Asahiyama Zoo

Explore Asahiyama Zoo: Hokkaido's Most Unique Wildlife Experience

Asahiyama Zoo is one of Japan's most famous zoos, located just outside central Asahikawa in Hokkaido. It has gained nationwide popularity for its creative enclosures that let visitors watch animals from unique perspectives not often found in other zoos.

Highlights include a glass tunnel through the penguin pool where you can watch the birds "fly" underwater, and glass domes inside the polar bear and wolf enclosures that bring you right up close to the animals. The zoo also pioneered the popular winter penguin walks, and it continues to expand and improve its exhibits. Visitors can see both native Hokkaido species such as deer, eagles, and cranes, as well as animals from around the world including polar bears, big cats, apes, and giraffes. For the best experience, plan your visit on weekdays to avoid heavy crowds.

Zones of Asahiyama Zoo

Hokkaido Animal Zone (Ezoshika no Mori & Tsuru no Shiseki)

What It Is: A special and significant area of the zoo dedicated to showcasing the native wildlife of Hokkaido, Japan's northern island. This zone gives visitors a unique opportunity to see the beautiful animals that thrive in Hokkaido's distinct and often harsh climate, all in one place.

The Experience: This zone feels like a walk through the forests and wetlands of Hokkaido itself. The enclosures are spacious and designed to be as naturalistic as possible. You will see:

• Yezo Sika Deer: Watch these elegant deer with their beautiful spotted coats as they roam through a forested habitat.

• Red-crowned Cranes (Tancho): Admire these majestic birds, which are a symbol of luck and longevity in Japanese culture. Their graceful movements and striking red, white, and black plumage are a beautiful sight, especially against a snowy winter backdrop.

• Yezo Brown Bears: Get a safe but impressive view of Japan's largest land mammal. The enclosure allows you to appreciate the immense size and power of these bears, which are a true icon of Hokkaido's wilderness.

• Red Foxes (Kita Kitsune): Observe these clever and beautiful foxes with their bushy tails, another animal commonly associated with the Hokkaido countryside.

Giraffe & Hippo Houses

What They Are: These are two separate but equally impressive exhibits showcasing some of Africa's most iconic large mammals. They are excellent examples of the zoo's commitment to creating engaging viewing experiences.

The Experience:

• Hippo House (Kaba no Ie): The highlight here is the massive, deep pool with huge underwater viewing windows. While hippos may seem slow on land, this exhibit allows you to witness their surprising grace and agility underwater. You can watch them "walk" or glide along the bottom of the pool, push off the walls, and open their enormous mouths—a perspective that is rarely seen.

• Giraffe House (Kirinsha): This enclosure is built to accommodate the incredible height of the giraffes. You can see them in their tall indoor barn or watch them gracefully stride around the outdoor paddock. During their "Mogu-Mogu Time" (feeding session), keepers often place food at a high level, allowing you to get a fantastic look at their long necks and even longer prehensile tongues.

Reptile & Amphibian House (Hachuruirui no Mura)

What It Is: An indoor exhibit that brings you into the world of cold-blooded creatures from various climates.

The Experience: Step inside to explore a diverse collection of reptiles and amphibians from around the globe. The enclosures are carefully designed to mimic the specific natural habitats of each species, from tropical rainforests to arid deserts. You'll find a wide variety of animals, including large snakes like Burmese pythons, various species of turtles and tortoises, lizards such as iguanas, and a fascinating array of colourful and exotic frogs. It's a great place to appreciate the often-overlooked beauty and diversity of these creatures.

Children's Petting Zoo (Kodomo Bokujo)

What It Is: A charming, hands-on area designed specifically for younger visitors to have a safe and fun first interaction with animals.

The Experience: This is a lively and interactive part of the zoo where the "look but don't touch" rule is relaxed. Under the supervision of zoo staff, children have the opportunity to gently pet and sometimes feed a variety of friendly domestic animals. You can expect to find goats, sheep, rabbits, and guinea pigs. There are also often scheduled events like "bridge walks" for the goats over the visitors' heads. It's a wonderful way for kids to learn about animals through direct contact, making their visit to the zoo even more memorable.

Must-See Exhibits at Asahiyama Zoo

Penguin House & The Underwater Tunnel

This exhibit is designed to showcase the incredible dual life of penguins. While you can see them waddling comically on land in the outdoor area, the true magic happens inside. The highlight is a 360-degree glass underwater tunnel that cuts directly through their large, deep pool. As you walk through it, you are completely surrounded by water, and you get to witness the penguins' astonishing transformation. The birds that were clumsy on land become graceful torpedoes in the water, "flying" past you with incredible speed and agility. It's a mesmerizing experience to watch them chase fish and dart around, offering a perspective on their natural abilities that is simply impossible to see from above the surface.

