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Zoo · Kansai

Kyoto City Zoo

Okazaki, KyotoMostly outdoors
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Overview

Overview

A city-run zoo inside Okazaki Park, home to Heian Shrine and several art museums. In its compact grounds you can see elephants, gorillas, and wild animals from Kyoto's forests. Admission is free for junior high students and younger, and just ¥750 for adults.

Address
Okazaki Park, Okazaki Hosshoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8333
Closed
Mondays (or the next weekday if Monday is a holiday), New Year period (December 28 – January 1)
Official website
https://zoo.city.kyoto.lg.jp/zoo/
Official website (English) ↗
Highlights

Highlights

At the "Elephant Forest," you can watch a herd of Asian elephants from Laos. The "Kyoto Forest" recreates terraced rice fields and streams using water from the Lake Biwa Canal, and showcases local wildlife such as Japanese giant salamanders and Asian black bears. A western gorilla baby was born in November 2025, and you can see the family living together.

Hours

Opening hours

Opening hours (March–November)9:00–17:00

Entry until 16:30

Opening hours (December–February)9:00–16:30

Entry until 16:00

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

Tickets

Prices & tickets

General (high school and older)¥750

Groups (30+): ¥650

Junior high school and youngerFree
Disability certificate holdersFree

For the holder and one caregiver. Original certificate must be shown

Annual pass "Zoo-tto Pass"¥2,200

Valid for 1 year from first entry. No refunds or reissues

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

🎫 How to buy tickets
  • →No advance reservation or time slot needed. Buy a same-day ticket at the entrance
  • →The ticket counter accepts credit cards, transit IC cards, e-money, and QR code payments such as PayPay, Rakuten Pay, and ALIPAY
  • →Show your ticket with the day's entry stamp to re-enter (re-entry accepted until 30 minutes before closing)
  • →If you visit 3 or more times a year, the annual pass (¥2,200) is the better deal
Tickets & tours for this attractionPR
Tips

Tips for travelers

  • ✓Free for junior high and younger and just ¥750 for adults, making it an easy stop between sights in the Okazaki area
  • ✓By subway, the East Entrance is closest from Keage Station and the Main Entrance from Higashiyama Station
  • ✓Wheelchairs and strollers can be borrowed free at both the Main and East entrances
  • ✓In winter (December–February), the zoo closes at 16:30 with entry until 16:00. Note it's closed on Mondays (or the next weekday if Monday is a holiday)
  • ✓Some cafés and restaurants at the Main Entrance stay open after the zoo closes (Hinano is also open in the evening)
Access

Getting there

Nearest station
  • Keage Station (Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line)About 7 min walkTo the East Entrance
  • Higashiyama Station (Kyoto Municipal Subway Tozai Line)About 10 min walkTo the Main Entrance
  • Okazaki Koen Dobutsuen-mae (Kyoto City Bus)About 2 min walkCity Bus route 100 is currently suspended (per the official access page)
IC cards
Transit IC cards work on both the Kyoto Municipal Subway and Kyoto City Bus, and can also be used to pay admission
Getting back
  • There's no dedicated parking. If you use Okazaki Park Parking or similar, showing that day's admission ticket gets you ¥100 off
Open in Google Maps ↗
Weather

Weather & what to wear

Spring

Combine your visit with a walk along the Lake Biwa Canal around Okazaki Park.

Summer

Mostly outdoor exhibits. Make use of cool spots like the water station and misting areas.

Autumn

Some years feature evening opening events in autumn (in 2025, the "Animal Festival" was held in October).

Winter

Closing time moves up to 16:30 from December to February. Closed over the New Year period (December 28 – January 1).

☂ Rainy days
Mostly outdoor exhibits. Some, such as the great ape house, can be viewed from indoor walkways
Heat
There's a water station at the main entrance (paper cups sold), and misters with benches in front of the gorilla and elephant houses. The shady walkways of the great ape house are also good for a break
Cold
Mostly outdoors, so dress warmly. Closing is 30 minutes earlier in winter
What to wear & bring
You'll be walking around the zoo, so wear comfortable shoes. Bring a hat and drinks in summer, and warm layers in winter
☁ Kansai weather by month
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Rules

Rules & what you can bring

  • !Re-entry allowed on showing your ticket with the day's stamp
  • !No pets (assistance dogs allowed)
Facilities

