Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens
A zoo with one of Japan's largest elephant houses, and a botanical garden on one ticket.
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Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens
SaveA zoo with one of Japan's largest elephant houses, and a botanical garden on one ticket.
The zoo's north half has a museum devoted to medaka killifish, and the flower field has a three-part petal slide.
MoreWhat kind of place
Higashiyama is a city-run park in Nagoya, open since 1937. It holds a zoo in two parts, the main garden and the north garden, along with a botanical garden and the Higashiyama Sky Tower.
Going up the tower takes the 640-yen combined ticket rather than the regular one.
Its Asian elephant house is one of the largest in Japan, and the botanical garden's front greenhouse is the oldest public greenhouse still standing in the country.
Once called the Crystal Palace of the Orient, that glass house was made a national Important Cultural Property in 2006 and reopened in 2021 after restoration work that ran from 2013 to 2020.
Sources and evidence (31)
- Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens is run by the city of Nagoya, and is made up of the zoo (a main garden and a north garden), the botanical garden, and the Higashiyama Sky Tower.source
- One admission ticket or annual pass gets you into both the zoo and the botanical garden; the Sky Tower has its own separate combined ticket.source
- Strollers are available to rent for 300 yen.source
- Strollers are rented out at the main gate information desk, the Kamiike gate, and the north garden gate information desk.source
- Strollers are rented from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and must be returned by 4:50 p.m.source
- The rental strollers are meant for children from 7 months to 3 years old.source
- Wheelchairs are lent free of charge at every entrance gate, and the main gate and the botanical garden gate also have electric wheelchairs.source
- Coin lockers cost 500 yen for large, 400 yen for medium, and 300 yen for small, and they stand at the main gate and the north garden gate.source
- The coin lockers can be used from 9:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m.source
- Free Wi-Fi is available inside the park, on the network named HIGASHIYAMA.source
- Volunteer guides give tours of the grounds.source
- The zoo is split into a main garden and a north garden, and the main garden is where well-known animals such as giraffes and lions are.source
- The Asian elephant house is one of the largest in Japan, and the building is designed to suggest Sri Lanka, where the elephants come from; the indoor viewing area has exhibits on their history and their lives.source
- The koala house is a dimly lit viewing corridor where you look at the koalas through glass, with a learning facility called Koala Forest standing in front of it.source
- Bird Hall is a walk-in exhibit with no fence between people and birds, so peacocks and scarlet ibises can be watched from close up.source
- The petting area keeps familiar animals such as goats, sheep, and cows.source
- In the Forest of Small Birds and Squirrels, small birds such as Japanese white-eyes and Japanese squirrels move around freely inside a building.source
- The World Medaka Hall is given over entirely to medaka killifish, an exhibit with few equals anywhere, and it includes fish protected as national natural monuments.source
- The Nature Animal Hall has nocturnal animals on the first floor and reptiles and amphibians on the second, and crocodiles can be seen from the ramp that connects the two.source
- Feeding times are roughly 1:00 p.m. for the koalas, 1:30 p.m. for the reticulated giraffes, 4:00 p.m. for the lions indoors, and 4:00 p.m. for the California sea lions.source
- The front greenhouse in the botanical garden is the oldest public greenhouse still standing in Japan, and it was designated a national Important Cultural Property in 2006.source
- The front greenhouse has been open to the public since the park opened in 1937, and after restoration work from 2013 to 2020 it reopened on April 23, 2021.source
- That greenhouse was once known as the Crystal Palace of the Orient.source
- The flower field has a set of three linked slides shaped like flower petals, along with a spot called Zoobo's House.source
- The flower field also has an olive tree estimated to be 1,000 years old, and the Cherry Corridor beside it shows many kinds of cherry blossoms in spring.source
- A thatched-roof gassho-style farmhouse, moved here in 1956 from Shirakawa Village in Gifu Prefecture, stands on the grounds, and part of the inside can be viewed.source
- The botanical garden lays its plants out along the natural shape of the land, so the seasons come through even though the park sits close to the middle of the city.source
- The rose garden next to the children's zoo has roses through the year, with the widest range of them in spring and fall.source
- The Animal Hall is closed for renovation from September 2, 2025 until around June 2026, though its lecture hall stays open.source
- Bird Hall and the Forest of Small Birds and Squirrels may be closed depending on how avian flu is spreading.source
- The library room holds books and videos about animals aimed mainly at elementary and junior high school students, and anyone can use it during opening hours, though nothing can be taken out.source
With kidsThe part that matters
When the kids have had enough of looking at animals, the same ticket gets you into the botanical garden. Its flower field has a set of three petal-shaped slides for them to climb up and ride down.
A stroller rents for 300 yen at the main gate, the Kamiike gate, or the north garden gate, so you can pick one up at whichever of those you come in by.
Twelve nursing rooms are spread across the grounds, two of them with hot water, so a feed does not mean walking back to the entrance.
One family with a second-grader and a four-year-old went in at 9:30 a.m. and left around 1:00 p.m., which covered the animals, the greenhouse and the pond in the botanical garden, and lunch inside the grounds.
