Asahiyama Zoo
A hillside zoo with thirty animal houses, from penguins to polar bears.
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Asahiyama Zoo
SaveA hillside zoo with thirty animal houses, from penguins to polar bears.
When enough snow has fallen, the penguins are walked out through the zoo.
MoreWhat kind of place
The city of Asahikawa runs the zoo, which has been open 59 years as of July 2026.
Thirty animal houses are numbered along the slope, and many of them hold animals from Hokkaido itself: wolves, Ezo deer, brown bears, Blakiston's fish owls, and red-crowned cranes.
The zoo says it wants visitors to find greatness, beauty, and dignity in how animals actually live and move. In winter, keepers walk the penguins through the grounds to keep them exercised.
The walks start once enough snow has fallen to make a course, usually from late December to mid-March.
Sources and evidence (27)
- The zoo sums up its purpose in one line: "What we pass on is life."source
- It says it wants visitors to find greatness, beauty, and dignity in how animals actually live, behave, and move.source
- The zoo announced July 1, 2026 as the 59th anniversary of its opening.source
- Whichever gate you enter, going counter-clockwise is the efficient way around.source
- Each gate lends strollers free at the ticket check, seventy in all.source
- There are seven indoor rest areas: the Ikoi-no-Hiroba rest area for about 100 people, the space beside the Ikoi-no-Hiroba shop for about 30, the central free rest area for about 80, the second floor of the seal house for about 20, Yasuragi-no-Mori for about 50, the first floor of the event hall for about 40, and Komorebi-no-Oka.source
- For breaks outdoors, there is the lawn in front of the outdoor stage and an open-sided shelter near the giraffe house and the hippo house.source
- Five privately run shops and eateries are spread around the zoo, and there is also a shop and a restaurant inside the east gate building.source
- The visitor information desk handles lost property and lost children and doubles as a first-aid point, with a nurse on duty.source
- The visitor information desk also gives tourist information for the zoo and for Asahikawa and the surrounding area.source
- Boards at each entry gate and near the support center post the times of keeper-led sessions, including the feeding times and the short explanation talks.source
- Flash photography aimed at the animals is not allowed.source
- Wheelchairs are lent free at the entry point of each gate, 24 in all, including 4 with power assist, plus three electric carts, one at each gate.source
- Coin lockers are at the main gate, which takes cashless payment, and at the west and east gates, costing 400 or 500 yen per use.source
- There are several free Wi-Fi spots around the zoo.source
- Paid phone charging is available at the seal house exit, at the Ikoi-no-Hiroba rest area, and beside the vending machines on the first floor of the east gate.source
- Drinking fountains are placed around the zoo and are free to use.source
- The zoo has announced that a bottle-washing machine will be in place from the 2026 summer season.source
- The penguin walk is held to keep the penguins exercised through winter and starts once enough snow has fallen to make a course, usually running from late December to mid-March.source
- The penguin walk is usually held twice a day, though snow conditions can cut it to once.source
- Thirty houses are numbered on the zoo map, among them the penguin house, the seal house, the polar bear house, the big cats house, the giraffe house, the hippo house, the orangutan house, the chimpanzee house, and the spider monkey and capybara house.source
- Many of the houses hold animals from Hokkaido: the wolf forest, the Ezo deer forest, the brown bear house, the Blakiston's fish owl house, the red-crowned crane house, the Hokkaido bird house, the Hokkaido native animal house, and the Hokkaido small animal corner.source
- There are also a flamingo house, the Totori-no-Mura bird area, a red panda house, a Pallas's cat house, an amphibian and reptile house, a reindeer house, a gibbon house, a monkey house, a monkey hill, a chicken and duck house, and a peacock house.source
- An insect house opened on July 24, 2026.source
- The zoo runs a night zoo event in summer, announced on August 3, 2026.source
- The zoo announced the birth of an Abyssinian colobus on August 8, 2026.source
- The zoo announced the hatching of a southern rockhopper penguin on July 11, 2026.source
With kidsThe part that matters
The grounds run up a hillside, and the full round of thirty animal houses takes about three hours. Whichever gate you come in by, going counter-clockwise is the way round the zoo recommends.
