7 days in Japan- 10/20/2023-10/26/2023

Day 6- Kyoto-10/25/2023

The top of Iwatayama Monkey park

What started out as feeding the local monkeys turned into the opening of a monkey park in 1957 on a 64,583 square foot of land on top of the mountain with the monkeys now accustomed of being fed by humans and in the process a trust is built between the monkeys and people.  There about 130 Japanese Macaque or snow monkeys roaming freely at the park. Here are a few rules once in the park:  People are not allowed to touch the monkeys, do not stare at the monkeys in the eye, and we are not allowed to feed them outside food.  There is a hut where people can go in to buy food for the monkeys.

From above there is also a beautiful view of the city.

We are now reaching the top park and there are a lot of monkeys roaming around.  They are not scare of humans at all.

A monkey next to a pond and on the right he is drinking water.

Some monkeys are bigger than I thought they would be.  They have a red face and a red butt.

There are also a bunch of baby monkeys playing around the pond.

It was really cool to see these monkeys so close.

On the left is a cute picture of two small monkeys grooming each other and on the right a bunch of monkeys playing around.

This is the large square in the center of the park that people gather around to see a caretaker feeding the monkeys

The caretaker has a bucket in his hand filled with chestnut and he just throw them out on the ground as he is walking forward.

Without any fear, the monkeys just picked up the chestnuts and eat it.

Monkeys going after the chestnuts.

The monkeys are used to human and they just do their things...

A monkey picking up a chestnut

On the right he peeled the chestnut and ate it.  The monkey is Really beautiful with fluffy hair.

Once the feeding is over, the caretaker goes around and pick up all the chesnut peels on the floor.

At the edge of the square you have a great view of the city.

It was a clear day so we were able to see the whole city and the river below.

Panoramic view from above.

A monkey is approaching but you have to stay still so he does not get scare.

.I am now entering the hut.

Once inside you are allow to buy only one portion per person so that the monkeys are not overfed.

Me feeding a monkey inside the hut with a metal fence between us.

The monkeys are so cute when put their little hands through the fence to grab the food.

The monkeys are really gentle as they take the food from my hand.

 A bunch of monkeys putting the hands out for food.

This is the view from outside the hut.

Yes it its the reverse,  people are in the cage and the monkeys are outside looking at us from the outside.  They had a great time.

We really enjoyed our visit here and it was cool so see the monkeys so close.

NEXT... Day 5- Lunch in Kyoto