Nihondaira Zoo
A zoo of about 130 species on 13 hectares, with a 390-meter roller slide.
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Nihondaira Zoo
SaveA zoo of about 130 species on 13 hectares, with a 390-meter roller slide.
Nine indoor animal houses, from red pandas to penguins, keep the visit going in the rain.
MoreWhat kind of place
Shizuoka's city zoo opened on August 1, 1969, with 123 species, 371 animals, and a staff of 32. It now keeps about 130 species and 560 animals on roughly 13 hectares (32 acres), which puts it among Japan's larger zoos.
It also keeps Japan's national breeding registry for red pandas and giant anteaters, and its anteater breeding record is the best in the country.
Sources and evidence (23)
- Strollers rent for ¥300 per use at the entrance gate and the east gate.source
- The rental strollers are for children age 2 and under who can hold their heads up.source
- Child-size restrooms are in three places: the restroom beside the information center, the visitor center, and the petting zoo.source
- Parking for visitors with disabilities is in the entrance lot and in the third lot.source
- There is no parking discount, even in the spaces for visitors with disabilities.source
- Guide dogs and other service dogs may come in with you.source
- Lost children are looked after and searched for through the information center or the nearest staff member.source
- The indoor buildings are built for any weather, so rain does not stop the visit.source
- The nine indoor buildings are the red panda house, the penguin house, the visitor center, the big-carnivore house (Mojukan 299), the petting zoo building, the orangutan house, the nocturnal animal house, the tropical bird house, and the reptile house.source
- The enclosures are built around how the animals move, with viewing points that put you close to them from several angles.source
- The zoo opened on August 1, 1969, with 123 species, 371 animals, and 32 staff.source
- It now keeps about 130 species and 560 animals, as of April 1, 2025.source
- The grounds cover about 13 hectares (32 acres), a size that ranks it among Japan's larger zoos.source
- In visitor surveys, the most popular animals are the red pandas, polar bears, Asian elephants, and Humboldt penguins.source
- The zoo keeps Japan's national breeding registry for red pandas and giant anteaters.source
- It has the best giant anteater breeding record in the country.source
- Japan's longest roller slide, 390 meters or about a quarter of a mile, was finished in 2000.source
- A rebuilding program from 2007 to 2013 added the big-carnivore house (Mojukan 299), the petting zoo, the walk-through aviary (Flying Mega Dome), and the play building (Fushigi na Mori no Shiro).source
- It became a registered museum under the Museums Act on November 26, 2025.source
- The Flying Mega Dome is one of the largest flight cages in Japan, close enough that you feel the beat of wings.source
- The big-carnivore house (Mojukan 299) is built for watching powerful animals up close.source
- Fushigi na Mori no Shiro is a building where children play at being animals or keepers.source
- A night zoo event is set for October 10 and 11, 2026.source
With kidsThe part that matters
If rain moves in, nine indoor animal houses keep the day going under a roof, from red pandas to penguins to reptiles.
The roller slide is a chute of turning rollers 390 meters long, about a quarter of a mile, and a child can ride it from age 4 on a sled with a parent — not in sandals or bare feet, though shoes rent for ¥100.
Five nursing rooms are air-conditioned and have changing beds, so on a hot day there is somewhere cool to feed and change the baby.
Strollers rent for ¥300 at the entrance gate and the east gate, so you can pick one up at whichever of the two you come in by.
The zoo is closed on Mondays, and last entry is 4:00 p.m., so a morning start on any other day leaves time for both the animals and the slide.
Sources and evidence (4)
- One or two hours was not enough. The ground climbs in places, and the Rest House halfway is where they ate and sat.source
- The 390 m roller slide bars sandals; gloves and a mat are lent, and small children ride down with a parent.source
- Lunch was a home bento on a sheet by a shaded bench. The grounds are big enough to want a second stroller.source
- A cloudy late-May day suited people, but the big animals lay flat all day. Almost all of the zoo takes a stroller.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1There are nine indoor animal houses — red panda, penguin, the visitor centre, Moujukan 299, the petting zoo, orangutan, nocturnal animals, tropical birds and reptiles — so on a hot or a rainy day the whole visit can stay under a roof, in arms or in the stroller. In the Flying Mega Dome, one of the largest flight cages in Japan, the beat of the birds' wings reaches you.Rental strollers are 300 yen per use at the Entrance Gate and the East Gate, for children up to 2 who can hold their heads up. There are five nursing rooms — the Information Corner, the Rest House, the petting zoo, the rest area beside the amusement area, and the summit plaza — each with a diaper changing bed and air conditioning. Diapers are sold at the Doubutsu-tachi no Mori shop, the shop in front of the petting zoo, and a vending machine on the 4th floor of Moujukan 299. Preschoolers enter free. Last entry is 16:00.
