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Zoo · Hokkaido

Noboribetsu BearPark

Noboribetsu & Lake ToyaMostly outdoors
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Overview

Overview

A zoo of Ezo brown bears on a mountaintop 550 m above sea level, about 7 minutes by ropeway from the center of Noboribetsu Onsen. More than 70 brown bears live here, and the round-trip ropeway fare is included in admission. The park also has a Brown Bear Museum and facilities introducing Ainu culture.

Address
224 Noboribetsu-onsen-machi, Noboribetsu, Hokkaido 059-0551
Closed
Open year-round, except for a closure period every April for the ropeway's legally required inspection (April 5–23 in 2027). Closed when the ropeway is suspended due to strong winds, lightning, etc.
Official website
https://bearpark.jp/
Official website (English) ↗
Highlights

Highlights

The Human Cage, where people go inside a cage to observe the brown bears up close, is thrilling. Popular attractions include feeding, where you can see female bears stand up and beg for treats, and the Baby Bear Ranch, open from late April to early December in most years. From the roof of the Brown Bear Museum, you can take in views of Lake Kuttara and the Pacific Ocean, and there's also Yukar no Sato, which introduces Ainu culture.

Hours

Opening hours

Opening hours (April 21–October 20)9:00–17:00

Last entry 16:20

Opening hours (October 21–April 20)9:30–16:30

Last entry 15:50

Duck race10:00 / 11:00 / 12:15 / 12:45 / 13:45 / 14:30 / 16:00

¥200 per duck

Kumayama Cafe10:30–15:00 (last order)

Coffee, drinks, and sweets can be ordered until 16:00

Hours vary by day and season. Check the official website before you go.

Tickets

Prices & tickets

Adults¥3,200

Tax included. Includes round-trip ropeway fare

Children (age 4 to 6th grade)¥1,600

Tax included. Free for age 3 and under

Groups (10+)Adults ¥2,800, children ¥1,400

Tax included

Disability discountAdult holders ¥1,600, child holders ¥1,000

Companions ¥1,600

Bear treats10 pieces ¥200, 30 pieces ¥500

Vending machines at the duck race area and the Human Cage

Prices include tax and may change. Check the official website before buying.

🎫 How to buy tickets
  • →Admission includes the round-trip ropeway fare
  • →The park closes when the ropeway is suspended due to strong winds or lightning, so check the official website on stormy days
  • →Besides cash, many payment methods are accepted, including credit cards, transit IC cards, PayPay, WeChat Pay, and Alipay
Tickets & tours for this attractionPR
Tips

Tips for travelers

  • ✓If you're staying in Noboribetsu Onsen, it's easy to go from the ropeway base station in the center of the hot spring town
  • ✓For feeding, the Second Ranch with the female bears is the highlight. Treats from the vending machines start at ¥200 for 10
  • ✓Don't miss the Lake Kuttara observatory on the roof of the Brown Bear Museum
  • ✓The free shuttle from the hot spring town runs on weekdays only (not on weekends, holidays, or special days)
  • ✓From October 21, closing time moves earlier to 16:30
Access

Getting there

Nearest station
  • Ropeway base station (center of Noboribetsu Onsen)About 7 min by ropeway to the summit
From major stations & airports
  • JR Noboribetsu Station: Donan Bus (Noboribetsu Onsen–Noboribetsu Station Line) to Noboribetsu Onsen. Adults ¥450 one way
  • New Chitose Airport: By car (1 hour 00 min–1 hour 15 min)
  • Sapporo: By car (1 hour 25 min–1 hour 40 min)
Direct buses & boats
Free shuttle between Noboribetsu Onsen town and the ropeway station (weekdays only from September 12, 2026). Call for it at the Donan Bus Noboribetsu Onsen Terminal, the Noboribetsu International Tourism and Convention Association, or your hotel's front desk
IC cards
Transit IC cards can be used for payment inside the park
Getting back
  • For car navigation, search for のぼりべつクマ牧場 ロープウェイ乗り場 (Noboribetsu BearPark Ropeway Station). Parking for standard cars ¥500
  • Ropeway gondolas (normally 6 passengers) depart about every 30 seconds
Open in Google Maps ↗
Weather

Weather & what to wear

Spring

Closed for about 3 weeks in April for the ropeway's legally required inspection. The Baby Bear Ranch usually opens from late April.

Summer

May–July is the males' mating season, and you may see fights for dominance at the First Ranch.

Autumn

Winter hours (9:30–16:30) start on October 21. The Baby Bear Ranch is usually open until early December.

Winter

Depending on snow conditions, Yukar no Sato and the Makenko mini museum may not be open to visitors. The female ranch exhibits a young group or older bears.