Boards at each gate post the times keepers feed the animals, so kids can pick one house and be standing there when it starts.
Each gate lends strollers free, but only from the April reopening to early November, and those dates shift each year, so check them before you count on pushing a tired child up the hill.
Seven indoor rest areas let you sit down and eat what you brought in with you.
Sources and evidence (4)
- A 5- and 7-year-old, 12:45 to 16:30 from the east gate, strung together by feedings at 14:00, 14:30, 15:15 and 15:45.source
- Places to eat are spread out: a cafe by the main gate, the canteen upstairs in the seal house, FarmZoo by the west gate.source
- Three visits with an 8- and a 1-year-old; heat cut one to 90 minutes. Pick three exhibits and rent a stroller there.source
- Winter opening 10:30; the penguin walk usually at 11:00 and 14:30. Bus 41 or 42 from Asahikawa station takes 40 min.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1Thirty animal houses - the Penguin House, Seal House, Polar Bear House and the rest - stand in numbered order on the zoo map, so you can take them one at a time with a baby in your arms. In winter, once enough snow has fallen, the Penguin Walk begins and the penguins pass right in front of you (usually late December to mid-March, most often twice a day).There are four nursing rooms. The one in the main-gate shop is a tatami room with a sink, running water, a curtain, and heating; the one beside FOOD BASE CAFE TOTORI is a western-style room with a water server, a baby bed, and a sofa; the one in the free rest house beside the central Seal House has two private rooms with a diaper changing table, an electric pot, and a microwave; the one in the Yasuragi-no-mori rest house has two baby beds, a sink, and a water heater. Strollers are lent free at each gate's ticket check (70 in all), but only during the summer opening season, first come first served with no reservations, and lending can be called off depending on weather or ground conditions. There are no multipurpose restrooms outside the main gate, in front of the west gate ticket check, or in the Animal Reference Exhibition Hall.
- Ages 2-3There are the Children's Farm and the Second Children's Farm, where livestock and pet species can be seen up close. There are also Minna-no-hiroba, Wakuwaku-hiroba, and the Asahiyama Zoo Train Plaza.Touching the animals and feeding them is not allowed. Kick scooters, sleds, balloons, tricycles, balls and other play equipment, and roller shoes may not be brought in. The zoo stands on a hillside and takes about three hours to go around. A free shuttle bus runs year-round between the east gate and the Spider Monkey and Capybara House about every 10 minutes, which saves one stretch of the slope. Food you bring in can be eaten in the rest areas and outdoors, and there are seven indoor rest areas.
- Ages 4-6The times for the keepers' guided sessions, Mogu Mogu Time and the Naruhodo Guide, are posted on boards at each entrance gate and near the support center, so children can pick which sessions to build the day around. From whichever gate you enter, going counterclockwise is the efficient way round. The Insect House opened on July 24, 2026, and there is also the Animal Reference Exhibition Hall with its animal library.One family with a 5-year-old and a 7-year-old went in at 12:45 and left at 16:30. The zoo's own guide is about three hours, and since it stands on a hillside, taking breaks can push it longer. As a rule you cannot re-enter once you leave. Umbrellas are lent free at each gate's ticket check (800 of them, first come first served, no reservations). Lost property, lost children, and first aid are handled at the Visitor Information, where a nurse is always on duty.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayThe zoo stands on a mountain slope and takes about three hours to walk, and each gate lends out umbrellas free of charge — 800 of them. Weather and ground conditions can suspend the stroller and wheelchair loans and the shuttle bus from the East Gate.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed1.5–4 h
How was it with your kids?
Not greatGreat
Family checks✓ easy for your family
- ElevatorElevator：not checked
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：with conditionsconditions
- RentalStroller rental：with conditionsconditions
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：with conditionsconditions
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：with conditionsconditions
- EnglishEnglish support：with conditionsconditions
Tap a mark for details
* Other not checked (8)
Diaper disposal bin, Kids' toilet seat & step stool, Child switch (rider swap), Steps & slope caution, Official family-friendly certification, Best-fit ages (guide), Quietness (guide), Crowding (guide)
Green = we confirmed it. Gray = not checked yet. Gray with a line through = the place does not have it.
