Adorable Wildlife and View in Iwatayama Monkey Park

Iwatayama Monkey Park with Adorable Wildlife and Great View of Kyoto

Hiking up Mt Arashiyama to Iwatayama Monkey Park was a wonderful experience. There were dozens of adorable snow monkeys, also called Japanese macaques, in their natural habitat. Even though they were wild animals, we were able to purchase food from the park to feed them. It was great to view the city of Kyoto from the mountain top, especially with the roaming monkeys around us.

Getting To Iwatayama Monkey Park

Coming from Kyoto Station, we took a 15-minute JR train ride to Saga-Arashiyama station. Prior to visiting Iwatayama Monkey Park, we previously stopped at the nearby Bamboo Grove and Kimono Forest. Afterward, we took a scenic walk along the river and bridge to get to the monkey park entrance.

Japanese Macaques at Iwatayama Monkey Park

The hiking trail up the mountain was smooth and easy to follow. Once we got closer to the top, there were dozens of Japanese Macaques roaming around the mountain.

Monkey Feeding

At the park, we were able to purchase peanuts to feed the monkeys from the feeding area. It was so adorable! Most of the monkeys were gentle, however some could get a little aggressive. Consequently, we were only allowed to feed them from behind the cage.

After we were done feeding the monkeys, we got out of the feeding station. It was fun to see the feeding station from the outside. The humans were the ones inside the caged area. On the other hand, the monkeys were free to roam outside, which was wonderful.

View of Kyoto

Just outside the feeding area, we were able to view the city of Kyoto from above while the monkeys were walking around near us. Now that was a unique experience.

Look at this super cute family, particularly the breastfeeding mama and her baby. They were so sweet and they seemed to enjoy their sunbathing time together.

Meanwhile, these two rather mischievous little ones were so energetic as they climbed up to the top of the tree. It was wonderful to see these wild animals looking so happy and comfortable in their natural habitat.

We couldn’t get enough of the monkey cuteness but it was time for us to hike back down. What a fun day! The Iwatayama Monkey Park in Arashiyama was a memorable place for our family and was definitely worth checking out.