Iwatayama Monkey Park

If you like monkeys and want to get up close with them, this is the place! (But if your best friend is scared of monkeys, you might want to cross this off you itinerary.) Iwatayama Monkey Park is a 5 minute walk from Hankyu Railway's Arashiyama Station, but count on 10 more minutes to climb the mountain to where the monkeys are hanging out.

Starting from downtown Kyoto, catch the Hankyu line bound for Osaka (usually Umeda Station). It's 220 yen for the whole trip, but you will need to switch trains at Katsura Station. At Katsura you will need to exit your train, go up some stairs and go back down another flight to your left. Then you will be on the correct platform to ride to Arashiyama.





When you arrive in Arashiyama exit the station and go straight. This isn't the most direct route to the park, but I feel that's it's the most scenic and also gives you a chance to buy snacks. You will pass bus stops and a parking lot, but then you will arrive at the park by the river! Turn left and do not cross the bridge onto the island that is a large park. Keep walking straight until the road ends and turn right. In about 1/2 a block you will be at an intersection with a bridge. Stay to the left and walk along the river- don't cross the bridge! The entrance to the park is inside a small shrine- look for stone steps to the shrine on your left after about 180 ft. The shrine looks empty, but when you enter there is a booth on the far left selling tickets to the park. It is 550 yen for an adult entrance ticket. Now the hiking begins!

I was carrying my camera backpack, was in fairly good shape and still had to take a break halfway up. Apparently I took the left path, which is shorter but steeper. Hang right for a less onerous climb. On my trail there was a sign halfway up reading, "Hang in there! The monkeys are waiting for you!" There is fencing up around the trails which made me think there were monkeys in the bushes and trees, but I didn't see any on my way up to the top.

At the top of the mountain it is MONKEY CITY! Monkeys sleeping, grooming, just hanging out. There is a small wooden building with chain link fence over the open windows. You can buy food in here and give it to the monkeys through the fence-windows. They were selling apple slices and peanuts- I asked the lady selling them which the monkeys liked better and she said the younger monkeys liked the apples and the older monkeys liked the peanuts. When you feed the monkeys you are supposed to put the food on the windowsill for them to grab (so you don't touch them), but they hold out there little hands and it is Very Difficult not to put the food in their palms.

Outside the hut the monkeys don't bother you for food, but there are still rules to follow:
1. Don't look the monkeys in the eye.
2. Don't touch the monkeys.
3. Don't feed the monkeys outside.

There are rangers walking around making sure everyone is following the rules and that monkeys and humans play nice. The rangers are happy to take your picture with a monkey you just need to stand a few feet behind one so you are not too close, but in the same shot. The rangers also know all about the monkey's history and hierarchy. If you speak Japanese I highly recommend asking them questions, they are happy to answer!

Last of all, if you are there at the end of the day (4:30 to 5 pm), you will catch feeding time. I'll let the video speak for itself:

Back in the game

My last trip to Japan was a bit different than I had planned. I ended up catching the flu and not being able to do almost any of the things I had planned. But now I am back, and ready to keep blogging about all the good times I have had in Kyoto, so keep an eye out for more posts coming soon!

Coming up:
Fushimi Inari Shrine
Iwatayama Monkey Park
Mseum of Traditional Hairstyles

Otagi Nenbutsuji

Otagi Nenbutsji is a small temple located in northern Arashiyama. It's so small that even though I've been to Arashiyama many times, last year was the first time I visited it. I was surprised at how close it was to Adashino Nenbutsuji- how can I have never gone before?

To get to Otagi Nenbutsuji you need to walk through most of Arashiyama. Since that would be a long, long paragraph of directions, I'm going to start from Adashino Nenbutsuji and write a longer post on the walk through Arashiyama later. There is also a decent map on the temple website, but it starts from the JR station and I think the walk is best started from the Hankyu Arashiyama station.

Looking down the street from Adashino Nenbutsuji.

Starting from Adashino, head north up the Saga-Toriimoto Preserved Street. If you are just leaving Adashino Nenbutsuji this means you will be turning left. The street looks mainly residential, with a few shops. One shop directly across from Adashino sells handmade felt boxes that look like cake. They're extraordinarily detailed, with felt fruit and frosting, and the artist makes them right in front of you! The family that runs the shop is incredibly nice so I always make a point of stopping by and picking up some delicious looking gifts for friends.

Tiny felt cakes

You will pass traditional thatched roofed houses.

 After about a block the street forks. This is where I got confused on my visit. Stay to the RIGHT of the fork. If you go left (like I did) you will find yourself on a pleasant forest road that winds for 3 kilometers before reaching a train station. There is nothing for forest along the way, and the ladies at the cake box shop told me that bears, wild boar and monkeys can be encountered on the road in the summer! So stay safe and keep RIGHT, especially if you are traveling solo.

Don't go this way!

The fork to right continues past houses and then appears to also be entering the forest. No worries! After about 100 feet you will see Otagi Nenbutsuji on your left! Entrance is 300 yen, hours are 8 AM to 5 PM.

 Otagi Nenbutsuji is full of statues. They are all carved by amateurs (instructed by a master) and represent the disciples of the Buddha. Each one is different, and there are some very funny figures! Happy statues, grumpy statues, serene statues, statues bowling, pouring sake, listening to walkmans(!), even one that looks like Mike Tyson! Although they are covered in moss, they were created only in the 1980s. There is a temple bell you can ring. Ask the staff the correct order, since there are 3 bells!

 On my last visit I only saw three other people here, and they didn't stay long. While it's a little out of the way to reach, this is a great place to really take your time, enjoy the atmosphere and the quiet.