Arashiyama Monkey Park, Wild Monkeys in Kyoto
Arashiyama is one of the most beautiful places in Kyoto, full of famous temples such as Tenryu-ji and Daikaku-ji. Still, history isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, especially if you are with younger travelers. If you’re not into history, you can visit the popular Arashiyama Monkey Park, one of the most popular places in the area and has nothing to do with history.
Arashiyama Monkey Park
Arashiyama Monkey Park might not be that popular with Japanese people, but it is very popular with foreign visitors. If you are interested in heading over, make sure to wear decent shoes.
The park is a short hike (about 160m) up a hill. It only takes 20 minutes to reach the top, but it can be boiling hot in the summer.
The monkey park has been around since the 1950s when a scientist from Kyoto University fed the monkeys in this area for research. The monkeys have since learned that they can get free food here and have chosen to stay. Even though the area is not enclosed, the monkeys do not run away.
Upon reaching the top of the mountain, visitors can see up to 100 monkeys happily roaming around. While the monkeys are used to human visitors, they are still wild animals, so it’s important not to touch them. Additionally, avoid making direct eye contact with the monkeys, as they, like many other animals, perceive it as a threat and may either run away or become aggressive.
At the top of the hill, there is a small hut where visitors can feed the monkeys for 100 yen.
There are two kinds of monkeys in Japan: hondo macaques and yakushima macaque. Arashiyama Monkey Park, only has hondo macaques exist.
While the Hondo macaque is commonly seen on Japan’s main island, the Yakushima macaque can be seen only on Yakushima island. To be frank, the two species are pretty similar in appearance.
Japanese monkeys are typically born between April and July. If you visit during these months, you might be fortunate enough to see baby monkeys!
When we went several babies were clinging to their mothers. It is hard to believe these little 500g babies grow up to weigh over 10kg!
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