Tobe Zoo
A zoo home to Peace, the first polar bear successfully hand-reared in Japan.
piggybackjapan.com
Tobe Zoo
SaveA zoo home to Peace, the first polar bear successfully hand-reared in Japan.
From the parking lot to the gate, you walk by following animal footprints marked on the ground.
MoreWhat kind of place
Tobe Zoo is Ehime's prefectural zoo, and its indoor houses alone hold giraffes, elephants, lions, tigers, apes and penguins. It is best known for a polar bear named Peace, born here on December 2, 1999.
Of the 122 polar bear births recorded in Japan up to then, only 16 cubs had lived past six months, and no zoo in the country had ever raised one by hand.
To keep this cub from getting conflicting signals, one keeper and no one else did all the feeding, and Peace became the first polar bear in Japan to be raised by hand successfully.
Sources and evidence (21)
- Strollers are rented at the main gate, where 60 are kept.source
- A stroller costs 100 yen, and both the fully reclining type and the lightweight type are available.source
- You can pick one up at the main gate or at the information center.source
- There are coin lockers in front of the main gate and at the stroller rental counter: 200 yen for a large one, 100 yen for a small one.source
- Bags too big for the lockers can be left at the administration office for 200 yen.source
- A lost-child center at the main gate makes announcements for missing children and looks after them.source
- A first-aid station at the main gate gives basic treatment and can point you to an emergency hospital.source
- An AED is kept inside the Children's Animal Center.source
- Indoor exhibits are in the giraffe house, the rhino and hippo house, the lion house, the elephant house, the ape house, the tiger house, the South American animal house, the penguin plaza, and the snake house.source
- At the far end of the zoo is an observation restaurant (SKY GARDEN) with a 360-degree view over the grounds.source
- The restaurant looks straight out on the African elephant area, so you can watch the animals while you eat.source
- Next to the restaurant, a snack counter (Tobemaru Cafe) sells udon noodles, soft-serve ice cream, fries, and the like.source
- Three shops sell original goods and souvenirs, one on Water Street, one in Little World, and one in the observation restaurant at Oasis Garden.source
- The lower parking lot holds 300 cars, and from there you follow animal footprints painted on the ground up to the entrance gate.source
- When the lower lot is full, you park at the east lot, which holds 1,700 cars and runs a shuttle bus to the zoo.source
- A polar bear cub was born at Tobe Zoo on December 2, 1999.source
- Japan had reported 122 polar bear births up to that point, but only 16 cubs had lived beyond six months, and no hand-rearing had ever succeeded.source
- The parents of the polar bear Peace were Pearl, the father, and Bariiba, the mother, and it was Bariiba's first birth.source
- To prevent stress from conflicting signals, the hand-rearing was handled by one keeper and no one else.source
- The zoo's website has a section devoted to the polar bear Peace, with news, a daily update, and the story of how Peace grew up.source
- The zoo is at 240 Kamihara-cho, Tobe-cho, Iyo-gun, Ehime 791-2191, and the phone number is 089-962-6000.source
With kidsThe part that matters
From the parking lot to the entrance gate, kids follow animal footprints painted on the ground, so the walk in already counts as part of the visit.
Strollers rent for 100 yen at the main gate, where 60 are kept in both a fully reclining type and a lightweight one.
Roofed rest areas are spread through the zoo for eating, taking a break and getting out of sudden rain, so a shower does not send you back to the car.
Feeding starts around 3:30 p.m. and some animals go off view while it goes on, so get to the ones your kids came for before then.
At the far end, the observation restaurant looks straight out on the African elephant yard, so the last stop of the day is a meal with the elephants still in sight.
Sources and evidence (4)
- Elephant brunch 11:30 on weekends, ¥300 a group, tickets from the office at 9:00. Penguin feeding daily at 15:00, free.source
- A wheelchair walk-through: the ramp beside the entrance steps is long, and the paths keep climbing and dropping.source
- The SKY GARDEN restaurant looks onto the elephants; a kids' Peace curry is ¥680 and the elephant plate ¥850.source
- A 26C Sunday in June: Peace rested all morning and only got going after the 14:30 feed. Bariba stays in on Wednesdays.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1Indoor exhibits fill nine houses — giraffe, rhino and hippo, lion, elephant, ape, tiger, South American animals, the penguin plaza and the snake house — so animals can be looked at from your arms with a roof overhead. Roofed rest areas sit at eight more points around the zoo (in front of the east gate, along African Street, in front of Tobe no Yakata, Tiger Hill, the penguin plaza and the ape house, at the Garden of the Wind, and beside the African elephant area), which makes a rhythm of see a little, sit a while, see a little more.There are three nursing rooms with baby beds: at the main gate, inside the Children's Animal Center, and inside the observation restaurant at Oasis Garden. Every restroom — six inside the zoo and two at the parking lots — has a diaper-changing table, plus a stall for people with disabilities and a baby seat where your child can sit while you use the toilet. The multipurpose restroom that opened at the main entrance gate on December 22, 2025 has two rooms: the right one is wheelchair accessible with ostomy equipment, a baby chair, a changing bed and a fold-down board to stand on while changing clothes; the left one is wheelchair accessible with a changing bed and the same board. Strollers are 100 yen each at the main gate and the information office, 60 of them, in both the fully reclining and the lightweight type.
