Matsue Vogel Park
A hillside park of glasshouses in bloom all year, with about 90 kinds of birds.
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Matsue Vogel Park
SaveA hillside park of glasshouses in bloom all year, with about 90 kinds of birds.
Roofed walkways link the glasshouses, so you can walk beside a penguin without an umbrella in the rain.
MoreWhat kind of place
Vogel is simply the German word for bird. The park opened in 2001 on a hillside of 320,000 square meters (about 79 acres) above Lake Shinji.
It keeps around 400 birds across some 90 species, among them the only shoebill on show anywhere in the Chugoku region of western Japan.
The flowers run to roughly 7,000 pots, and the Center House glasshouse alone covers about 8,000 square meters (close to two acres), with some 1,500 varieties on show — begonias, fuchsias, pelargoniums.
A moving walkway 140 meters (about 460 feet) long carries you past birds on the way.
Sources and evidence (29)
- The park spreads across a 320,000-square-meter hillside (about 79 acres) beside Lake Shinji, with four display glasshouses totaling 12,000 square meters (about 3 acres) and a lookout tower, all linked by covered walkways into an all-weather park.source
- Every building is connected by covered walkways, so you generally do not need an umbrella in the rain; the exception is Vogel Farm, which is outdoors.source
- Most shows are held indoors and go ahead in the rain, but the 13:30 bird show is outdoors and may move to another spot in rough weather.source
- The owl show runs at 11:00 and 15:00 in the owl show hall inside the Center House.source
- The bird show runs at 13:30 on the lawn, with hawks and eagles flying overhead.source
- The Wakuwaku Encounter Square runs on weekends and holidays only, from 14:15 to 14:45 in the Tropical Aviary, where penguins and ducks sit on your lap and parakeets pull fortune slips.source
- Event times and places can change without notice, and a show may have to be canceled if the birds are not up to it.source
- The park is barrier free, built to work for children, older visitors, and wheelchair users alike.source
- Wheelchairs, wheeled walkers, and strollers are lent free just inside the main entrance; you ask at the desk.source
- Between the Center House and the Kunibiki lookout, staff drive visitors up in one of two shuttle vehicles, wheelchair and all.source
- There are paid coin lockers at the entrance, ten at 100 yen and six at 200 yen.source
- Disinfectant mats and sanitizer are set at the entrance to each hall, and using them is required to keep disease out.source
- Smoking is allowed only in the designated area.source
- Feed the birds and animals only the food sold inside the park, nothing else.source
- It opened on July 23, 2001, as a flower and bird theme park built to sit in harmony with its natural surroundings.source
- The designated operator is Ichibata Park Co., a wholly owned subsidiary of Ichibata Electric Railway founded on February 12, 2015, and appointed Matsue's designated operator on April 1, 2025.source
- As of September 2021, the park kept about 400 birds across roughly 90 species and displayed some 7,000 pots of flowers.source
- It is the only place in the Chugoku region that exhibits a shoebill.source
- The Center House, one of Japan's largest flower glasshouses at about 8,000 square meters (2 acres), displays some 1,500 varieties and 10,000 plants, among them begonias, fuchsias, and pelargoniums.source
- A 140-meter (460-foot) moving walkway carries you along, with various birds to see on the way.source
- The Kunibiki lookout, 53 meters (174 feet) above sea level, is the highest point in the park, with a sweeping view of the grounds and Lake Shinji, and Mount Daisen visible on clear days.source
- In Paradise Hall, the hands-on glasshouse, tropical birds come right up close and you can feed the colorful ones.source
- The Owl House has no glass in the way, so you can see the owls closer up, and there is a chance to hold one on your hand.source
- In the Tropical Aviary, the tropical bird glasshouse, you can also take a walk alongside penguins.source
- Vogel Farm is outdoors, and emus live there.source
- The Waterfall Aviary, the waterfowl glasshouse, puts you close to water birds such as ibises and swans.source
- Flowers bloom all year, but roughly March through May is the peak, when the park's main flowers hit their best.source
- Vogel is the German word for bird.source
- The contact number is 0852-88-9800, with a fax line at 0852-88-9803.source
With kidsThe part that matters
Rain barely changes the plan here: covered walkways link the four glasshouses and the lookout, so the umbrella can stay in the bag except at Vogel Farm and the 13:30 bird show on the lawn.
