Japan: Kyoto - Monkey Park in Arashiyama

Date: 24th March, 2015

After walking through the Bamboo Forest soon after arriving at Arashiyama, I walked to the Monkey Park, to see the Japanese macaques.

Arashiyama Monkey Park entrance Kyoto — The entry fee is ¥500 (₹270/$4/€3.7)

Arashiyama Monkey Park info — Some information about the park

Monkey Park steps hill Kyoto — But first, I had to climb steps. Lot’s of it. Ugh. I hate steps!

Monkey Park map Arashiyama hill — You are climbing up Iwatayama (*yama* is mountain in Japanese)

Monkey Park Arashiyama hill Kyoto — I was up the 109 metre high mark

Japanese Monkey Park Arashiyama — Some facts about Japanese monkeys

Climbing Monkey Park hill Arashiyama Kyoto — It was cold, my legs were aching and to make it worse, it began to drizzle.

Monkey Park Iwatayama eight — I was now as high as the Kyoto Tower

Japanese Monkey tourists Kyoto — But I finally began to see the monkeys

Monkey Park top of hill Arashiyama — After nearly 30 minutes…

Monkey Arashiyama park Kyoto — …I was finally at the top.

Inside room Monkey Park Arashiyama — Inside the cabin, it’s warm, they have wifi, sell hot drinks and snacks

Feeding Japanese monkey Arashiyama park — You can buy apples and other fruits to feed the monkeys

Tourist feeding monkeys park Arashiyama — (Taken on my Sony Xperia Z1 phone)

Japanese monkey asking for food Kyoto — I like this concept. Humans inside, the animals outside.

Cabin atop Iwatayama Arashiyama Japan — When it stopped drizzling, I stepped out of the cabin

Benches top of hill Arashiyama — You have a nice viewpoint of Kyoto city from up here

Kyoto landmarks Arashiyama hill — Some notable landmarks (if you can read them)

Kyoto city from Mountain top — Not many skyscrapers

Kyoto tower from Iwatayama Japan — Kyoto Tower in the distance

Japanese monkey sleeping Arashiyama — I swapped out lenses, mounted my 70-200 zoom lens and took some photos of the monkeys

Japanese monkey scratching Arashiyama — I love watching monkeys do this 🙂

Here is a brief video I took:

Arashiyama hill view of Kyoto — It was time to leave (taken on my phone)

Iwatayama walking down Arashiyama — Going back down was easier. I went down another path.

The visit to the Monkey Park was nice, although I hated the climb up in such cold weather. I forced myself to do it because I wasn’t going to Hokkaido to see the famous monkeys relaxing in Yunokawa Hot Spring. The park claims to have other animals but I barely saw much else. The monkeys? They’re aplenty. When I was there, many were taking a nap, which was cute to witness.

Sakura tree park Arashiyama — On the way back, I spotted some sakura trees that had blossomed in a park by the river

Arashiyama bridge park panorama — A panorama of Togetsu-kyo Bridge

Arashiyama boats river Japan — I felt a bit sad I was in Arashiyama but could not do or see more. Boat ride down Oi River and most notably a ride on the Sagano Scenic Railway.

Arashiyama tree hill Kyoto river — Oh well. There would be many things I wouldn’t see now. Like how these trees turn red, orange and yellow in autumn.

Arashiyama town Kyoto Japan — Arashiyama is a really lovely getaway

Tourist buses Arashiyama Japan — Bus loads of tourists, mostly all Chinese

Arashiyama street Kyoto Japan — It was time to leave Arashiyama

Rickshaw puller Arashiyama Japan — Everytime I see these rickshaw pullers, the customers mostly seem to be women.

Arashiyama neighbourhood Kyoto prefecture — Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to live here

Sakura tree Arashiyama Japan — A fully bloomed sakura tree near the train station

Clock JR station Arashiyama Japan — It was nearing 1PM. I had to head back to Kyoto city.

Once back in Kyoto city, I would check out the impressive Kyoto Central station, check out of Shiori-an Guesthouse and hop on a shinkansen to go to Himeji. All that in the next post.

Next posts in this series:

Japan 2015: Kyoto Station, and arriving at Himeji by shinkansen

Japan 2015: Himeji Castle, and the unexpected air show

Japan 2015: Nadagiku Shuzo Sake Brewery, leaving Himeji for Tokyo — and my last bullet train ride

Japan 2015: Nakamise street, Senso-ji temple, and Ueno Park sakura at half-bloom

Japan 2015: Ueno Zoo – pandas, a lonely polar bear, and more

Japan 2015: Shibuya – the busiest crossing in the world, and home to a loyal dog

Japan 2015: Nishi-Shinjuku — views from Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building sky deck

Japan 2015: Shopping in Shinjuku, and Kabukicho

Japan 2015: Denboin garden, near Sensoji Temple

Japan 2015: Cherry blossom celebrations by Sumida River

Japan 2015: Boat ride to Odaiba; giant Gundam statue at DiverCity Mall