Okinawa Zoo & Museum
Okinawa's only hands-on children's museum sits inside a zoo of about 150 species.
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Okinawa Zoo & Museum
SaveOkinawa's only hands-on children's museum sits inside a zoo of about 150 species.
One five-year-old got hooked on the ball coaster inside, and the family has come three years running.
MoreWhat kind of place
The park opened in May 1970, while Okinawa was still under U.S. administration, and donations collected across Japan helped pay for it.
It started with three raccoon dogs and now keeps about 150 species and 1,000 animals, with an emphasis on the wildlife and native livestock breeds of the Ryukyu islands.
In 1979 it took in an Iriomote cat that had been separated from its parent, and became the first place in the world to keep one. The hands-on children's museum, the Wonder Museum, came much later, in a 2004 rebuild.
Sources and evidence (27)
- On rainy days the staff point visitors to covered or indoor spots, depending on how busy the day is; ask at the entrance gate.source
- The restaurant Kaizoku Kobo is on the first floor of the Children's Center, and its lunch buffet runs from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., closed Tuesdays.source
- The buffet at Kaizoku Kobo, the restaurant on the first floor of the Children's Center, costs 1,800 yen for adults (junior high school age and up), 1,000 yen for elementary school children, and 600 yen for ages 3 to 6.source
- You cannot reach Kaizoku Kobo directly from inside the park; the way in is on the first floor of the Children's Center.source
- The snack stand Welcome Parlor sells light meals such as Okinawa soba, mozuku seaweed rice bowls, and pork-and-egg rice balls, plus ice cream and shaved ice, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays and to 8:30 p.m. on weekends and public holidays.source
- The Children's Center has free space where parents and children can take their time, including a picture-book corner.source
- The park opened on May 5, 1970, while Okinawa was still under U.S. administration, as one of the projects marking the return to Japan.source
- Donations were collected nationwide to build it, so it is described as a shared asset of the people of Okinawa, made from a great many small acts of goodwill.source
- At the opening there was little in the way of zoo buildings, and the animals were three raccoon dogs.source
- In 1979 the park took in and raised an Iriomote cat that had been separated from its parent on Iriomote Island, the first time the species was kept anywhere in the world.source
- In 1987 the park completed Furusato-en, a house in Okinawa's own building style moved here and rebuilt, and it is now on the national register of cultural properties.source
- In 2004 the park reopened as the Okinawa Children's Future Zone, known by the nickname Okinawa Kodomo no Kuni, adding the children's museum, called the Wonder Museum, and the free Children's Center.source
- The park is in Okinawa City, in the central part of Okinawa's main island, and although it sits in a built-up area it is surrounded by greenery.source
- The zoo keeps about 150 species and 1,000 animals, and its stated main goal is to conserve the wildlife and native livestock breeds of the Ryukyu arc and make them better known.source
- The Ryukyu arc is the line of roughly 200 islands between Kyushu and Taiwan, and you can see its animals close up: wild mammals such as fruit bats, birds such as the crested serpent eagle, reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fish, insects, and native livestock.source
- The large plant-eater area, called Ashibinaa after the Okinawan word for a play yard, is where you can watch Indian elephants, reticulated giraffes, and hippos moving at their own pace.source
- Lion Field uses the lie of the land to recreate lion habitat with two enclosures, one above and one below a rocky hill, so you can watch from a range of angles.source
- The countryside area, Satoyama no Meikyu, keeps animals from mainland Japan, mostly the ones children know from folk tales and picture books and rarely get to see in Okinawa.source
- The hidden-hunters area shows mainly reptiles such as crocodiles, snakes, and turtles, along with jaguars, giant anteaters, and small-clawed otters from warm, wet regions. It makes use of the local climate, the closest Japan comes to the tropics.source
- There is a feeding time, called Kwacchii Time, when you can watch the animals eat.source
- Hands-on programs let you feed animals, ride a horse, and fish.source
- The Wonder Museum is the first and only children's museum in Okinawa, with plenty of hands-on exhibits inside to touch, play with, and learn from.source
- The Wonder Museum's hands-on exhibits are grouped around science, philosophy, and art, and they let children try out everyday puzzles for themselves.source
- On the first floor of the Wonder Museum, the area called Kizuki no Mori has trick mirrors and motion-catching exhibits, and a space around the popular ball coaster where you can test how balls move.source
- One floor below, the making lab and mystery lab (Tsukuru Labo and Fushigi Labo) run workshops and experiment classes that adults and children can enjoy together.source
- Two floors below, the creation workshop (Souzou Koubou) lets you move projected images with your body and build things from scrap materials in a program called Wajabukuro.source
- You cannot visit the Wonder Museum on its own, as it is a facility inside the park and admission to Okinawa Zoo & Museum is required.source
With kidsThe part that matters
If it rains, you don't have to give up the day: the grounds hold an indoor children's museum, the Wonder Museum. A favorite there is the ball coaster, where kids send balls down a track and test how they move.
You need a park ticket to reach it, at 1,000 yen for anyone 16 or over and free for children 15 and under.
