Asahiyama Zoo

Asahikawa

Japan’s farthest northern zoo — visited by 3 million people per year

Asahikawa is located in the northern part of Hokkaido, where the annual temperature gap reaches almost 70°C. At Asahiyama Zoo, you’ll meet about 150 kinds of animals that can survive in this challenging environment. In addition to Arctic creatures such as polar bears and penguins, the zoo houses other species including capybaras, atelids (monkeys), and orangutans normally found in jungles.

Witness polar bears diving before you

Asahiyama Zoo focuses on a “behavior exhibition” to show animal activity in as a natural a manner as possible. This also supports breeding conditions that simulate the real ecological system. For example, the most popular exhibit is the Polar Bear Pavilion, where you can observe polar bears diving Into a huge pool, showing their natural swimming behavior in a real Arctic ocean. At the Penguin Pavilion, you’ll be astounded to see swimming penguins “flying” at high speed over your head through an amazing aquarium tunnel system.

Best visiting time is the animals’ mealitme

A special advantage of natural “behavior exhibitions” is the opportunity to observe the animals eating their regular meals. Every morning, the zoo announces the meal schedule of the day for each animal — an hour called Mogu-Mogu (Yum-Yum) Time in Japanese. Using this schedule sheet as a guide, you can choose mealtime to visit such popular animals as penguins and polar bears, as well as owls, wolves, ezo-jika (Hokkaido deer), and other less common animals. Meal timing for each animal is carefully “staggered” to give observation opportunities to as many visitors as possible.

Take the Asahiyama Zoo Train if visiting from Sapporo

Choose the Asahiyama Zoo Train (Asahiyama Dobutsuen-Go), which runs round-trip train service once a day for visitors from Sapporo and returns there on the same day. It departs from Sapporo at 8:30 in the morning and arrives at Asahikawa Station a bit after 10:00. For the return trip, the train departs from Asahikawa Station at 16:00 and arrives at Sapporo a bit before 18:00. Train car surfaces are covered with animal drawings while each train car is filled with stuffed toy animals. This unique train trip is fun for children and adults alike.

For reference

Address

11-18 Kuranuma, Higashi-asahikawa-cho, Asahikawa-shi, Hokkaido
Telephone

0166-36-1104
Open

9:30-16:00 (close at 17:15) | 10:30-15:00 (close at 15:30) during winter
* Open period varies depending on season.
Zoo holiday

early April to late April, early November to mid-November, December 30 to January 1
(Temporary closing occurs without prior notice.)
Price

820 yen for adults | free of charge for child 14 or under
Recommended seasons

not specified
Web Sites

http://www5.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/asahiyamazoo/

Access

(1) 35 minutes by shuttle bus from Asahikawa Airport to Asahiyama Zoo

Access to the nearest airport (Asahikawa Airport)
From Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) - 1 hour and 45 minutes
From Chūbu Centrair International Airport- 2 hours
From New Kansai International Airport - 1 hour and 45 minutes

(2) 2 hours from New Chitose Airport via Sapporo taking Asahiyama Zoo Train to Asahikawa Station.

30 minutes by special bus from Asahikawa Station to Asahiyama Zoo
Access to the nearest airport (New Chitose Airport)
From Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) - 1 hour and 30 minutes
From Chūbu Centrair International Airport- 1 hour and 40 minutes
From Osaka International Airport (Itami Airport) - 1 hour and 50 minutes
From New Kansai International Airport - 1 hour and 45 minutes
From Kobe Airport Terminal - 1 hour and 50 minutes
From Fukuoka Airport via Tokyo International Airport (Haneda) - 3 hours and 35 minutes
* As of September 2014