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Monkey Park Iwatayama

Monkey Park Iwatayama, Kyoto: Hours, Address, Monkey Park Iwatayama Reviews: 4.5/5

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Monkey Park Iwatayama

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Monkey Park Iwatayama
4.5
2,631
#22 of 1,910 things to do in Kyoto
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9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Western Kyoto
Western Kyoto is home to some of the city's best eccentricities. Kyoto's Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street takes visitors back in time to the Meiji Period, where old homes have been transformed into tea houses and eateries. Pleasure boats drift down the riverbank, under wooden bridges that beckon nature lovers to hiking trails and botanical walks. The area's famously tall bamboo groves, monkey park, and impressive vistas during the Hanami cherry blossom viewing season mean that it is busiest in warmer months, though also gorgeous in the fall, when the mountains and hills along the banks turn multi-colored. Historic and engaging, even the rail cars in Western Kyoto seek to exemplify its traditional nature and scenic beauty. Many people, including natives, come to visit the 1,200 rakan statues at the Otagi Nenbutsuji Temple, which is still in use as a religious site.
Best nearby
Restaurants
1,369 within 3 miles
Sushi Naritaya
420
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Japanese • Seafood • Sushi
Arabica Arashiyama
209
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Quick Bites • Cafe
Shigetsu
170
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • Japanese • Asian • Japanese - Traditional Cuisine
Arashiyama Kijurou
114
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Japanese • Steakhouse • Grill
Arashiyama Yoshimura
214
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Japanese • Asian • Vegetarian Friendly
Unagiya Hirokawa
239
0.4 mi$$ - $$$ • Japanese • Asian • Healthy
Pizzeria Lugara
116
0.5 mi$$ - $$$ • Italian • Pizza • Vegetarian Friendly
Yudofu Sagano
95
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Japanese • Asian • Japanese - Traditional Cuisine
Kyoto Kitcho Arashiyama
103
0.2 mi$$$$ • Japanese • Asian • Japanese - Traditional Cuisine
Shoraian
143
0.4 mi$$$$ • Japanese • Asian • Japanese - Traditional Cuisine
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Attractions
1,455 within 6 miles
Ichitani Munakata Shrine
16
146 ftReligious Sites
Togetsukyo Bridge
857
0.1 miBridges • Scenic Walking Areas
Oi River
20
466 ftBodies of Water
Arashiyama Park Nakanoshima Area
41
0.1 miParks
Horinji Temple
87
0.1 miReligious Sites
Kogozuka
6
0.1 miHistoric Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks
Fukuda Art Museum
14
0.1 miArt Museums
Kotokiki Bridge Monument
10
0.2 miMonuments & Statues
Hogonin Temple
163
0.2 miReligious Sites
Tenryuji Temple
1,969
0.3 miReligious Sites
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,631 reviews
Excellent
1,538
Very good
813
Average
225
Poor
40
Terrible
15
HL❤️
Gold Coast, Australia101 contributions
Breathtaking view of Kyoto and so many monkeys
Dec 2019
Unforgettable experience, we love it.
Worth to climb up many many stairs and walk up to the mountain, the view is so beautiful and lots of monkeys in their natural habitat.
To climb up the mountain, there are alot of stairs, around 5 mins of continuous stairs, so please wear comfortable non slippery shoes, if you have small kids, not recommend for big heavy strollers.
Once you done the stairs, you are walking uphill for about 15-20 mins, it's comfortable walk to enjoy the natural scenery and fresh air.
Once you're in the top, wow, worth all the walk!
Greet by so many monkeys, and the stunning kyoto view.
There are plenty of seats to relax, vending machines and toilets.
Staffs are really helpful and friendly.
We enjoyed feeding the monkeys - inside the cage, you can buy the small package of food inside the park cost only 100 yen and you can feed the monkeys, must try experience!
We went there in mid of December (Winter) around 10am, once you cool down from walk up the mountains, it's quite cold, so bring scarf and gloves and warm jackets.
Also remember not to point the camera too close to the monkeys, they can get quite aggressive.
Will definitely go back for next trip.
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
BRTraveler-7
Baton Rouge, LA25 contributions
Lots of Fun!
Apr 2022
Great experience for all ages from young kids enjoying the playground with the monkeys to adults enjoying the views over the city with the monkey. It was also a lot of fun to feed the monkeys bananas and apples. (They really liked the bananas!). It's a 20-minute beautiful hike up to the monkeys. Definitely recommended.
Written April 30, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
c3pon
Hampton, MN602 contributions
Great experience to interact with monkeys.
Jan 2020 • Couples
I wasn't expecting much but I was shocked at what a great, entertaining experience this was! Monkeys are all over and wander around you. You're free to move about and take photos you just can't feed them unless you go inside the cage! From inside the cage they come to the bars and you can pass them peanuts. The staff were very helpful and friendly. They spoke English and we asked many questions about the care and age and temperament of the different monkeys. I didn't expect this to be as much fun as it was it was a real highlight! Just be prepared it is a hike up the hill to get to the monkey Park.
Written January 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Morag V
Ladner, Canada120 contributions
"Do not miss a trip to Arashiyama Monkey Park"
Nov 2019
Our visit to the Monkey park was one of the highlights on our trip to Japan. Even though it was a very warm walk up to the top of the park, it was totally worth it! The first thing we did was to go to the "cooling" hut, which was a great way to get ready for our super fun time. Then we began our fun 3 1/2 hour visit at the park. The Monkey park is home to over 120 Japanese macaque monkeys. The monkeys are free to do all their natural behaivours, in the large out side setting. We enjoyed buying food to feed the monkeys from inside the hut. The monkeys would come up to the meshed windows where we would put the food through to them. We got so many wonderful photos of babies riding on their Mom's backs, and being groomed by them.
This is a must see in Kyoto!
Written October 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
David T
Auckland, New Zealand166 contributions
Cheeky
Jan 2020 • Family
Good brisk walk up steep hill gives wonderful view of Kyoto and heaps of monkeys. Try to arrive at feeding time when they play funny music and the monkeys go nuts for peanuts. The staff have brooms for monkey Poo and naughty monkeys. Recommend this for fitness and up close with our ancestors.
Written January 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
kerry_hulton
London, UK126 contributions
Definitely visit!
Feb 2020
You should 100% visit the monkey park, it was lovely and so enjoyable seeing all the monkey's roaming around. It cost us around 800 Yen each to get into the park, it closes at 5pm and we arrived around 4:30pm they let you stay up at the peak until 5.30 so it is fine if you get there last minute.