The Children's Center stands in the park's free area, with a picture-book corner and a buffet restaurant, so you can go in without a ticket at all.
Your ticket also gets you back in the same day, so stepping out for lunch or a nap doesn't end the visit.
Sources and evidence (4)
- Three years of return visits: at 9, 7 and 5 they split between the ball machines, costumes and a paid workshop.source
- Golden Week with a 3-year-old and a second-grader: stroller rental ¥200, and a nap in the air-conditioned rest room.source
- Splash park in the cooler morning, indoor Wonder Museum in the afternoon; the shade beside the water is gone by midday.source
- A Sunday evening visit: almost empty after dark, and the mini-cars were still running at 20:30.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1The Children's Center has a picture book corner, a free space set aside for parents and children to slow down in. It sits outside the paid area, so you can break up the animal-watching with a stretch of turning pages.A stroller costs 500 yen to borrow and numbers are limited; wheelchairs are lent free. There is a nursing room, but its location, how many there are and whether hot water is available are not published, so asking at the entrance gate is the sure way. Admission is free for anyone 15 or under. You can re-enter the same day by showing your ticket to the gate staff, so stepping out for a nap and coming back works. The zoo closes when the storm zone of a typhoon reaches Okinawa's main island.
- Ages 2-3At Ashibinaa of the Grazers, ashibinaa being Okinawan for playground, Indian elephants, reticulated giraffes and hippos can be watched taking their time. Lion Field uses the lie of the land to put two enclosures above and below a rocky hill, so the lions can be seen from several angles. There is also Kwacchii Time, when the animals are fed and you can watch them eat.The zoo says outdoor spaces are free for you to use for lunch, so a packed meal is fine. On a wet day, speak to the staff at the entrance gate and they will point you to covered or indoor spots, depending on how many people are in that day. The restaurant Kaizoku Kobo serves a lunch buffet from 11:00 to 14:30, 600 yen for children aged 3 to 6; you cannot reach it from inside the zoo grounds and enter from the 1st floor of the Children's Center instead. It is closed on Tuesdays.
- Ages 4-6Wonder Museum is Okinawa's first and only children's museum, filled with hands-on exhibits made to be touched and played with. On the 1st floor, Forest of Discovery has trick mirrors, motion-capture pieces and a space built around the popular Ball Coaster where you can test how balls travel. Two floors down, Sozo Kobo lets you move projected images with your body and build things from scrap materials at Wajabukuro. Elsewhere in the park, hands-on programs cover feeding the animals, pony riding and fishing.Wonder Museum cannot be visited on its own; it is inside the zoo, so you need zoo admission, which is free for anyone 15 or under. On basement floor 1, Tsukuru Lab and Fushigi Lab run workshops and experiment classes for children and adults together. The zoo's rules are worth going over with a child beforehand: no food except what the zoo provides, no flash or lights pointed at the animals, no shouting near them, no hands through the fences, no tapping on the glass. Hours are 9:30 to 17:30 on weekdays with last entry at 16:30, and 9:30 to 21:00 on weekends and holidays with last entry at 20:00; closed Tuesdays, except when a Tuesday is a public holiday, in which case it opens and closes the following Wednesday.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayThe animal areas are outdoors, so on a rainy day tell the staff at the entrance gate and they will point you to covered or indoor spots. What you can do under a roof is the Wonder Museum, three floors of hands-on exhibits from B2 up to the 1st floor, plus the free Children's Center with its picture-book corner.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed3 h
How was it with your kids?
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Family checks✓ easy for your family
- ElevatorElevator：not checked
- Stroller OKStroller friendly：with conditionsconditions
- RentalStroller rental：yes
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：not checked
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：with conditionsconditions
- EnglishEnglish support：with conditionsconditions
Tap a mark for details
* 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
Three years of return visits: at 9, 7 and 5 they split between the ball machines, costumes and a paid workshop.
Okinawa Zoo & Museum: an honest look at the Wonder Museum, three years running
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Golden Week with a 3-year-old and a second-grader: stroller rental ¥200, and a nap in the air-conditioned rest room.
A report from Okinawa Zoo & Museum: the facilities that help with children, and getting close to the animals
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Splash park in the cooler morning, indoor Wonder Museum in the afternoon; the shade beside the water is gone by midday.
Okinawa City: a surprising way to use Okinawa Zoo & Museum on a hot summer day
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
A Sunday evening visit: almost empty after dark, and the mini-cars were still running at 20:30.