Worth a look before you go
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
A 5- and 7-year-old, 12:45 to 16:30 from the east gate, strung together by feedings at 14:00, 14:30, 15:15 and 15:45.
Asahiyama Zoo with a 5- and 7-year-old: half a day timed around the feedings
Japanese · opens translatedOfficial
Places to eat are spread out: a cafe by the main gate, the canteen upstairs in the seal house, FarmZoo by the west gate.
Shops and places to eat
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Three visits with an 8- and a 1-year-old; heat cut one to 90 minutes. Pick three exhibits and rent a stroller there.
How long we actually stayed at Asahiyama Zoo with kids, and where we slept
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
Winter opening 10:30; the penguin walk usually at 11:00 and 14:30. Bus 41 or 42 from Asahikawa station takes 40 min.
Asahiyama Zoo with children: a Hokkaido family-travel guide, 2026
Asahiyama Zoo · Links & reads ▾
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Where it is
Kuranuma, Higashiasahikawacho, Asahikawa-shi, Hokkaido 078-8205source
Before you go
- Strollers are lent only in the zoo's summer season, which runs from its April reopening to early November, first come, first served, with no reservations. The exact start and end dates shift each year, so check them for your dates.source
- Stroller lending may be stopped depending on the weather and the condition of the paths.source
- Some animals go out of view early in the day for their health. If an animal is unwell or the weather is bad, it may stay indoors where you can still see it, or not be viewable at all that day.source
- You cannot touch the animals or feed them.source
- Kick scooters, sleds, balloons, tricycles, balls and other toys, and wheeled shoes like Heelys cannot be brought in.source
More notes (10)
- Seeing the whole zoo takes about three hours, and it can take longer with breaks, since the grounds run up a hillside.source
- You can buy admission tickets in advance at convenience stores or online; they work the same as tickets bought at the window, but you skip the line and go straight to the entry point.source
- Convenience store and online tickets do not reserve an entry time, and work exactly like a regular admission ticket.source
- As a rule, you cannot leave and re-enter.source
- The restrooms outside the main gate, in front of the west gate entry point, and inside the animal reference hall have no multipurpose stall; the west gate one is a composting toilet only, and the animal reference hall one is not barrier-free either.source
- The rest areas are shared space, so no one group can take one over or save places.source
- Pets cannot come in, while assistance dogs, guide dogs, service dogs, and hearing dogs may enter, though the zoo asks that they stay out of some areas.source
- Wheelchairs and electric carts are also lent only during the summer opening season, first come with no reservations, and lending may be stopped depending on the weather and the condition of the paths.source
- The east gate and the main gate have priority parking spaces for people who need help getting around; the spaces are limited and cannot be reserved.source
- Umbrellas are lent free at the entry point of each gate, 800 of them, first come with no reservations.source
Basics
- Hours：Open every day except 30 December to 1 January, apart from two changeover closures for maintenance: about three weeks in April and about a week in early November. Opening and closing times change through the year - check the official 'today's hours' before you go.source
- Time to allow：1.5–4 hsource23
- Booking：Tickets can be bought in advance at convenience stores or online. They work exactly like a ticket bought at the window - you skip the queue and go straight to the gate - but they do not reserve a time slot, and they cannot be canceled, changed or refunded.sourceOfficial booking site ↗
Basics in detail (6)
Other
- The zoo is run by the city of Asahikawa.source
Hours and closures
- Opening hours change through the year, so check the date you are going. As one example, on August 14, 2026 the zoo was open 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with last entry at 8:00 p.m.source
- It closes for about three weeks every April and about one week in early November to switch the grounds from summer to winter and do maintenance, and otherwise has no regular closing day except December 30 through January 1.source
Fees
- The zoo announced revised admission prices on July 1, 2026, so any prices you find elsewhere may be out of date; check the zoo's own site for the current adult and child prices.source
Getting there
- A free shuttle minibus runs year-round between the east gate and the house for the spider monkeys and capybaras, about every ten minutes, though bad weather can cancel it.source
Contact
- The zoo is at Kuranuma, Higashi-Asahikawa-cho, Asahikawa 078-8205, and the phone number is 0166-36-1104.