☂ Rainy days
Open in the rain, with free umbrella loans. However, the park closes when the ropeway is suspended due to strong winds or lightning
Cold
You'll be walking around outdoor ranches on a mountaintop 550 m above sea level, so dress warmly in the colder months
☁ Hokkaido weather by month
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Rules

Rules & what you can bring

  • !No pets (assistance dogs allowed)
  • !Outside food and drinks are allowed, but don't feed them to the animals (buy bear treats from the vending machines in the park)
Facilities

Facilities & services

Lockers & luggage
Coin lockers available (¥200 and ¥300)
Payment
Cash, credit cards (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, DISCOVER, UnionPay, etc.), e-money (transit IC cards, iD, QUICPay, Rakuten Edy, WAON, nanaco), QR payments (PayPay, d Barai, Rakuten Pay, WeChat Pay, Alipay, etc.)
Strollers & wheelchairs
Free stroller loans (2 at the summit station). Wheelchair rental available (request required; at least one companion needed)
Accessibility
Disability discount available. Wheelchair users must be accompanied
Language support
Official website in Japanese, English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian
Food

Food

Must-try
Bear footprint curry (Kumayama Cafe, ¥980)Enma ramen (Kumayama Cafe, ¥1,000)Kumanpuku plate (Kumayama Cafe, ¥1,600)
Where to Stay · Agoda

Places to Stay near Noboribetsu BearParkPR

PRSee more places to stay near Noboribetsu BearPark on Agoda →

Prices and availability are shown on Agoda.

Events

Events & festivals in Noboribetsu & Lake Toya

April–October

Lake Toyako Long Run Fireworks Display

Hokkaido ・ Noboribetsu & Lake Toya

Usually every night from late April to October 31 (about 20 minutes from 20:45)

2026: Apr 28 – Oct 31 (held nightly; currently underway)

See all events →
Attractions

Attractions in Hokkaido

Zoo

Asahikawa City Asahiyama Zoo

Hokkaido ・ Asahikawa & Biei

Run by the City of Asahikawa, this zoo is famous for its “behavioral exhibits,” which let animals show off their natural movements and abilities. It opens in separate summer and winter seasons, with closure periods in spring and autumn.

Zoo

Sapporo Maruyama Zoo

Hokkaido ・ Sapporo / Maruyama

Opened in 1951, this is Hokkaido's oldest zoo and is run by the City of Sapporo. Set next to Maruyama Park, its grounds cover about 22 hectares and are home to around 140 species of animals.

Aquarium

AOAO SAPPORO

Hokkaido ・ Sapporo / Tanukikoji

An urban aquarium on the 4th to 6th floors of moyuk SAPPORO, a shopping complex facing the Tanukikoji shopping arcade. Built around the concept "The Wonder of Life: Seeing the Unseen," it serves as a gateway to nature in the middle of the city and stays open until 22:00.

☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendly
Aquarium

Otaru Aquarium

Hokkaido ・ Otaru / Shukutsu

Located on the coast at Shukutsu in Otaru, this aquarium consists of an indoor main building and the outdoor "Marine Mammal Park," built by partitioning off part of the Sea of Japan. It operates with different dates and hours in winter, and closes from late November to early December and from late February to mid-March.

Zoo

Obihiro Zoo

Hokkaido ・ Obihiro & Tokachi

A city-run zoo inside Midorigaoka Park in Obihiro. In addition to its summer season from spring to autumn, it opens on weekends and holidays from December to February for the winter season. Admission is free for junior high school age and under, and with its play area it's a family-friendly zoo.

Zoo

Kushiro Zoological Park

Hokkaido ・ Kushiro & Akan

A city-run zoo about 11 minutes by car from Kushiro Airport. It's open year-round, so you can watch the animals in the snow in winter too. Admission is free for junior high school age and under.

Experience

Shiroi Koibito Park

Hokkaido ・ Sapporo

A confectionery theme park attached to the factory of Ishiya, the maker of Shiroi Koibito, a classic Hokkaido souvenir. It offers production line tours, sweets-making experiences, cafés, and shops, and the shops and rose garden can be used without an admission ticket. It's about a 5-minute walk from Miyanosawa Station on the Tozai subway line, making it easy to reach from central Sapporo.

Experience

HOKKAIDO BALLPARK F VILLAGE

Hokkaido ・ Kitahiroshima

A ballpark centered on ES CON FIELD HOKKAIDO, home of the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, open 365 days a year. On non-game days, you can enter the stadium's outfield area for free and enjoy stadium tours, hot springs, kids' facilities, and restaurants. It's about 17 minutes from Sapporo Station to Kitahiroshima Station on the JR Rapid Airport, then about 5 minutes by shuttle bus from the station.

Aquarium

Noboribetsu Marine Park NIXE

Hokkaido ・ Noboribetsu & Lake Toya

A marine park centered on a castle-shaped aquarium, a 5-minute walk from JR Noboribetsu Station. It exhibits about 20,000 creatures of some 400 species, making it one of the largest in Hokkaido. It's easy to stop by from Noboribetsu Onsen or New Chitose Airport.

See all attractions →

Hours, prices and access are based on official and other primary sources. They may change, so check the official website before you go.

Last checked: 2026-10-01

PRKlookNoboribetsu BearPark Admission TicketAdmission ticket including the round-trip ropeway. Valid only on the selected date; non-cancellableView