Sources and evidence (5)
- Two kids, 9:30-13:00. Ten minutes' walk from Higashiyama-koen station, then slopes all day: bring a stroller.source
- Nursing rooms checked one by one: Zooasis East has hot water and a sofa; the flower-field toilet is new since 2024.source
- Covered tables at the Central Rest Area, the lawn by Zoogeum, or a food court. Maison de Verre's morning set is 630 yen.source
- Over 35C. In at 8:30; fifty-odd people at the Main Gate before opening, none after. Lunch at 11, no wait for a table.source
- Eleven parking lots at 800 yen. Midoribashi-minami and Uedayama are free, but a 10-12 minute walk uphill.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1Bird Hall is a walk-in exhibit with no fence between people and birds, so a baby in your arms can follow the peacocks and scarlet ibises walking right in front of them. The koala house is viewed through glass from a dimly lit corridor.The official list names 12 nursing spaces. The main gate information center and Cafe North Garden have hot water; the Asian Elephant Plaza rest house and the restroom beside the axis deer have a baby bed, a nursing sofa and a sink. Any nursing room with a baby bed doubles as a diaper changing spot. Rental strollers are 300 yen for children 7 months to 3 years, from the main gate, Kamiike gate and North Garden gate information centers, lent until 16:00 and returned by 16:50. Diapers are sold at Zoobo Gate and from the vending machine at Zoasis West, among other places. Bird Hall and the Forest of Small Birds and Squirrels may be closed depending on avian flu.
- Ages 2-3Fureai Hiroba keeps goats, sheep and cattle. In the Forest of Small Birds and Squirrels, white-eyes and Japanese squirrels run loose inside the building, small moving creatures to chase with your eyes. And in the flower field of the botanical garden, which the same ticket covers, stands a three-lane petal slide shaped like a flower.Rental strollers cover children up to age 3 and cost 300 yen. There are two-seater strollers too, but only a few, and those can be reserved by phone. Most restrooms have a baby bed or a changing table, though some of the older ones do not, so check the official service map for the nursing spaces before you go.
- Ages 4-6Admission is 500 yen for adults and free for junior high age and under. Zoosiam, one of Japan's largest Asian elephant houses, has an indoor viewing room with displays on the elephants' history and biology; the World Medaka Hall is a collection devoted to killifish found nowhere else, including fish designated as natural monuments. In the Nature Zoo, the first floor is nocturnal animals and the second reptiles and amphibians, with crocodiles visible from the ramp between them.Feeding times run about like this: koalas around 13:00, reticulated giraffes around 13:30, lions indoors and California sea lions around 16:00. Some animals go in from about 16:00, so head for the ones you most want to see first. The park opens at 9:00, entry and ticket sales end at 16:30, and it closes on Mondays. The library holds animal books and videos aimed at elementary and junior high students, free to use during opening hours, though nothing may be taken out.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayIndoors you have the indoor viewing hall of the elephant house, the nature animal building (nocturnal animals on 1F, reptiles on 2F), the medaka killifish museum, and the historic greenhouse. The petal slide in the flower field and the rose garden are outdoors.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed3.5 h
How was it with your kids?
Not greatGreat
- ElevatorElevator：not checked
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：with conditionsconditions
- RentalStroller rental：yes
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：with conditionsconditions
- Family WCFamily restroom：not checked
- Own foodOutside food allowed：not checked
- EnglishEnglish support：not checked
* Other not checked (2)
Diaper disposal bin, Kids' toilet seat & step stool
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
Two kids, 9:30-13:00. Ten minutes' walk from Higashiyama-koen station, then slopes all day: bring a stroller.
Higashiyama Zoo with kids: coping with the slopes, and what to see
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Nursing rooms checked one by one: Zooasis East has hot water and a sofa; the flower-field toilet is new since 2024.
Higashiyama is kind to families: nursing rooms, changing tables and kids' toilets, checked on site
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Covered tables at the Central Rest Area, the lawn by Zoogeum, or a food court. Maison de Verre's morning set is 630 yen.
Higashiyama Zoo: bring your own bento — three lunch spots for families, and where the roofs are
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Over 35C. In at 8:30; fifty-odd people at the Main Gate before opening, none after. Lunch at 11, no wait for a table.
A Komodo dragon at Higashiyama in summer: the heat matters more than the queues
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Eleven parking lots at 800 yen. Midoribashi-minami and Uedayama are free, but a 10-12 minute walk uphill.
All eleven parking lots at Higashiyama, sorted by what you came for — free ones included
Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens · Links & reads ▾
Where to go next
- Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and TechnologyIndustrial museumStroller friendlyNursing spaceDiaper changing table10.0 kmA museum housed in the red-brick loom test factory Sakichi Toyoda built in 1911.
- Nagoya City Science MuseumScience museumNursing spaceDiaper changing tableFamily restroom7.6 kmA science museum with a 9m indoor column of spinning air and 4m Tesla-coil sparks.
