A complete guide to the Arashiyama Monkey Park in Kyoto
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Table of Contents
Overview
The Arashiyama Monkey Park, sometimes known as Monkey Mountain, is a fun alternative to Kyoto's temples and provides a nice view of the city. It's a 15-minute hike to reach the top of the mountain where you'll find heaps of monkeys, a nice viewpoint, and a feeding cage. The monkeys are free to roam the mountain and you can feed them by hand by entering the feeding cage which functions like a reverse enclosure. Although it's popular, the 15-minute hike deters some people, so it's usually not too crowded.
Location & Access
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The entrance to the monkey park (and the start of the hike) is a 15-minute walk from Saga-Arashiyama station.
🕗 Opening Hours
Normal Period: 9am - 4pm
📍 Location
Arashiyama, Western Kyoto (Google Maps)
💴 Entry Price
¥600 per person
Seasons
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🌸 Cherry Blossoms
End of March
🍁 Autumn Leaves
Mid to Late November
☀️ Summer
June - August (rainy season)
Average temp. 32°C
❄️ Winter
December - February
Snowfall: 1-3 times per year
Japanese Monkey Facts
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Official Name: Officially known as the Japanese Macaque, they're the northernmost primate and aren't found anywhere else in the world.
Snow Monkeys: They're also commonly referred to as snow monkeys due to their ability to thrive in snowy environments.
Snowball Makers: Young monkeys have been observed playing with snow, including making and rolling snowballs for fun.
Hot Spring Monkeys: They're the only primates that have learned to soak in natural hot springs to keep warm.
Long Life Span: Japanese macaques can live up to 30 years in the wild. In captivity, they can live even longer.
Cultural Behaviours: They learn new behaviours from each other, passing down traditions through generations. One such example is the washing of sweet potatoes in water before eating them - a practice which started in the 1950s on Koshima Island and passed down through generations.
Intelligent: Known for problem-solving, complex social structures, and discovering new tools.
Nearby Attractions
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Arashiyama is an incredible area filled with beautiful nature, stunning temples, and lots of history. Some of the most popular highlights include the Bamboo Grove, the Okochi Sanso Villa, and Jojakkoji Temple.
There are also some incredible accommodation options suitable for all budgets, we analysed thousands of customer reviews to compile a complete list here: The Best Accommodation in Arashiyama
There's way too much to cover in this section, so we've created a whole page for Arashiyama over here: A Complete Guide To Arashiyama