Polar Bear Aquatic Park

This exhibit is a masterclass in showcasing the power and scale of the Arctic's apex predator. The large enclosure features a massive, deep pool filled with chilly water and a rocky landscape. There are several viewing points, but two are unmissable:

• The "Diving Rock": During "Mogu-Mogu Time" (feeding time), keepers throw food into the water, encouraging the massive polar bears to take spectacular, thunderous plunges into the pool from a purpose-built rock.

• The "Capsule Eye": This is a small, semi-spherical glass dome located on the floor of the viewing area that allows you to pop your head up "inside" the enclosure. It gives you an incredible, ground-level, and intimate perspective. The thrilling moment when a curious, 500kg polar bear ambles over and peers down at you just inches away through the glass is an unforgettable experience.

Seal House & The "Marine Way"

The Seal House is famous for its brilliant and unique design that encourages the seals' natural curiosity and vertical movement. The main feature is the "Marine Way," a large, vertical glass cylinder that connects the indoor and outdoor sections of their pool. The seals, being naturally playful, love to use this pipe to shoot up and down between the two areas. Visitors can gather around the 360-degree glass tube and watch as the seals gracefully twist and turn, their streamlined bodies on full display, as they swim up and down. It's an ingenious way to observe their underwater agility from a constantly changing perspective.

Orangutan House & Skywalk

This exhibit is designed to highlight the natural arboreal (tree-dwelling) lifestyle of orangutans. Understanding that these great apes spend most of their lives high above the ground, the zoo built an impressive outdoor structure of towers, poles, and ropes that stand 17 meters high. This "skywalk" allows the orangutans to brachiate (swing by their arms) across the enclosure far above the visitors' heads. It's a fantastic sight to look up and see these intelligent and powerful animals moving with such grace and confidence at height, just as they would in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra.

Wolf Forest

Designed to mimic the natural forested habitat of wolves, this enclosure allows you to observe the pack in a realistic setting. The key feature that makes this exhibit special is the "Wolf's Eye," a small, glass viewing dome set into the ground in the middle of the enclosure. By crawling into a short tunnel, you can pop your head up into this dome and get an incredibly intimate, ground-level perspective of the wolves. It allows you to see them at their own level, as if you were another member of the pack, offering a unique and personal connection with these fascinating animals.

Lesser Panda House

This charming exhibit is cleverly designed to showcase the climbing skills of the adorable red pandas. Instead of just a ground-level enclosure, the zookeepers have built a network of overhead bridges and walkways that crisscross above the visitor path. This encourages the red pandas to move between their feeding stations and resting spots by navigating the branches right over your head. It's a delightful experience to watch these nimble and fluffy creatures as they skillfully make their way along the ropes and branches just a few meters above you.

Events & Unmissable Experiences at Asahiyama Zoo

The Famous Penguin Walk (Winter Only)

This is the iconic, must-see event that draws visitors to Asahiyama Zoo from all over the world during the winter months. It is a truly special and charming spectacle.

What It Is and Why It Happens: The Penguin Walk is not just a parade for entertainment; it's a crucial part of the penguins' health and well-being. The walk is a form of exercise for the King Penguins during the snowy season (typically late December to mid-March, depending on snow conditions). In the wild, penguins walk long distances to find food, and this daily stroll helps them stay fit and reduces stress during the winter when they are less active in their enclosure.

The Experience for Visitors: Twice a day, a special path through the middle of the zoo is cleared. Zookeepers open the gate to the penguin enclosure, and a large group of King Penguins emerges and begins a delightful, waddling procession along the designated route. There are no high fences or glass walls separating you; just a simple rope on either side of the path. The penguins walk right past you, sometimes just inches away, allowing you to observe their upright posture, unique personalities, and comical waddling up close. It's an incredibly intimate and heartwarming experience.

Practical Details:

• Schedule: The walk typically happens twice a day, around 11:00 AM and 2:30 PM, but you must confirm the exact times on the day of your visit as they can change.

• Duration: The entire walk takes about 30-40 minutes.

• Best Spots to Watch: The walking path can get very crowded. It's highly recommended to arrive at least 15-20 minutes early to secure a front-row spot along the rope for the best, unobstructed view and photo opportunities.

"Mogu-Mogu Time" - Feeding Sessions

"Mogu-Mogu Time" (a cute Japanese onomatopoeia for the sound of chewing or munching) is the heart and soul of the zoo's "Action Exhibit" philosophy. These are not simple feeding sessions; they are scheduled, keeper-led presentations designed to showcase the incredible natural abilities of the animals.

