Kyushu Natural Animal Park African Safari
九州自然動物公園アフリカンサファリ
Animals shown in enclosures designed around their natural behaviour.
Best season
Spring and autumn; winter for cold-climate species
Time needed
2–3 hours
Admission
Roughly ¥500–1,500 (≈ $3–9)
Opening hours
Typically 9:30–17:00, closed Mondays
What this place is
Kyushu Natural Animal Park African Safari (九州自然動物公園アフリカンサファリ, Kyūshū Shizen Dōbutsu Kōen Afurikan Safari), also referred to as simply African Safari, is Japan's largest safari park and is located at the base of the Kunisaki Peninsula in Usa, Ōita Prefecture.
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.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons — click any image for the photographer and licence.
Getting there by public transport
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.
Traveler reviews
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