Okinawa Zoo & Museum with kids: night zoo, indoor rooms and the splash park — free for under-16s
Okinawa Zoo & Museum · Links & reads ▾
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Where it is
Before you go
- Stroller rental costs 500 yen and wheelchair rental is free, and the number of each is limited.source
- Electric mobility scooters cost 1,000 yen, or nothing for people who have trouble walking and hold a disability certificate. They can be rented on weekdays only, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the last rental at 4:00 p.m. They are not lent out on weekends or public holidays, because of the crowds.source
- At the East No. 2 Gate, admission has to be paid in cash. The shop beside the Main Gate takes major credit cards and tap-to-pay electronic money.source
- The park closes when the storm zone of a typhoon reaches Okinawa's main island, and it may stay closed even after the storm warning lifts, depending on the damage on the grounds.source
Basics
- Fee：¥1,000 for age 16 and over; free for age 15 and under; ¥500 for students (high school, vocational school, university) on showing a student ID. Annual passports are ¥4,000 / ¥2,000. Holders of a disability, mental-health or rehabilitation certificate pay half and one companion is free. Same-day re-entry is allowed if you show your ticket at the gate. The Children's Center, the Okinawa Prefectural Regional Environment Center and the restaurant are free areas. Stroller rental ¥500, wheelchair rental freesource
- Hours：Weekdays 9:30-17:30 (last entry 16:30); Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays 9:30-21:00 (last entry 20:00). Closed every Tuesday — if the Tuesday is a public holiday it opens as usual and closes the following Wednesday instead. No normal opening on 30 and 31 December and 1 January (the park can open on those days if a special event is held). Closed when Okinawa's main island is in a typhoon's storm zone, and possibly afterwards depending on damage in the parksource
- Time to allow：3 h
- Booking：Advance-purchase set tickets are sold online and save up to ¥50. Admission at the East No.2 Gate is cash onlysourceOfficial booking site ↗
Basics in detail (21)
Getting there
- The park lends wheelchairs free of charge.source
- There is a wheelchair-accessible restroom.source
- There is a restroom equipped for ostomy users.source
- There are parking spaces reserved for wheelchair users.source
- A stroller costs 500 yen to borrow.source
- The facility list notes amenities for babies and toddlers, without saying what they are.source
- There is a nursing room, though the location, the number of rooms, and whether hot water is available are not listed.source
- The parking lot holds 700 cars.source
Fees
- General admission is 1,000 yen for ages 16 and over.source
- Admission is free for ages 15 and under.source
- Students, including high school, vocational school, and university students, pay 500 yen and need to show a student ID.source
- An annual pass costs 4,000 yen for ages 16 and over, or 2,000 yen with the student discount.source
- Show a Japanese disability certificate (physical, intellectual, or mental health) at the entrance gate, and the holder pays half price with one companion free.source
- The Children's Center, the Okinawa prefectural regional environment center, and the restaurant sit in the free area, so you can use them without buying admission.source
Other
- You can re-enter on the same day by showing your entry ticket to the gate staff.source
- The rules inside the park are to give the animals no food other than what the zoo provides, to keep flashes and lights off them, not to shout near them, not to put hands inside the fences, and not to tap on the glass.source
Hours and closures
- On weekdays the park is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with last entry at 4:30 p.m.source
- On weekends and public holidays the park is open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., with last entry at 8:00 p.m.source
- The park is closed every Tuesday, but when a Tuesday falls on a public holiday it opens as usual and closes the next day, Wednesday, instead.source
- The park does not keep regular hours on December 30, December 31, and January 1.source
- Viewing hours differ by animal and by area, so check the animal viewing hours page.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (7)
- Official: Nursing space, Family restroom, English support
- Official: Stroller friendly, Stroller rental
- Official: Outside food allowed
- Official: Indoor / outdoor
- Official: main site
The park opened in 1970, while Okinawa was still under American administration, as a project marking its return to Japan. Money for it was raised across the country. The zoo keeps about 150 species, and names the wildlife and farm breeds of the Ryukyu arc as its priority. That arc is the two hundred or so islands strung between Kyushu and Taiwan. Lions live on two levels either side of a rocky hill. Indoors, the Wonder Museum runs on things children touch, including a popular ball coaster.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | Strollers are rented out for ¥500; numbers are limited, so they can all be out. Wheelchair rental is free. Electric mobility scooters are lent on weekdays 9:30-17:00 (bookings close 16:00) — free for people who have difficulty walking and hold a disability certificate, ¥1,000 otherwise — but not on weekends or on public holidays, to avoid accidents in the crowds | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | okzm.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroller rental | Yes | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | okzm.jp | |
| Nursing space | Yes | The facilities table lists a nursing room, and 'facilities for infants'. Locations, how many, and whether hot water is available are not stated | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | okzm.jp |
| Family restroom | Yes | The facilities table lists wheelchair-accessible toilets and ostomate-equipped toilets, plus parking spaces for wheelchair users. How many and where is not stated | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | okzm.jp |
| Outside food allowed | Yes | For lunch the park says the outdoor areas are free to use; places cannot be reserved in advance. In the rain, staff at the entrance gate will point you to a covered or indoor spot depending on how busy the day is. There is also the restaurant Kaizoku Kobo and the Welcome Parlor snack stand | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | okzm.jp |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | The Animal Zone is an outdoor zoo; the Wonder Museum (a children's museum on three levels) and the free Children's Center are indoors | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | okzm.jp |
| English support | English menu & signs | The official site has English and Traditional Chinese pages, and the park pamphlet is downloadable in Japanese, English and Traditional Chinese. Nothing is stated about English-speaking staff | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | okzm.jp |
| Diaper changing table | Not checked yet | ||||
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet |
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