Get close to animals from all parts of the world at the Asahiyama Zoo. There are hundreds of animals and over 100 species to discover, each housed in re-creations of its natural habitat. Asahiyama Zoo has a mission to showcase the authentic behavioral traits of its residents and not just the animals themselves as exhibits. With its excellent facilities and innovative approach, the zoo welcomes over one million visitors annually.
Upon entering the zoo you’ll pass a pond filled with swans and several varieties of ducks. Go to the Hippo House, where you can observe these large semiaquatic mammals from the side and bottom windows of a 10-foot-deep (3-meter) pool. Nearby, look for giraffes, guinea fowl and pelicans coexisting in harmony. Marvel at the regal elegance of Indian peacocks as they open their feathers.
Arrive at the Polar Bear House for the daily feeding show and watch as the bears dive to catch their food and swim playfully in a pool. Stand in the seal’s eye, a glass dome that lets you study the polar bears from the same angle that a seal would. Seal feedings take place at an outdoor exhibition space. Big cats, such as leopards, lions and tigers, prowl menacingly around cages.
One of the most popular attractions is the walk-through aquarium at the Penguin House. When snow is on the ground, the penguins leave the aquarium and perform a parade. Enjoy the chance to touch ducks, rabbits and sheep in the petting zoo. Don’t miss the primate enclosures, where apes, monkeys, gibbons and orangutans swing between treetops and wooden playgrounds.
The zoo is about 7 miles (11 kilometers) east of central Asahikawa. Use the bus service from Asahikawa Station. Free parking is available for drivers. If all spaces are taken, park in the nearby metered car parks.
Asahiyama Zoo is open daily, except New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and the second weeks of April and November. If you want to see the penguin parade, it usually takes place between December and March.
