Wakayama Park Zoo

Wakayama Castle Park Zoo is a zoo located within the grounds of Wakayama Castle. Since opening in the Taisho era—when Japan still had only three zoos (Ueno, Kyoto, and Tennoji)—it has remained beloved up to the present day. The zoo keeps over about 40 animal species in total. Among them, the Asiatic black bear "Benny" became especially famous after winning the zoo director election in July 2015 (Heisei 27) as part of the zoo’s 100th anniversary projects, drawing visitors from all over Japan just to meet Benny. The facility is divided into two main areas: the "Fairy-Tale Garden" focusing mainly on mammals, and the "Waterfowl Garden" focusing on aquatic birds—especially rich in bird species. Access is easy with two main routes. By Nankai Main Line, get off at "Wakayamashi Station" and walk about 10 minutes. By JR, take a Wakayama Bus from "Wakayama Station" and get off at "Koen-mae"—it’s right there. Admission is free, so why not stop by after touring Wakayama Castle?