In the tropical glasshouse children can walk alongside penguins, and because birds this close sometimes bite or peck, the park asks parents to stay with small children.
Strollers, wheelchairs and wheeled walkers are free to borrow at the entrance, and staff shuttle you past the one flight of stairs on the route.
A slow loop takes about an hour, or three to four if you sit through the shows, and once you leave there is no going back in. Children below elementary school age get in free.
Sources and evidence (5)
- Because this is a place where you get close to animals, a bird can bite or peck and cause an injury, and the park asks that small children take part under a parent's supervision.source
- Three hours from one: deck 13:05, waterfowl 13:15, bird show 13:30, penguin walk 14:00, owl show 15:00.source
- With a nine-month-old: the park lends strollers, the stair shuttle takes it aboard, the tropical houses run hot.source
- Flowers first, then birds, three hours. Lunch at Fumaian: a kids' set and soft serve, in a stroller-wide hall.source
- Ichibata train, children 14 and 10: an unmanned station opening into the park, a phone day pass, 2.5 hours from 13:10.source
By age0-1 / 2-3 / 4-6
- Ages 0-1A 140-meter moving walkway carries you past one bird after another the whole way along. In the Tropical Aviary, penguins walk beside you, and in the Waterfall Aviary crested ibises and swans are right there in front of you. Four glasshouses and the observation tower are linked by roofed walkways, so on a rainy day you push the stroller through the whole park without opening an umbrella.Strollers are lent free at the main entrance; ask at the desk. There is exactly one staircase on the route, and there a shuttle car carries stroller, wheelchair and walker users past it. The shuttle needs no booking, costs nothing and runs on demand, and staff will also drive you from the Tropical Aviary down to the Fumaian soba restaurant or the waterfowl pond. Diaper-changing tables are in the wheelchair-accessible private restrooms at six places in the park: Center House, Kunibiki Observatory, the Waterfowl Glasshouse, the lawn plaza, the Tropical Aviary and Fumaian. Children under elementary school age enter free. You may bring a packed lunch and eat it at the designated spots on the first floor of Kunibiki Observatory, the lawn plaza or the Tropical Aviary, but you carry your rubbish out. Every hall entrance has a disinfectant mat and sanitizer that you must use. There is no re-entry.
- Ages 2-3In Paradise Hall, the hands-on glasshouse, tropical birds come right up to you and you can feed the colorful ones. In the Tropical Aviary you can walk alongside a penguin, and on weekends and holidays from 14:15 to 14:45 the same room hosts the Wakuwaku Petting Plaza, where a penguin or a duck sits on your lap and a parakeet draws a fortune slip. Out in the open, Vogel Farm has emus.Because this is a place where you touch the animals, a bird may nip or peck and cause an injury, and the park asks that small children be supervised by their guardian. Feed the birds and animals nothing but the food sold inside the park. Hands-on sessions end at 16:45, last admission is 16:00, and the moving walkway runs until 16:15. For tired legs, strollers and walkers are lent free at the main entrance, and the shuttle car takes you past the one staircase on the route, with no booking and no charge. Children under elementary school age enter free. Packed lunches are allowed, but at the lawn plaza and the Tropical Aviary you eat outside show times. Use the disinfectant mats at every hall entrance. There is no re-entry.
- Ages 4-6The owl show runs at 11:00 and 15:00 inside Center House, and at 13:30 the bird show fills the lawn plaza with hawks and eagles working the open sky. The Owl House has no glass between you and the birds, so you see an owl close up and can have one perch on your hand. There is also a shoebill, the only one on show in the Chugoku region, among some 90 species and 400 birds. Kunibiki Observatory, the park's high point at 53 meters, takes in the whole park and Lake Shinji, with Mount Daisen visible on a clear day.A slow loop of the park takes about an hour, but watching every show takes three to four. Only the 13:30 bird show is outdoors, on the lawn plaza, and in rough weather it may move. Event times and places can change without notice, and a show may be called off if a bird is unwell. Birds do nip and peck, so feed them only the food sold in the park. Hands-on sessions end at 16:45 and last admission is 16:00. Admission is 880 yen for elementary and junior high students; children under elementary school age are free. Parking is free for two hours and 200 yen per hour after that for a car, so budget for it on a day you plan to see every show. There is no re-entry.