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (10)
- Official: Stroller friendly, Stroller rental, Nursing space
- Official: Stroller friendly, Outside food allowed, Indoor / outdoor
- Official: main site
Asahikawa runs this zoo, which marked its 59th anniversary in 2026. Thirty exhibit houses are set into a hillside: penguins, seals, polar bears, giraffes and hippos among them. Wolves, Ezo deer and Ezo brown bears fill several more. Livestock and pets can be handled at two Children's Farms; the exhibit animals cannot be touched or fed. Keepers give talks at times posted on boards by each gate. A free shuttle runs every ten minutes between the East Gate and the Spider Monkey and Capybara House.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | Strollers are lent free at every gate - 70 in total - first come, first served, no reservations. Lending runs only during the summer opening season, and stops when the weather or the path conditions make it unsafe. The zoo stands on a hillside. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jpcity.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroller rental | Yes | Free, 70 strollers across the gates, first come first served, summer opening season only. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
| Nursing space | Yes (4) | Four nursing rooms. Inside the Main Gate shop: a tatami room with a sink, running water, a curtain and heating. Beside FOOD BASE CAFE TOTORI: a water server, a baby bed, sofa and table, heated and cooled. In the free rest house by the Seal House: two private rooms with a changing table, electric kettle, microwave and sofas. In the Yasuragi-no-mori rest house: sofas, two baby beds, a sink and a water heater. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
| Diaper changing table | Yes | A changing table is in the nursing room inside the free rest house beside the Seal House. Two other nursing rooms have baby beds. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
| Family restroom | Yes | Toilets are at 13 places, and unless noted otherwise each has a multi-purpose cubicle and step-free access; the multi-purpose ones take ostomate fittings. The exceptions are outside the Main Gate, in front of the West Gate ticket barrier (a bio-toilet only) and inside the Animal Reference Hall, which is not step-free either. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
| Outside food allowed | Yes | You can eat what you bring in the rest houses and outdoors. The rest houses are shared - you cannot claim or reserve a spot. There are seven indoor rest houses, a lawn in front of the outdoor stage and an arbor near the Giraffe and Hippo houses, plus five shops and eateries in the zoo and more inside the East Gate building. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jpcity.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
| English support | English menu & signs | The zoo map comes in English, simplified and traditional Chinese, Korean and Thai. Scanning the QR or AR markers on the signs brings up explanations and audio in other languages, and the AReader app narrates each animal house. The website switches to English, Chinese, Korean and Russian. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | The zoo stands on a hillside, with indoor animal houses such as the Penguin, Seal and Polar Bear houses along an outdoor route, plus seven indoor rest houses. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jpcity.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| Child switch (rider swap) | Not checked yet | ||||
| Steps & slope caution | Not checked yet | ||||
| Lost-child supportExtra info — guide only | Yes | Visitor Information handles lost property and lost children, and doubles as the first-aid room for injuries and illness, with a nurse on duty. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
| Official family-friendly certificationExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Best-fit ages (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Quietness (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Crowding (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Stroller access notesExtra info — guide only | Yes | Wheelchairs are lent free at every gate - 24, four of them power-assisted - along with three electric carts, one per gate, and 800 umbrellas. Wheelchair and cart rental runs only in the summer opening season and stops in bad weather. Priority parking is at the East and Main gates. Coin lockers are at all three gates, Y400-500, with cashless payment at the Main Gate. A free shuttle bus runs between the East Gate and the Spider Monkey & Capybara House about every ten minutes all year. Re-entry is not allowed, and pets cannot come in - assistance dogs can. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jpcity.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp |
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