The monkey's are roaming around with all the people and you can go into the feeding hut and pay 100 Yen for nuts or apple's to feed the monkey's through the cage (which you're standing in)

It also gives an amazing view of Kyoto which just topped off the visit. It is also only 10 minute walk away from the bamboo park. We decided to get a taxi from the Golden Temple as we had ran out of time and needed to get to the park before it closed. But there is a train which goes straight to Kyoto station.
Written February 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Ginelle C
52 contributions
Amazing views of Kyoto and adorable monkeys!
Jan 2020 • Friends
The uphill hike through the trees is so worth the views and adorable monkeys that greet you at the top. The hike takes about 20-30 minutes.The monkeys roam freely and there are staff up there to insure people respect the monkeys and rules of the park. You can feed the monkeys by going into a cage and paying 100 yen for a bag of apples. The moneys take the food from you through the bars. People in cages and monkeys free. That’s more like it!!
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Sheree H
Melbourne, Australia16 contributions
Worth the trek
Feb 2020 • Couples
Didn't know what to expect with this park, but it was great. All of the monkeys are free to roam as they please, it was great to see them acting natural. There are workers around to make sure no harm comes to the monkeys or us. You could spend as much time as you wanted on top of the hill with them, and the views of Kyoto are amazing. Be prepared for the walk up- its something in itself!
Written February 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Didge432
Sutherland Shire, Australia487 contributions
More tourists than monkeys
Jan 2020 • Family
Not sure how to feel about this attraction. It’s a 20 minute walk up a mountain where you are greeted with a lot of monkeys and even more tourists. The monkeys generally leave you alone but I’m sure one day one of them will attack someone. Once we were up there, we found the view over Kyoto to be of more interest. It’s one of those attraction you’ll regret it if you don’t go, but one I just won’t go back to either.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
julie m
9 contributions
holiday to see daughter on foreign exchange from uni in uk
Feb 2020
Went to the monkey park to see Japanese monkeys as didnt have time to go to sapporo to see snow monkeys. Just got train here and then hiked up to the top phew! however it was well worth it to see the monkeys and their babies, preening each other. bought food, nuts and fruit, and fed them from our cage, they were free we were the captives, Just watching them take the food was lovely there hands are very dexterous not sue this is the correct word but they could take the food from my hand amazing, Short walk from here to the bamboo forest and there are lovely eateries in the town and the snoopy chocolate place.
Written March 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Monkey Park Iwatayama
Monkey Park Iwatayama is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Monkey Park Iwatayama tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 14 Monkey Park Iwatayama tours on Tripadvisor