By weatherRain, heat, cold
- Rainy dayFour display glasshouses and the lookout are linked by covered walkways into an all-weather park, so you generally do not need an umbrella in the rain. What is outdoors: Vogel Farm, home to the emus, and the 13:30 bird show on the lawn, which may move to another spot in rough weather.
- Hot dayNot checked yet
- Cold dayNot checked yet
Time needed1–3 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：not checked
- 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 (8)
Diaper disposal bin, Kids' toilet seat & step stool, Child switch (rider swap), Official family-friendly certification, Best-fit ages (guide), Crowding (guide), Quietness (guide), Lost-child support
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 hours from one: deck 13:05, waterfowl 13:15, bird show 13:30, penguin walk 14:00, owl show 15:00.
A full guide to Matsue Vogel Park: how long it takes, the best plan, discounts
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
With a nine-month-old: the park lends strollers, the stair shuttle takes it aboard, the tropical houses run hot.
Day two: Shimane with a nine-month-old, three generations together
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Flowers first, then birds, three hours. Lunch at Fumaian: a kids' set and soft serve, in a stroller-wide hall.
Shimane with the children, part four: last stop, the bird and flower paradise
Japanese · opens translatedFirst-hand
Ichibata train, children 14 and 10: an unmanned station opening into the park, a phone day pass, 2.5 hours from 13:10.
San'in with the children, part four: Izumo Taisha and Matsue Vogel Park
Matsue Vogel Park · Links & reads ▾
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Where to go next
Where it is
52 Ogaki-cho, Matsue City, Shimane Prefecture 690-0263source2
Before you go
- Neither the wheelchair shuttle nor the wheeled walkers have to be reserved, and both are free and available whenever you need them.source
- There is no re-entry, though you can go back to your car in the parking lot for something you forgot by showing your admission ticket again at the desk.source
- Pets cannot come in, because some areas keep the birds loose.source
Basics
- Fee：Adults (high school and up) ¥1,750, children (elementary and junior high) ¥880. Under school age is free. Matsue residents pay ¥880 and ¥440, and so do visitors with a disability certificate — one carer at the same rate. Groups of 15 or more pay ¥1,580 and ¥790. Residency is checked one person at a time with a driving license or My Number card. An annual pass costs ¥4,500 for an adult and ¥2,250 for a school child (¥2,500 / ¥1,250 for Matsue residents). Parking is free for the first two hours, then ¥200 an hour for a car.source
- Hours：9:00-17:00, last entry 16:00 (the moving walkway runs until 16:15, hands-on encounters end at 16:45). Closed on the second and fourth Friday from December to March. Closing time may be extended during event periods.source
- Time to allow：1–3 hsource234
Basics in detail (18)
Hours and closures
- The park is open 9:00 to 17:00, with last entry at 16:00 and the moving walkway running until 16:15.source
- It closes on the second and fourth Fridays from December through March, so it is not open every day of the year.source
- The hands-on animal encounters end at 16:45.source
- Closing time can be pushed later during events and similar periods.source
Fees
- Admission prices and opening hours were revised as of April 1, 2026.source
- Admission is 1,750 yen for adults (high school age and up) and 880 yen for children in elementary and junior high, with group rates of 1,580 and 790 yen for parties of 15 or more.source
- Children below elementary school age get in free.source
- Matsue residents pay 880 yen for adults and 440 yen for children, with each person's address checked against a driver's license or My Number card.source
- Visitors with disabilities pay 880 yen for adults and 440 yen for children on showing their certificate, and one companion pays the same rate.source
- Annual passes cost 4,500 yen for adults and 2,250 yen for elementary and junior high students, or 2,500 and 1,250 yen for Matsue residents and 3,500 and 1,750 yen for residents of the Nakaumi area (Izumo, Yasugi, Yonago, and Sakaiminato), at the rates effective April 1, 2026.source
- The parking lot holds 250 cars and 17 buses and is free for the first two hours, then charges 200 yen an hour for cars and 820 yen an hour for buses.source
Time to allow
Getting there
- The Fumaian soba restaurant and the Flora restaurant are open only to visitors who have paid admission.source
- There is no direct bus from JR Matsue Station; you take a local bus to Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station, change to the Ichibata train, and get off at Matsue Vogel Park Station.source
- The Ichibata train's Matsue Vogel Park Station leads straight into the park, about 45 minutes from Izumo Taisha-mae Station and about 15 minutes from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen Station.source
- By car it is about 40 minutes from Izumo Taisha, 25 minutes from Izumo Airport, 30 minutes from Tamatsukuri Onsen, 20 minutes from Matsue Castle, and 25 minutes from JR Matsue Station.source
- The address is 52 Ogaki-cho, Matsue, Shimane.source
Once you've decided
evidence & sources (8)
- Official: Stroller friendly, Stroller rental, Indoor / outdoor
- Official: Stroller friendly, Diaper changing table, Family restroom
- Official: Stroller access notes
- Official: main site
The park opened in 2001 on a hillside above Lake Shinji. Four display glasshouses and an observatory, linked by roofed walkways, cover 12,000 square meters. The largest, the Center House, holds about 1,500 varieties of begonia, fuchsia and other flowers in bloom. Some 400 birds of 90 species live here, including the only shoebill in the Chugoku region. In the owl house no glass stands between you and the birds, and a 140-meter moving walkway carries part of the route. The emu paddock and the bird-show lawn lie outside.
