Iwatayama Summit Rest Area — Attraction in Kyoto

American Tourist here: This was probably one of my favorite places I visited while I Kyoto but also keep in mind that I have always loved monkeys so I am a bit biased - but this is highly recommended. A few tips: First off, if you're a fat American, out-of-shape American like myself, be very aware of the hill climb up the mountain to get here. The initial 180 step stairs had me breathing very heavily but good news! Immediately after the steps, at least they have a resting area with maps to look at, little tips such as "don't stare into the money's eyes" and even a vending machine if you need to hydrate. I had to rest for like 10 minutes before proceeding. I felt a little ashamed since I am technically a Japanese American but I look Asian from the outside and I never saw any Japanese/Asians resting.. they just walked right past me. Oh well, I just have to make sure I'm in better shape the next time I visit. Next tip: come here ideally when the place opens or right before. Although I came to Japan during it's peak tourism days, you can still get away with avoiding some people if you get to places early and this is one of those places. We got here when the place opened and there were already a fair amount of people (in my opinion) but that number kept increasing as time past while we were on top of the mountain. Tip 3: I mainly used Google Maps to navigate and this place wasn't immediately apparent so when you cross the main bridge, you should turn right. There is a sign by the bridge which I've attached an image to this review to guide you and then where you see the stairs going up after walking a couple of minutes, that would be the entrance to the park. So why do I recommend this place? Well there are monkeys.. and that should all you need to know. You can also feed them (food sold separately and you cannot bring your own food) and if you get there on a good day, the view is amazing. You can see the Kyoto tower from here and though I tried to capture the epic view, I did it from my phone so it's not as good. Which is why I highly recommend going here. By the way, we came here right after walking through the Bamboo forest of Arashiyama since that place really doesn't have an opening and closing time but when we went at 7:30 AM, there were still tourists already with many Chinese couples taking (what I think is stupid) professional pictures with lights and all. I guess if it were like engagement photos, it would be okay but at 7:30 in the morning, we saw maybe 8 couples with photographers taking these photos which was annoying since they took up the whole width of the path and in addition to that, there were several people taking selfies and it wasn't a point and shoot since they didn't want other's in the background so they kinda stood there for a while waiting for the right moment. I wish I was Goku and had the ability to blow them away with a Kamehameha. So yeah, the point is get here early. I don't think there is any downside of coming here early compared to coming here mid-day other than having literally 20 times...

Review: Iwatayama Peak Rest House, Kyoto, Japan Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Located at the summit of the mountain, the Iwatayama Peak Rest House is a welcome oasis for those who have made the ascent to see the delightful Arashiyama Monkey Park. Offering visitors a chance to rest, hydrate, and take in the magnificent views, this spot earns an excellent four-star rating.

The standout feature of the Iwatayama Peak Rest House is its stunning location. The panoramic views of Kyoto city are truly breathtaking, and the peaceful ambiance is a perfect complement to the beautiful natural setting.

The establishment offers a variety of refreshments, from cold drinks to snacks, ensuring that visitors can refuel after their climb. The seating area, while not extensive, is clean and comfortable, allowing for a welcome rest before or after interacting with the monkeys.

However, the options for food and drink, while adequate, could be expanded to provide a more comprehensive selection. This, coupled with the fact that at peak times, seating can be limited, is why the rest house falls just short of a five-star rating.

Despite this, the Iwatayama Peak Rest House serves as an essential pit-stop for visitors to the monkey park. It's not just a place to rest and replenish, but an integral part of the Arashiyama experience, ensuring that all who visit leave with fond memories of...

It took at least 35 minutes to hike up the path to the top. Come here in comfortable closed toed shoes. Some of the trail does not have a guard rail and nobody wants to slip on the gravel. It was really sunny and hot this past weekend in October and we had to stop multiple times to drink some water from our packs. Thankfully there was a classic fun playground for kids (elementary school aged) before the final hill up to the Monkey Park that made the hike worthwhile for my little ones. The playground had a mini zip line, swings, seesaw, tire steps, slide and etc.

Finally when we made it to the actual monkey park we saw many monkeys roaming around and being fed at what I’ll call the “feeding house”. All the photos where you see monkeys that look like they’re in a cage they’re actually not. It is the people that go into this feeding house that take pictures of themselves feeding the monkeys through the grated windows that are in a “cage” lol. Inside the feeding house you can buy diced apples or whole peanuts for 100 yen a bag. My kids had a blast feeding all the monkeys that happily took all 15 bags we...