Kyoto is definitely one of Japan's most historical and cultural cities. They are very well-known for being the home of many famous shrines and temples. However, one of the popular attractions that I wanted to visit was the Arashiyama Monkey Park. I didn't have the time to check it out on our first trip, but made sure to visit it on our last trip in December 2016. The monkey park is located in the neighborhood of Arashiyama in the northwestern area of Kyoto. Transportation wasn't too bad, as the train ride from Kyoto Station was about 15 minutes to JR Saga-Arashiyama Station. You can also take the Hankyu line to Arashiyama station

Before going up to the monkey park, you would need to pay the entrance fee. It costs ¥550 per adult. Be sure to wear good walking shoes and bring water, as the hike up the mountain side took about 30 minutes. I wasn't expecting the hike, but it was a very welcoming surprise. Despite it being in mid-December, I was sweating on the steep hike up so it wasn't very cold when I finally arrived at the top.

The park consists of 120 snow monkeys and they are native to Japan. The monkeys themselves are still wild, so don't look them in their eyes or else they might attack you. There are plenty of signs displayed on this tidbit throughout the park.

There is also an enclosed feeding area located indoors, where you can feed the monkeys by hand. The apple bits weren't very expensive, and I believe it was about 150 yen for a bag. 

 Rules To Abide:

1) Don't stare into the monkeys' eyes. They consider it as a sign of a threat and some of them become aggressive.

2) Don't touch the monkeys. Like other wild animals, the monkeys hate being touched and feel stress.

3) Don't feed them outside the hut surrounded by a wire netting.

This photo was taken using the burst mode on my iPhone, so I didn't look at the monkey directly in the eye for long. The monkey turned its head towards my direction, so I looked away quickly.

Up on top, you also get a gorgeous view of Kyoto, as the top reaches 525 feet above sea level.  

Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama

Hours: Open everyday. 9:00 am ~ 5:00 pm

Website: www.kmpi.co.jp/english/

Location: 8 Arashiyama Genrokuyama-cho, Nishikyo-ku, Kyoto 616-0007, Japan