Weekend 7: Iwatayama Monkey Park (So Fun!)

I'm giving you the sneak peak I didn't have when I thought I may not make it up this mountain.

(Which probably really isn't that big of a climb). 

Erin said on the way up (when we were sweating and trying to catch our breath), "Whose dumb idea was it to come to this place?"  Then we reached the plateau and she said it was her favorite thing so far...and don't you all think that Jim didn't latch on to that one and make some good fun!!!

This picture doesn't even do it justice, but here are some of the stairs we climbed up...

Here is a map of the climb:

Some encouragement along the way...



When we were about to reach the plateau at the top, we stop to observe a monkey in the woods.  Then a few monkey friends ran near to join the girls.  The girls started screaming!  Jim grabbed Sarah and helped Grace keep walking.  There was never any danger.  It's just none of us had ever been that close to a monkey before.  And just think...in about a half hour they were literally eating out of our hands!

At the plateau



The Japanese Macaque Monkey is the only monkey you will find in Japan.  This park is inhibited by about 170 monkeys.  We saw two very cute babies and this mama was very protective of her little one!  There were several little spats between the monkeys when one got a little too close to her little one.

This was the other view (aside from the monkeys) at the top.  The city of Kyoto surrounded by mountains.  It was very nice.