- Ages 2-3From the lower parking lot, which holds 300 cars, you walk up to the entrance gate following animal footprints painted on the ground — the hunt starts before you are even inside. At the far end of the zoo, the SKY GARDEN observation restaurant has a 360-degree view over the grounds and looks straight out on the African elephant area, so lunch happens with elephants in front of you. The snack counter next door, Tobemaru Cafe, sells udon noodles, soft-serve ice cream and fries.Feeding starts around 3:30 p.m., and some animals are off view while it goes on. The zoo opens at 9:00 and stops admitting at 16:30, so a morning start gets you around everything. The zoo says the roofed rest areas are for eating, taking a break, and getting out of sudden rain. Children under 6 get in free. It is closed on Mondays, or the next weekday when Monday is a public holiday.
- Ages 4-6Peace the polar bear was born here on December 2, 1999. Japan had reported 122 polar bear births by then, but only 16 cubs had lived past six months and no hand-rearing had ever succeeded. Peace's parents were Pearl and Bariiba, and it was Bariiba's first birth; to keep mixed signals from stressing the cub, the zoo limited the hand-rearing to a single keeper. The zoo's website carries Peace's news, a daily update and the story of how Peace grew up, so a child can read the whole story first and then go and meet the bear.A lost-child center at the main gate makes announcements for missing children and looks after them; the first-aid post is at the main gate too, and the AED is inside the Children's Animal Center. To avoid the queue at the gate, advance tickets are sold at Lawson (L code 63354) and FamilyMart (JTB product number 0245823) and stay valid for a month. Admission is free under 6 and 100 yen for elementary and junior high school students. When the lower parking lot's 300 spaces are full, you park at the east lot, which holds 1,700 cars and runs a shuttle bus; parking is 300 yen a visit for an ordinary car.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayThe indoor displays sit inside the animal houses: giraffe, rhino and hippo, lion, elephant, ape, tiger, South American, the Penguin Plaza, and the Snake House. Eight roofed rest areas, including one in front of the East Gate and one by the Penguin Plaza, are offered for meals, breaks, and sudden rain.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed3 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：not checked
- NursingNursing space：with conditionsconditions
- ChangingDiaper changing table：with conditionsconditions
- Family WCFamily restroom：with conditionsconditions
- Own foodOutside food allowed：with conditionsconditions
- EnglishEnglish support：not checked
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 translatedOfficial
Elephant brunch 11:30 on weekends, ¥300 a group, tickets from the office at 9:00. Penguin feeding daily at 15:00, free.
Feeding events at Tobe Zoo: getting close to the elephants, hippos and giraffes
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
A wheelchair walk-through: the ramp beside the entrance steps is long, and the paths keep climbing and dropping.
[Tobe town] Tobe Zoo: going to meet Peace the polar bear
Japanese · opens translatedGuide
The SKY GARDEN restaurant looks onto the elephants; a kids' Peace curry is ¥680 and the elephant plate ¥850.
A gentle day at Tobe Zoo: Peace, the night zoo and the hands-on events
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
A 26C Sunday in June: Peace rested all morning and only got going after the 14:30 feed. Bariba stays in on Wednesdays.