- Ages 2-3In the amusement area the small rides are 100 yen each, and the Animal Carousel and Playing in Water with the Animals are 300 yen each, so after the animals there is something a toddler rides themselves. Fushigi na Mori no Shiro, the Mysterious Forest Castle, is built for pretending to be an animal or a keeper.The 390-metre roller slide starts at 4, so at this age the Animal Carousel and the small rides are the ones to head for; from 4 a child rides it seated with a parent. Rental strollers only go up to age 2, so bring your own for a three-year-old. Children's toilets are in three places: beside the Information Corner, in the visitor centre and in the petting zoo. Lost children are handled at the Information Corner or by any nearby staff member. The zoo asks you not to bring balls, balloons, insect nets or insect cages.
- Ages 4-6From age 4 a child can ride the 390-metre roller slide, the longest in Japan, seated with a parent; from elementary school they ride it alone. Moujukan 299 puts the big animals right in front of you, and the zoo's own visitor survey puts red pandas, polar bears, Asian elephants and Humboldt penguins at the top.Sandals and bare feet are not allowed on the roller slide; rental shoes are 100 yen a go (17-28 cm) and socks 200 yen a pair. The ride is 200 yen one way for an adult and 100 yen for an elementary-school child. Pregnant visitors cannot ride, so the other adult takes the seat for a paired ride. Preschoolers enter free; elementary and junior high school students are 150 yen.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayNine indoor buildings — the red panda house, the penguin house, Moju-kan 299, and others — hold up whatever the weather. The 390-meter roller slide is outdoors.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
How was it with your kids?
Not greatGreat
Family checks✓ easy for your family
- ElevatorElevator：not checked
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：with conditionsconditions
- RentalStroller rental：not checked
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：with conditionsconditions
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Kids' toiletKids' toilet seat & step stool：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：not checked
- EnglishEnglish support：not checked
Tap a mark for details
* Other not checked (1)
Diaper disposal bin
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
One or two hours was not enough. The ground climbs in places, and the Rest House halfway is where they ate and sat.
Nihondaira Zoo with children: what a parent noticed, and what to know first
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
The 390 m roller slide bars sandals; gloves and a mat are lent, and small children ride down with a parent.
Nihondaira Zoo: Japan's longest roller slide and the little fairground, done cheaply
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Lunch was a home bento on a sheet by a shaded bench. The grounds are big enough to want a second stroller.
First time at Shizuoka's best-known day out, with the children
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
A cloudy late-May day suited people, but the big animals lay flat all day. Almost all of the zoo takes a stroller.
Nihondaira Zoo, Shizuoka City
Nihondaira Zoo · Links & reads ▾
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Where to go next
Where it is
1767-6 Ikeda, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka-shi, Shizuoka 422-8005source
Before you go
Basics
- Fee：¥620 for high school students and up, ¥150 for elementary and junior-high, free for pre-schoolers. Groups of 20 or more paying visitors: ¥500 / ¥120. Annual pass ¥2,510 / ¥610. Elementary and junior-high children who live in or attend school in Shizuoka City go free on showing an original certificate; so do holders of a disability certificate plus one carer, and Shizuoka City residents aged 70 and over. Parking ¥620 per car, ¥1,570 per bus; motorbikes and bicycles free. In the small amusement area the roller slide costs ¥200 one way for adults and ¥100 for elementary-school children, the carousel and the water-play ride ¥300 each, and small rides ¥100source
- Hours：9:00-16:30, last entry 16:00. Closed every Monday (the next weekday if that Monday is a public holiday) and from 29 December to 1 Januarysource
- Booking：Groups are asked to book ahead so they can be shown round smoothly (20 or more paying visitors count as a group)sourceOfficial booking site ↗
- Note: the 390 m roller slide is for elementary-school children on their own, or from age 4 with a parent on the same mat. The chairlift back up is out of servicesource
Basics in detail (30)
Hours and closures
Fees
- Admission is ¥620 for high school students and older, and ¥150 for elementary and junior high students.source
- Preschool children get in free.source
- For groups of 20 or more paying visitors, admission is ¥500 for adults and ¥120 for elementary and junior high students.source
- An annual pass costs ¥2,510 for adults and ¥610 for elementary and junior high students.source