Where it is
3-70 Higashiyamamotomachi, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya-shi, Aichi 464-0804source
Before you go
- If you buy tickets ahead at a convenience store or travel agency in Japan, you can walk straight in instead of lining up at the ticket window.source
- There are double strollers too, but only a few, so call 052-782-2111 ahead of time to reserve one.source
- The park lends wheelchairs free at every entrance gate, but there are only a few, so you can reserve one ahead by phone (052-782-2111).source
Basics
- Fee：¥500 for adults (high school and up); free for junior-high students and younger (junior-high students should bring a student ID). Nagoya residents aged 65 and over pay ¥100 with ID. A combined ticket including Higashiyama Sky Tower is ¥640 (¥160 for Nagoya residents 65+), and a one-year passport is ¥2,000 (¥600). One ticket covers both the zoo and the botanical garden. Showing a valid subway day pass (Ichinichi Josyaken, Donichi Eco Kippu or the 24-hour subway ticket) takes the adult fare down to ¥400source
- Hours：9:00-16:50, with entry and ticket sales until 16:30. Closed every Monday (when Monday is a public holiday or a substitute holiday, the closed day moves to the first following non-holiday) and 29 December to 1 January. Some animals go indoors from around 16:00 and can no longer be seensource
- Time to allow：3.5 hsource
- Booking：Tickets can be bought at each gate in cash or by cashless payment (credit cards, transport IC cards, QR payments). Buying ahead at a travel agency counter or a convenience store also works — you walk straight in without queueing at the ticket window, which the official page recommends for busy periods such as Golden WeeksourceOfficial booking site ↗
- The Animal Hall (Dobutsu Kaikan) is closed for refurbishment from 2 September 2025 until around June 2026; the lecture hall stays opensource
Basics in detail (14)
- The park is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:50 p.m., but ticket sales and entry stop at 4:30 p.m.source
- Entry and ticket sales stop at 4:30 p.m.source
- The park is closed every Monday; when Monday falls on a national holiday or a substitute holiday, the closed day moves to the first following day that is not a holiday.source
- The park is closed over the New Year period, December 29 through January 1.source
- Some animals are brought indoors from around 4:00 p.m. and can no longer be seen.source
- Admission is 500 yen for adults, meaning high school age and older, and free for junior high school age and younger.source
- Admission is free for junior high school age and younger, and junior high students should bring a student ID.source
- Nagoya residents aged 65 and over pay 100 yen, with proof of identity such as a senior citizens' handbook or a driver's license.source
- A combined ticket that also covers the Higashiyama Sky Tower is 640 yen, or 160 yen for Nagoya residents aged 65 and over.source
- An annual pass is 2,000 yen, or 600 yen for Nagoya residents aged 65 and over.source
- Showing a subway one-day ticket, a Donichi Eco Kippu, or a 24-hour all-subway-line ticket brings the 500-yen adult admission down to 400 yen.source
- The ticket windows at each gate take cash as well as cashless payment such as credit cards.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (5)
- Official: Stroller friendly, Stroller rental, Nursing space
- Official: Indoor / outdoor
- Official: main site
Giraffes and lions live in the main zoo, beside one of Japan's largest Asian elephant houses. Its indoor gallery explains how elephants live, and koalas are watched through glass from a dimmed walkway. Feeding is around 13:00 for koalas and 13:30 for giraffes. The north half holds a museum built around medaka killifish and rare freshwater fish. In the botanical garden, plants follow the hill's natural contours, and the front greenhouse is a national cultural property. A thatched farmhouse from Shirakawa stands by the pond.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | Rental ¥300 (for ages 7 months to 3 years), from the Main Gate information desk, Kamiike Gate and North Garden Gate information desk. Lending runs 9:00-16:00 and strollers must be back by 16:50. Twin strollers exist in limited numbers and can be reserved by phone | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | higashiyama.city.nagoya.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroller rental | Yes | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | higashiyama.city.nagoya.jp | |
| Nursing space | Yes (12) | Twelve places are listed. Hot water at the Main Gate information desk (which also has an adult bed shared with first aid) and at Cafe North Garden. Baby beds, a nursing sofa and a hand basin at the Asian Elephant Plaza rest area and the toilets beside the axis deer; baby beds and a nursing sofa at Tanuki-no-Sato rest area and Hoshigaoka Gate; baby beds with a bench at the North Garden Gate information desk, the Children's Zoo petting area, the World Medaka Museum and Plant Hall 1F. Check the official service map for exact positions | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | higashiyama.city.nagoya.jp |
| Diaper changing table | Yes | Nursing rooms with a baby bed can also be used for diaper changes, and toilets around the park have baby beds and changing platforms — though some of the older toilets do not. Diapers are sold at Zoobo Gate, Zoasis West (vending machine), Zoobo no Mori, Shop North Garden and inside the tower ticket gate | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | higashiyama.city.nagoya.jp |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | Mostly open grounds — the botanical garden displays plants on the natural terrain — with a number of indoor buildings on the way: the Zoogeum indoor viewing area, the Nature Animal House (nocturnal animals on 1F, reptiles and amphibians on 2F), the Bird Hall, the Small Birds and Squirrels Forest, the World Medaka Museum and the greenhouse | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | higashiyama.city.nagoya.jp |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Family restroom | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| English support | Not checked yet | ||||
| Outside food allowed | Not checked yet |