Though I probably should have been studying, I felt the urge to take one of the many holidays KG offers and trek up to the western half of Kyoto for some exploration. My original plan was to hit three things; the Otagi Nenbutsu, a shrine known for hundreds of knee-high hand carved statues proudly displaying a kawaii style, the Nonomiya Temple, where the Priestesses of Ise trained before going to Ise, and Monkey Park, a small reserve set aside for the study of Japanese Monkeys on Arashiyama.
It didn't turn out that way, and I think I'm okay with that.
It had rained the previous day, through the night, and didn't want to stop anytime soon. The buses seemed to be able to get me to my destinations without too much trudging through the rain, and I really wasn't going to able to sit at home.
A simple ride on the Keihan express from Hirakata to Kyoto allowed me some time to double check my map and make sure that this will work out well. The train pulls to in to a regular stop at Shichijo, when something starts nagging at my brain. Why have I heard of this? What's so important that...
Oh, no way.
I dash off the train and get my bearings. Just on the other side of the river, and a bit north; it's got to be there!
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This is the original headquarters for Nintendo of America. Located in a sleepy little section in southwest Kyoto, Nintendo started here as a playing card manufacturer. I thought I had heard of tours being held, but I saw no indication of it. Despite that, my inner gamer/geek screamed with joy, and I viewed this as a positive first step for my day.
I proceeded onward to my first destination, Monkey Park. Everything else was north/northwest of there, and I really wanted to see a monkey. I stop off at a nice coffee shop for a few directions, warm up a bit, and move on.
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To reach Monkey Park, you go through a pretty populated strip of town. This is all near the base of the Arashiyama hills, and can get pretty busy with tourists hitting the area, so there’s a series of food and gift shops. I didn’t understand why the strip was so busy, though, as the grey skies should have driven most of them off. About that time, I accidentally discovered Tenryuuji temple.
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Nestled at the base of Arashiyama, this sprawling temple ground contains several buildings, statuary, and a natural garden and lake area just behind the main site. For a minimal fee, you could explore the inside of the temple, the mural which gives the temple it’s name (Tenryuuji is Heavenly Dragon Temple), and wind your way through the gardens. I’m not going to post the absurd amount of pics I took here, but I do need up upload them at some point...
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After spending far too much time here, I felt the daylight begin to fade, and I hastened my step to Monkey Park. Yes, I knew at this point that the other sites were no longer viable destinations, but that was okay as I'll probably come back here with the guys at some point. Within minutes, I found a rather nice distraction in the form of the Togetsu Kyo Bridge, which spanned the Oi River as it merged with the Katsura River. This rapid river at the base of the hills resonated with me somehow, and despite the stiff breeze and damp air, I felt rather comfortable there.
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Be that as it may, pressed on and finally found the entrance at the foot of the hill, and looked despairingly at the long trek up. Yes, I was getting a bit tired at this point, and my arthritic knee was griping quite loudly for daring to travel in this weather, but that didn’t matter as I finally reached my destination. The path up the hill can be a bit steep at times, but it’s surprisingly tranquil. Along the way, you see signs advising you on how to act upon seeing your simian friends, as well as cute images guiding you along.
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At one point the path splits in two; the shorter, steeper route has a winding path that rewards you with a break from the overhead canopy to see the hills and colorful trees, while the other route is flatter, and takes you the long route to the monkey’s playground and eventually to the building at the top of the hill.
Once you arrive, you’ll notice that you’re now knee deep in monkeys. Literally. They’re curious about you, and may start heading in your direction, but you’re quickly ushered into the small building surrounded by chain link fence for your own safety. Do keep in mind that these are wild animals, however polite they may seem, and can cause humans quite a lot of pain if they choose to attack, not to mention the various parasites they carry, so do not try to make contact with them. You will be sad.
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Once inside, you can rest up for a bit. There are benches and tables to relax on, restroom facilities, and a few snacks you can buy for yourself and the monkeys who will be hanging on the fence to get a good look at you. For a mere 100 yen, you can buy a bag of peanuts or sliced banana, which you can give to them, and this allows for some excellent shots if you’re quick enough! I was fortunate enough to capture a curious little monkey on film a few times before he wisely got out of the way for the older ones.
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The reserve keeps track of each generation of monkey, naming each one and who mates with whom. I’m not nearly educated enough on my monkey studies to speculate the methods they use for this, but according to the handout I was given, there are 150 monkeys they monitor, and I was witness to merely 10 or 15 of them, so I could imagine this being a fairly challenging occupation.
While in the resting area, you can see the monkeys associate with each other on the clearing ahead. This area is a favorite spot for the monkeys, as they know that they can get food from the humans here. Having had experience with the deer in Nara, I understand that having easy access to food does alter an animal’s habits, but the food here is actually good for the monkeys, unlike the deer cookies which are just sweetened bread. I’d heard recently that the Nara Deer are actually declining in number due to sickness, and I can’t help but wonder if this was part of the contributing factor.
Just up behind the resting area is a clearing which allows a great view of Kyoto, as well as Mt. Hiei, an important historical area for Tendai Buddhism. I admired the view a bit, and decided that I was utterly fatigued. Daylight was shedding its final rays, and I had to get home. However, I did manage to capture one last image on my way out of Arashiyama at the Togetsu Bridge…
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