Asahiyama Zoo
旭山動物園
Animals shown in enclosures designed around their natural behaviour.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
What this place is
The Asahiyama Zoo (旭山動物園, Asahiyama dōbutsuen) is a municipal zoo that opened in July 1967 in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan, and is the northernmost zoo in the country. In August 2004, over 320,000 people had visited the zoo, the second-highest number of visitors among all the zoos in Japan. Located in Higashi Asahikawa, on the outskirts of Asahikawa, the Asahiyama Zoo is accredited by the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA).
Asahiyama Zoo (旭山動物園) is one of the standout places to visit in Hokkaido. Give yourself unhurried time for photos, seasonal views, and nearby food stops. IC cards such as Suica, Pasmo, or ICOCA cover most trains and city buses.
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Why it is worth the trip
- Exhibits built so animals move, climb and swim above or around visitors rather than sitting still.
- Species suited to the local climate, including cold-weather animals rarely seen elsewhere.
- Keeper talks that explain individual animals by name, personality and history.
What you can do here
- Follow the keeper-talk timetable — it is the difference between seeing animals and understanding them.
- Visit the popular enclosures right at opening, when the animals are most active.
- Try the feeding or petting experiences if they are offered that day.
- Take the loop bus or shuttle in larger parks; the sites can be surprisingly hilly.
Getting there by public transport
- JR to Asahikawa, then city/shuttle bus ~40 min to the zoo.
- Nearest station/stop: Asahikawa.
Good to know before you go
- Midday in summer is the worst time — most animals sleep and shade is limited.
- Closed Mondays as a rule; winter hours are shorter than summer.
- Strollers are usually rentable at the gate for a small fee.
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