The polar bears of Tobe Zoo: Bariba and Peace
Tobe Zoo · Links & reads ▾
＋ Add a link
Save
Where to go next
Where it is
240 Kamiharamachi Tobe, Iyo District, Ehime Prefecture 791-2191source2
Before you go
- Smoking is allowed at only two spots in the zoo, the main entrance gate and the area behind the observation restaurant.source
- To ease crowding at the gate, advance tickets are sold at Lawson (L code 63354) and FamilyMart (JTB product number 0245823) convenience stores.source
- An advance ticket is valid for one month from the day you buy it.source
Basics
- Fee：Adults (18+, high schoolers excluded) ¥600, 65 and over ¥300 (show proof of age), high school ¥200, elementary and junior high ¥100, under 6 free, and free with a disability certificate. Groups of 30 or more paying visitors: ¥480 / ¥160 / ¥80. Annual passes ¥2,000 / ¥1,000 / ¥500. Parking ¥300 per car.source
- Hours：9:00-17:00, entry until 16:30. From about 15:30 the animals are fed, so some cannot be seen. Closed Mondays (the next weekday if the Monday is a holiday) and 29 December-1 January.source
- Time to allow：3 h
- Booking：No booking needed. Advance tickets are sold at Lawson (L-code 63354) and FamilyMart (JTB item 0245823) to ease queues at the gate, valid for a month after purchase. The east gate is machine entry only, so anyone using a discount should go to the main gate.source
- Wheelchairs are lent free at the main gate (11 of them). Coin lockers by the main gate and the stroller counter, ¥200 large / ¥100 small; oversized bags are held at the management office for ¥200. First-aid post at the main gate, AED in the Children's Animal Center. The lower parking lot holds 300 cars; when it is full use the east parking lot (1,700) and its shuttle bus. Accessible spaces beside the entrance gate — phone 089-962-6000.source
Basics in detail (20)
Getting there
Hours and closures
- The zoo is open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and the last entry is 4:30 p.m.source
- Feeding starts around 3:30 p.m., and some animals are off view while it goes on.source
- The zoo is closed on Mondays, or on the next weekday when that Monday is a public holiday.source
- It is also closed over the New Year period, from December 29 to January 1.source
Fees
- Admission is 600 yen for adults, which here means anyone 18 or over who is not a high school student.source
- Visitors aged 65 and over pay 300 yen and show something that proves their age.source
- High school students, ages 15 to 17, pay 200 yen.source
- Elementary and junior high school students, ages 6 to 14, pay 100 yen.source
- Children under 6 get in free.source
- People with a disability certificate get in free.source
- For groups of 30 or more paying visitors, admission drops to 480 yen for adults, 160 yen for high school students, and 80 yen for elementary and junior high school students.source
- An annual pass costs 2,000 yen for adults, 1,000 yen for seniors, and 500 yen for students from elementary through high school, and it lets you in as often as you like for a year.source
- Showing the annual pass at the observation restaurant (SKY GARDEN) gets you soft drinks at half price.source
- The ticket machines at the main entrance gate take cash and QR payments (PayPay, au PAY, d Barai, Merpay, Rakuten Pay, Alipay, and WeChat Pay).source
- The staffed window at the main entrance gate takes cash, credit cards, electronic money, and QR payments.source
- Annual passes and tickets for things like the animal-feeding experience are sold at the administration office, cash only.source
- The east gate is an automated entrance, so anyone using a discount needs to come in through the main gate.source
- Parking costs 300 yen per visit for a regular car.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (7)
The restaurant at the far end of the zoo looks out over the African elephant enclosure. In 1999 a polar bear cub was born here. Of 122 polar bear births then recorded in Japan, only 16 cubs had lived past six months, and none had been reared by hand. This cub, Peace, was raised by a single keeper who took it home at night. Eight roofed shelters stand around the grounds, and nine of the animal houses have indoor viewing.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | Strollers are lent at the main gate and the information point — 60 of them, A-type and B-type, ¥100 each. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | tobezoo.com |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Diaper changing table | Yes | Every toilet has a changing table — six in the zoo and two in the parking lot. The two multi-purpose toilets built at the main gate in December 2025 both have a baby seat and a fitting board, and the right-hand one also has a baby chair. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | tobezoo.com |
| Nursing space | Yes (3) | Three nursing rooms with baby beds: at the main gate, inside the Children's Animal Center, and inside the Oasis Garden view restaurant. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | tobezoo.com |
| Family restroom | Yes | Every toilet has an accessible cubicle with a baby holder. Two multi-purpose toilets in front of the Fureai Center have a changing board for older children. An ostomate-equipped toilet sits west of the management office, and the two multi-purpose toilets at the main gate (December 2025) are both wheelchair-accessible, one of them ostomate-equipped. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | tobezoo.com |
| Outside food allowed | Yes | Roofed rest shelters are provided for meals, breaks and sudden rain — by the east gate, in Africa Street, in front of Tobe-no-yakata, Tiger Hill, the penguin plaza and the ape house, at the Garden of Wind and beside the African elephant area. Inside there is the SKY GARDEN view restaurant and the Tobemaru Cafe snack counter. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | tobezoo.com |
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | An open-air zoo with indoor exhibits in the giraffe, rhino-and-hippo, lion, elephant, ape, tiger and South American animal houses, the penguin plaza and the snake house. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | tobezoo.com |
| Lost-child supportExtra info — guide only | Yes | A lost-child center at the main gate makes announcements and looks after children; you can also tell any member of staff. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | tobezoo.com |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| English support | Not checked yet |
Reviews
Reviews