| Stroller friendly | Yes | The park is step-free apart from one flight of stairs on the route; there, staff drive strollers, wheelchairs and walking trolleys across in a free shuttle car that needs no booking and runs on demand. A second shuttle carries people with walking difficulties and those with strollers from the tropical bird house to the Fumaian soba restaurant and the waterfowl pond. A 140-meter moving walkway covers part of the route. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | ichibata.co.jpichibata.co.jp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stroller rental | Yes | Strollers, wheelchairs and walking trolleys are lent free of charge. They are kept just inside the main entrance — ask at reception. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | ichibata.co.jp |
| Diaper changing table | Yes (6) | Changing tables at six points, in the accessible private toilets: the Center House, Kunibiki Observatory, the waterfowl house, the lawn plaza, the tropical bird house and the Fumaian soba restaurant. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | ichibata.co.jp |
| Nursing space | Not checked yet | ||||
| Family restroom | Yes (6) | Six accessible private toilets with changing tables: the Center House, Kunibiki Observatory, the waterfowl house, the lawn plaza, the tropical bird house and the Fumaian soba restaurant. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | ichibata.co.jp |
| Diaper disposal bin | Not checked yet | ||||
| Kids' toilet seat & step stool | Not checked yet | ||||
| Elevator | Not checked yet | ||||
| Indoor / outdoor | Indoor & outdoor | Four display greenhouses and the observatory are linked by roofed walkways, so an umbrella is generally not needed. Two things sit outside that cover: the Vogel farm with the emus, and the 13:30 bird show on the lawn plaza, which moves elsewhere in bad weather. Most other shows are indoors and run in the rain. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | ichibata.co.jpichibata.co.jp |
| English support | Not checked yet | ||||
| Outside food allowed | Yes | You can bring a packed lunch. Three places are set aside for it: the first floor of the Kunibiki Observatory, the lawn plaza and the tropical bird house — use the last two outside show times and not just before or after a show. Take your trash home. The restaurant Flora and the soba restaurant Fumaian can only be used by visitors who have paid admission. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | ichibata.co.jp |
| Steps & slope caution | Barrier-free | The park describes itself as step-free for children, older visitors and wheelchair users. One flight of stairs on the route is covered by a free shuttle car. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | ichibata.co.jp |
| Child switch (rider swap) | Not checked yet | ||||
| Stroller access notesExtra info — guide only | Yes | There is no direct bus from JR Matsue station: take a local bus to Matsue Shinjiko Onsen station, change to the Ichibata Electric Railway and get off at Matsue Vogel Park station, which opens straight into the park. It is about 15 minutes from Matsue Shinjiko Onsen and about 45 minutes from Izumo Taisha-mae. By car it is about 20 minutes from Matsue Castle and about 25 minutes from JR Matsue station. Parking holds 250 cars and 17 buses, free for the first two hours and then ¥200 an hour. Re-entry is not allowed, though you may go back to your car for something you forgot if you show your ticket again at reception. Pets cannot come in because some birds are kept loose. | Web-checked | checked Aug ’26 | ichibata.co.jpichibata.co.jp |
| Official family-friendly certificationExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Best-fit ages (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Crowding (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Quietness (guide)Extra info — guide only | Not checked yet | ||||
| Lost-child supportExtra info — guide only | Not checked yet |
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