Monkey Park Iwatayama, Kyoto: Hours, Address, Monkey Park Iwatayama Reviews: 4.5/5
Monkey Park Iwatayama
Monkey Park Iwatayama
4.5
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
About
Features animals
Learn more about animal welfare in tourismSuggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingTours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
Full view
Top ways to experience Monkey Park Iwatayama
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
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
Contribute
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
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.
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
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
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
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!
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
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
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.
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
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
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
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
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.
JameAndDare
Woodstock, Canada3,930 contributions
Hi, I'm just wondering if anyone can confirm that the monkey park itself (walking up to see and feed the monekys) is open right now? On the website there is a bright yellow banner saying "due to shortage of staff all excursions are temporarily suspended" and it no longer shows the price to enter the park. I am planning on going next week and dont want to hike all the way over there and then not be able to get in. Thanks!
Plamena_Ilieva
Sofia, Bulgaria10 contributions
It's open. We were there 2 days ago
Craig
Sydney, Australia
Hi, I am planning to travel to Kyoto for two half days in a couple of weeks time with my family including two children 8 & 10. We were looking to go to Nagano separately but currently thinking Iwatayama may be a better option and therefore give us an extra day during our stay in Tokyo (or have a day trip elsewhere from there).
What I am wondering is on one of the half days we were going to spend in Kyoto we were going to go to the Bamboo Forest. From what I have read about 20 - 30 minutes here is probably enough. I was thinking we may be able to walk out the South end of the Forest and across the bridge and then up the hill hike to the monkey park. When I look on Google Maps it appears to indicate a long trek of approx 6km (heading far south of the park and then looping back. Is this really the way you get there or is google maps not aware of the trail.
If the walking path from the bamboo forest is shorter could someone advise approx distance and the timeframe it would take to walk.
Appreciate any feedback
antoniacc
Hong Kong, China86 contributions
It took us perhaps half an hour to get up to the Iwatayama monkey park from the bus stop, taking it very slowly. We went in early May so I'm guessing you'll be taking it even slower, but it wasn't very far, just steep. It seemed that most people were going in and out of the bamboo forest (we didn't go) from the other side of the river, so I guess that would add quite a bit of distance unless there's a back way in.
We spent about half an hour with the monkeys, there weren't that many (compared with the ones near Nagano), but they were cute - lots of babies.
How far is it up the mountain?
Kels H
Kauai, HI37 contributions
I can't say that I've ever literally walked up a staircase for 20 minutes, but this is what it is if you can imagine that. It's doable, but not super easy. I mean I'm in shape and I breathed a couple times. It's so worth it though!
I visited today and it was amazing. My question of the day is...why don’t the monkeys travel down the mountain?
William S
Kobe, Japan1,181 contributions
The sometimes do wander down but are brought/lured back up. There is a reliable source of food at the park and it is a motivator to remain in place. Monkey troops wander in search of food and this troop does not run out.
Ashley S
Chicago, IL125 contributions
Is this place open Jan. 1-Jan. 4?
Wendy W
Placerville, CA7 contributions
I am not sure about New Year's day as it is a National Holiday. However, it is likely open on the other days weather permitting. Kyoto has become a tourist mecca so it can be quite crowded even so we loved the entire area of Arishyama. Enjoy!
Bonjour,
Savez-vous si le parc a ré-ouvert depuis le passage du typhon Jebi ?
Merci, Nadège
johnensharon
Boxtel, The Netherlands2 contributions
Hello, its very hot here now, is there any way to avoid the climb?
Gerson H
Moriyama, Japan111 contributions
A trilha é longa e penso que nao haja outra forma de chegar ao topo sem ser por ela.
My daughter was scratched by a monkey at the park, so anyone else ever had the same experience? I’m just worried about diseases. I took her to the doctor in Kyoto and the doctor said she was fine and there is no case of b virus in Japan.
Do they carry any diseases? Are they vaccinated?
Rei H
Bremen, GA304 contributions
I am not sure... But you are not supposed to touch the monkeys (when you feed the monkeys, you have to do so from inside the “feeding house”). There are some staff there watching monkeys and the visitors VERY CLOSELY... We felt safe there and there are hand sanitizers and sink to wash hands with soap inside the “feeding house”.
Frequently Asked Questions about Monkey Park Iwatayama
- Monkey Park Iwatayama is open:
- Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
- 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
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Monkey Park Iwatayama:
- Afternoon Arashiyama Bamboo Forest & Monkey Park Bike Tour (From $121.05)
- Kyoto Arashiyama & Sagano Bamboo Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide (From $71.59)
- Kyoto Private Custom Walking & Sightseeing Tour (From $157.00)
- Kyoto Arashiyama & Golden Pavilion One day Fulfilling Tour (From $105.92)
- Kyoto Half-Day Private Tour with Government-Licensed Guide (From $75.66)
- Hotels near Monkey Park Iwatayama:
- (0.15 mi) Arashiyama BENKEI
- (0.08 mi) Togetsutei
- (0.05 mi) Hanaikada
- (0.11 mi) Japaning Hotel Liv Ranrokaku
- (0.10 mi) Guest House Musubi-an Arashiyama
- Restaurants near Monkey Park Iwatayama:
- (0.12 mi) Arabica Arashiyama
- (0.06 mi) Togetsutei Bekkan Shofukaku Togetsu Cafe
- (0.07 mi) UDON Arashiyamatei
- (0.04 mi) Cuisine Hanaikada
- (0.07 mi) Kyoto Arashiyama Onsen Togetsutei
- Attractions near Monkey Park Iwatayama:
- (0.03 mi) Ichitani Munakata Shrine
- (0.13 mi) Ebisuya, Kyoto Arashiyama
- (0.12 mi) Togetsukyo Bridge
- (0.09 mi) Oi River
- (0.05 mi) Horando, Togetsukyo Honten