Surprised by how interactive the experience was. You are free to approach the monkeys outside and there aren't many barriers. You can pay a small amount for food to feed them as well. Worth the hike (be aware that it is a good 20-25 minute walk up a mountain - many tiring steps).
I was a little skeptical about this one. I thought it would be super touristy with some monkeys in a cage so you could feed them. We paid our entrance fee and took a paved path up the mountain. There were benches along the way to rest if needed. I was pleasantly surprised at the top to find monkeys roaming free (and most avoiding people). They do have a cage to feed the monkeys, but the people go inside and the monkeys reach their hands in to get the food that you buy for them.
One of the things that I liked the most was the view of Kyoto and its surroundings. It was nice to be up high and looking down into the valley...and have lots of cute monkeys walking around and going about their business.
The was our last stop in Arashiyama. We left our stroller at the bottom of the hill and climbed up. The climb is hard with many bends are uneven ground. But even my 5 year old managed it. My 1 year old had to be carried which probably made the walk quite uncomfortable for us.
At the end of the 20 minute climb you will see a bunch of monkeys and the most spectacular view of Arashiyama.
We fed the monkeys some apples. Kids enjoyed that.
There is also a small playground with a steep steel slide. This was quite popular with my 5 year old.
Overall good spot. Wear good walking shoes and carry a bottle of water.
There's 120 monkeys in this park and they are fun to watch. You can buy a small bag of apples or peanuts for 50 yen and feed them through wooden bars. (People are in the cage, not the monkeys;) The view from the top of this place is worth mentioning as you see all of Kyoto on a clear day.
I wish they would put a live webcam at the first rest stop on the hike up. The path starts steep to weed out anyone who won't be able to complete the walk up, and many people get to the first rest stop out of breath and saying they hope they're at least halfway there. When they see the map that indicates you're about 1/6 of the way up the reactions are great!
It's a beautiful hike up and the view of Kyoto is breathtaking. The monkeys are just a plus!
