東山動植物園

Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens is a city-run zoo and botanical garden located within Higashiyama Park, a 3-minute walk from Higashiyama-koen Station on the subway Higashiyama Line and a 7-minute walk from Hoshigaoka Station. Opened in 1937, it is a large tourist facility that showcases around 500 animal species and 7,000 plant species. It is popular with families and couples, and many visitors also enjoy walking the soothing grounds on their own. Walking events are also held regularly in the park. The zoo is broadly divided into the "Main Zoo" and the "North Zoo." In the Main Zoo, you can see many favorite animals such as giraffes, elephants, lions, and red pandas. Popular features also include the "Zojium," one of Japan’s largest Asian elephant facilities, and the "Bird Walk," where you can observe beautiful birds up close. In the North Zoo, rarer animals such as giant anteaters and American beavers warmly welcome tourists with their charming behavior. The zoo’s unique "World Medaka Aquarium" is located in the "North Building." In the botanical garden, you can explore a variety of plant zones designed with consideration for natural growing environments, including a nationally designated cultural property greenhouse, a rose garden, a rhododendron forest, and a camellia garden. Another must-see is a gassho-zukuri farmhouse relocated from Shirakawa-go in Gifu, a UNESCO World Heritage site.