Awaji Monkey Center: A Primate Paradise

Located on the southeastern side of Awaji Island, the Awaji Monkey Center has been open since 1967 and is home to a troop of approximately 350 wild Japanese macaques. These monkeys, also known as Awaji macaques, are known for their gentle and sociable nature compared to other Japanese macaque populations. This allows visitors to walk among the troop and observe their behavior without the monkeys being aggressive.The center was founded to protect the local macaque population by providing them with food, preventing them from raiding local farms. Over the years, the center has become a valuable location for both animal lovers and researchers, studying the behavior and birth records of the Awaji macaques. A visit to the Awaji Monkey Center offers a chance to witness unique social behaviors, such as the monkeys huddling together for warmth in winter, forming a 'saru dango' or monkey dumpling. You might also see the monkeys grooming each other, or even a mother caring for an orphaned infant.Visitors can observe the monkeys up close in the feeding area, where staff provide food and explanations about the monkeys' lives. The monkeys typically come down from the mountains in the morning around 9:00 AM and return in the late afternoon around 5:00 PM. The best time to visit is between December and August, as the monkeys tend to stay in the mountains during September to November in search of food.