Hagachizaki-en is a wild monkey park by the ocean where a troop of about 300 Japanese Macaques make their home and playground.

Hagachizaki-en is a wild monkey park by the ocean where a troop of about 300 Japanese Macaques make their home and playground. (Photo: Adeline Ong)

Wild Monkeys' Paradise, Nishi Izu

Hagachizaki monkey park by the ocean, Izu West Coast

Adeline Ong Jul 08, 2012 - 1 min read

Hagachizaki-en is a wild monkey park by the ocean where a troop of about 300 Japanese Macaques make their home and playground.

The monkeys pick up grains thrown on the ground. Be careful as fights sometimes break out among the monkeys fighting over the food.

You buy your tickets at the top of a hill and then walk down or take a shuttle bus down to the beach area where the monkey play areas are located.

One of the caretakers call the monkeys to gather by throwing grains on the ground for the monkeys to forage.

Mother protectively watching over her baby as she forages for grains.

Visitors can safely hand-feed the monkeys from behind a cage wall.

You buy packets of fruit (e.g. tangerines slices), vegetables (e.g. yam slices), or crackers to feed the monkeys. They cost about 300-500 yen per packet but you get a fair amount of food to give the monkeys.

The monkeys are hungry and climb all over the cage bars and reach their arms through to grab a slice of food.

Monkeys foraging for food.

There were about 30 baby macaque monkeys born this season.

The monkeys hang out on the beach too. It is typically rare for the monkeys to live this close to the beach.

This is one of the beautiful views from the beach. The beach is rocky, but worth the walk to see the views.

In Nishi Izu, you can visit a park by the ocean where a troop of over 300 Japanese macaque monkeys reside. The wild monkeys play freely on their playground, groom, and feed on grains, vegetables, and fruits. Visitors can walk amongst the monkeys or feed them from behind a cage wall.

Adeline Ong

Adeline Ong @adeline.ong

I am an Asian American currently living in Hayama, Japan, which is about a 2.5 hour drive south of Tokyo. I love traveling and seeing and experiencing new places, things, foods, and activities. I love taking pictures of everything.