What It Is and Why It's a Highlight: During Mogu-Mogu Time, a zookeeper enters the exhibit and provides a live commentary (in Japanese, but the action is universal) while feeding the animals. The feeding is done in a way that encourages the animals to display their most impressive natural behaviors---the very behaviors their enclosures were designed to highlight. This is your best chance to see the animals at their most active and dynamic.

The Most Popular Sessions You Shouldn't Miss:

• Polar Bear: This is a spectacular sight. The keeper will often throw fish into the deep pool from different angles, prompting the massive polar bear to make powerful, thunderous dives into the water to catch its food. You can watch the action from both the surface and the underwater viewing windows.

• Penguin: During this session, keepers explain the different penguin species and their social structures while tossing fish to them. You get to see the penguins' incredible speed and agility as they chase and catch the fish underwater in their large pool.

• Seal: This is when the famous "Marine Way" vertical tube truly comes to life. Keepers will drop fish into the top of the tube, encouraging the seals to shoot up and down the column of water with incredible speed and grace, giving you a perfect 360-degree view of their movements.

The Most Important Tip for Your Visit: The schedule for "Mogu-Mogu Time" changes daily and is posted each morning at the entrance of the zoo. The very first thing you should do upon arrival is find this schedule and take a photo of it. Then, plan your entire route through the zoo around the times of the feeding sessions you want to see to avoid missing out on these amazing experiences.

Top Attractions Nearby Asahiyama Zoo

Ueno Farm

• Why Go? To visit one of Hokkaido's most beautiful and famous gardens, with a charming, rustic English-garden style.

• Details: This is not a typical Japanese garden. Ueno Farm is designed to reflect the climate and scenery of Hokkaido, creating a colourful and whimsical landscape filled with a huge variety of flowers and plants. You can wander through themed garden "rooms," enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, and visit the on-site Naya Café for delicious refreshments. It's a perfect, relaxing contrast to the lively zoo.

• Location: About a 20-minute drive from Asahiyama Zoo.

Snow Crystal Museum

• Why Go? To step into a real-life ice palace dedicated to the beauty of snow. It's a unique and magical experience, especially on a warm day.

• Details: Designed to resemble a European medieval castle, the entire museum is built underground. As you descend the spiral staircase, you'll discover a world of ice and snow. The highlights include the Ice Corridor, with its giant ice pillars, and the Snow Crystal Room, which displays stunning microscopic photos of snowflakes. The ornate architecture and fairytale-like atmosphere make it an incredibly photogenic spot.

• Location: About a 25-minute drive from Asahiyama Zoo.

Asahikawa Ramen Village

• Why Go? To taste the city's most famous dish, Asahikawa-style ramen, from eight of its most celebrated shops all in one place.

• Details: Asahikawa is famous for its shoyu (soy-sauce) based ramen, which has a distinctive layer of oil to keep the soup hot during the cold winters. At the Ramen Village, you can choose from eight legendary ramen restaurants, each offering their own unique take on the local specialty. The bowls are available in full or half sizes, so you can even try a couple of different places.

• Location: About a 20-minute drive from Asahiyama Zoo, on the way back towards the city center.

Otokoyama Sake Brewery & Museum

• Why Go? To learn about and taste one of Hokkaido's most famous and historic sake brands.

• Details: Otokoyama is a renowned sake brewery with a 350-year history. You can visit their free museum to learn about the traditional sake-making process, see historical artifacts, and, best of all, enjoy a free sake tasting session. You can sample a variety of their products, from sweet to dry, and purchase your favourites at the on-site shop.

• Location: InAsahikawa city, about a 30-minute drive from the zoo.

Popular Day Trips from Asahikawa

If you have a full day and a rental car, these world-famous destinations are easily accessible from Asahikawa.

Biei & Furano

• Why Go? To witness some of Hokkaido's most iconic and breathtaking rural landscapes, famous for rolling hills and spectacular flower fields.

• Details:

  • Biei: Known for its picturesque, quilt-like scenery called the "Patchwork Road" and "Panorama Road." This area is also home to the stunningly beautiful Shirogane Blue Pond (Aoi Ike), famous for its surreal, milky-blue water.

  • Furano: World-famous for its vast lavender fields that bloom in July, but it remains beautiful in other seasons with a variety of flower farms like Farm Tomita.

• Location: Biei is about a 45-60 minute drive from Asahikawa, with Furano being another 30 minutes further south.