutes' walk south across the bridge. After paying admission you climb a moderately steep 20-minute trail; expect a gain of about 160 metres.

### What's the entry fee and opening hours?

Adult admission is 600 yen, children (4-15) 300 yen. The park is open daily 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM in winter and 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM in summer (last admission 30 minutes before closing). Cash only. The hike up takes 20 minutes plus time at the summit, so plan at least 1.5 hours total.

### Can I feed the monkeys safely?

Yes. You feed them through wire mesh inside a hut at the summit, which keeps a safe barrier between you and the macaques. The hut sells small bags of apple slices or peanuts (around 100 yen) suitable for the monkeys. Outside the hut, do not bring out food, do not stare directly at the monkeys (they read it as aggression), and do not touch them, because they are wild animals.

### When is the best time to visit Iwatayama Monkey Park?

Spring (April-May, when baby monkeys appear and weather is mild) and autumn (October-November, foliage and views) are the most rewarding. Winter (December-February) is photogenic when the monkeys huddle for warmth, but the trail can be icy. Summer is hot and humid for the climb. Mornings before 11 are quietest. Skip the visit on heavy rain days, when the trail becomes slippery and the monkeys retreat.

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Source: Iwatayama Monkey Park — Japan Voyage