TRAVEL/INSPIRATION

A Visit to Kyoto’s Monkey Park

Watching wild monkeys roam freely while enjoying the scenic views of Kyoto is a delightful experience

B.R. Shenoy
Dancing Elephants Press
2 min readJul 4, 2024

--

Wild monkey at a Monkey park
Credit: B.R. Shenoy’s daughter

My daughter had an amazing experience visiting the Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama during her holiday in Kyoto, Japan, in May 2024.

The park is located in the scenic district of Arashiyama, a busy tourist area in Kyoto, and is easily accessible by train. The trek from the metro station is about 25 minutes, followed by another 25 minutes up a hillside. Pro tip: Wear proper footwear for the hike.

The park is home to 120 snow monkeys, also known as Japanese Macaques, native to Japan. These monkeys are known for their red faces and thick fur, which helps them stay warm during Japan’s cold winters.

Visitors at the park are asked to follow three key rules:

  1. Don’t touch the monkeys.
  2. Don’t get too close.
  3. Don’t make eye contact.

--

--

B.R. Shenoy
Dancing Elephants Press

Avid Globetrotter• Expat on 3 Continents•Boosted and Top Writer•Editor:The Shortform and Dancing Elephants Press•MS Toxicology •Proud Mom of 2