- Elementary and junior high students who live in or go to school in Shizuoka City get in free by showing an original official document.source
- People holding a disability certificate or a rehabilitation certificate get in free, along with one caregiver, by showing the original certificate.source
- Shizuoka City residents aged 70 and over get in free by showing an original Silver Card or similar proof.source
- Parking is ¥620 per visit for a standard car and ¥1,570 per visit for a bus.source
- Motorcycles and bicycles park free.source
- The roller slide in the amusement area costs ¥200 one way for adults and ¥100 for elementary school children.source
- The powered chair costs ¥100 one way for adults and ¥50 for elementary school children, but it is out of service at the moment.source
- The animal carousel and the water-play ride are ¥300 each.source
- The small rides are ¥100 each.source
- Admission was announced as free on Saturday, August 1, 2026, the zoo's founding anniversary.source
Other
- There is a first aid room at the information center, for falls, injuries, or feeling unwell.source
- No doctor or nurse is stationed in the first aid room.source
- Coin lockers are beside the information center.source
- Two AEDs (automated external defibrillators) are installed on the grounds.source
- The grounds have four shops and one restaurant (Shirokuma Kitchen).source
- Rest areas are in front of the giraffe house, inside the petting zoo, beside the amusement area, and at the rest house.source
- The zoo asks you not to bring dogs, cats, or other pets.source
- It asks you to leave balls, balloons, and other play gear, plus insect nets and bug cages, at home.source
- Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the grounds.source
- You are asked not to give the animals food or toys.source
- The address is 1767-6 Ikeda, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka City.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (8)
The zoo opened in 1969 and now keeps about 130 species on 13 hectares. Displays are built around natural behavior, and Moju-kan 299 is made for watching big animals close up. One of Japan's largest flight cages puts you near enough to hear wingbeats. A visitor survey puts red pandas, polar bears, Asian elephants and Humboldt penguins at the top. It holds Japan's strongest breeding record for giant anteaters. A roller slide of 390 meters, built in 2000 as the longest in Japan, runs down through the grounds.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | Strollers rent for ¥300 a go at the Entrance Gate and the East Gate, for children up to age 2 who can hold their head up | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nhdzoo.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nursing space | Yes (5) | Five rooms — the Information Corner, the Rest House, the Petting Zoo, the rest area beside the amusement area, and Sancho Hiroba. All are air-conditioned and have a changing bed | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nhdzoo.jp |
| Diaper changing table | Yes | Changing beds in all five nursing rooms. Diapers are sold at the 'Animals' Forest' shop, the shop in front of the Petting Zoo, and a vending machine on the 4th floor of Moju-kan 299 | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nhdzoo.jp |
| Family restroom | Yes (9) | Nine multipurpose toilets: Entrance Gate, beside the Information Corner, Visitor Center, Sansaku Hiroba, Moju-kan 299, Rest House, Petting Zoo, Central Toilets, and the rest area beside the amusement area | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nhdzoo.jp |
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Yes | Three places: beside the Information Corner, the Visitor Center, and the Petting Zoo | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nhdzoo.jp |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | Nine all-weather indoor houses — Red Panda House, Penguin House, Visitor Center, Moju-kan 299, Petting Zoo, Orangutan House, Nocturnal House, Tropical Bird House and Reptile House — plus outdoor enclosures. Sheltered rest areas by the giraffe house, inside the Petting Zoo, beside the amusement area and at the Rest House | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nhdzoo.jp |
| Stroller access notesExtra info — guide only | Yes | Free wheelchair loan at the Information Corner — first come, first served, no booking, and power-assisted chairs are available too. Accessible parking at the Entrance parking lot and Parking Lot 3 (no parking discount). Guide dogs and other assistance dogs may come in | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nhdzoo.jp |
| Lost-child supportExtra info — guide only | Yes | The Information Corner and any member of staff take lost children and search requests. The Information Corner also has a first-aid room (no doctor or nurse on site) and lost property, with coin lockers next door | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | nhdzoo.jp |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| English support | Not checked yet | ||||
| Outside food allowed | Not checked yet |
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