Arashiyama Monkey Park Iwatayama

Lonely Planet review

If you want to spend some quality time with our simian cousins or entertain restless children, this park might fit the bill. Just be warned: it's a steep climb up the hill to get to the monkeys. If it's a hot day, you're going to be drenched by the time you get to the spot where they gather.

Though it is common to spot wild monkeys in the nearby mountains, here you can encounter them at a close distance and enjoy watching the playful creatures frolic about. It makes for an excellent photo opportunity, not only of the monkeys but also the panoramic view over Kyoto.

Refreshingly, it is the animals who are free to roam while the humans who feed them are caged in a box!

You enter the park near the south side of Tōgetsu-kyō, through the orange torii of Ichitani-jinja. Buy your tickets from the machine to the left of the shrine at the top of the steps.