Facilities & services

Lockers & luggage
Coin lockers available on-site
Payment
Tickets can be paid by credit card (VISA, Mastercard, JCB, AMEX, Diners), e-money, transit IC cards, and QR code payments (PayPay, Rakuten Pay, ALIPAY)
Strollers & wheelchairs
Free stroller and wheelchair loans at the Main and East entrances (limited number, first come first served, no reservations)
Accessibility
5 accessible restrooms and 3 nursing rooms (with hot water for formula and changing tables). Assistance dogs welcome. "Ontenna" devices, which let visitors with hearing impairments feel animal sounds, are available to borrow
Language support
The official website has English, Korean, and Chinese pages
Food

Food

Must-try
Shunsai Shokken Hinano (buffet featuring seasonal vegetables, 2F of the Main Entrance)Coffee and panini from SLOW JET COFFEE IN THE ZOOMirai House (café at the East Entrance with terrace seats overlooking the canal)
Where to Stay · Agoda

Places to Stay near Kyoto City ZooPR

PRSee more places to stay near Kyoto City Zoo on Agoda →

Prices and availability are shown on Agoda.

Events

Events & festivals in Kyoto City

February

Baikasai (Plum Blossom Festival)

Kansai ・ Kyoto City

Every year on February 25 (outdoor tea ceremony 10:00–15:00)

Every year on February 25 (Feb 25 in 2027)

May

Aoi Matsuri

Kansai ・ Kyoto City

Every year on May 15 (postponed to the 16th if it rains; if it also rains on the 16th, the procession is canceled). Preliminary rites such as Yabusame horseback archery (May 3) and the Saio-dai purification ceremony (May 4) are held in early May

2027: May 15 (held every year on May 15; postponed to the 16th if it rains)

May–October

Noryo Yuka / Kawadoko (Kamogawa & Kibune)

Kansai ・ Kyoto City

Kamogawa Noryo Yuka usually runs May 1 – October 15, and Kibune Kawadoko usually runs May 1 – September 30 (season and hours vary by restaurant). In 2026, Kamogawa Noryo Yuka runs until October 15

July

Gion Matsuri

Kansai ・ Kyoto City

Usually July 1–31 (Yamahoko procession: Saki Matsuri July 17, Ato Matsuri July 24; Yoiyama eves: Saki Matsuri July 14–16, Ato Matsuri July 21–23)

See all events →
Attractions

Attractions in Kansai

Theme park

Universal Studios Japan

Kansai ・ Osaka

This large theme park in Osaka’s Bay Area lets you step into the worlds of Hollywood movies and popular characters. Ride attractions, shows, and seasonal events can easily fill a full day.

Aquarium

Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

Kansai ・ Osaka

Located in Tempozan Harbor Village in Osaka, this is one of the world’s largest aquariums. Tanks recreating the natural environments of the Pacific Rim are arranged along a route that leads from the top floors down. It houses about 30,000 creatures of some 620 species.

☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendly
Photo coming soonAquarium

NIFREL

Kansai ・ Suita

A "living museum" inside EXPOCITY, the large entertainment complex next to Expo '70 Commemorative Park in Osaka. Blending elements of an aquarium, zoo, and art museum, it's built around the theme of "touching" the individuality of living creatures. It's run by the same company as Kaiyukan.

☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendly
Zoo

Tennoji Zoo

Kansai ・ Osaka

Opened in 1915, this urban zoo run by the City of Osaka has more than 100 years of history. It sits in Tennoji Park right next to Shinsekai and Tsutenkaku Tower, and keeps about 1,000 animals of some 170 species across roughly 11 hectares. Admission prices were revised in July 2026.

Aquarium

Kyoto Aquarium

Kansai ・ Kyoto City

An inland aquarium in Umekoji Park, within walking distance of Kyoto Station. Its exhibits explore Kyoto's waterside nature and how it connects, from the "Kyoto River" to the "Kyoto Sea." With a dolphin stadium and jellyfish displays, it's an easy stop between Kyoto sightseeing spots.

Aquarium

Kobe Suma Sea World

Kansai ・ Suma, Kobe

An aquarium with orcas that opened in Suma Beach Park in 2024. Along with orca and dolphin performances, you can enjoy exhibits of all kinds of marine life. It faces the Suma seaside and has an adjoining hotel.

Zoo

Safari Resort Himeji Central Park

Kansai ・ Himeji, Hyogo

The only safari park in the Kansai region, combining a safari park and an amusement park in one. You can enjoy both a drive-through safari, cruising among big predators in your own car or a safari bus, and a walking safari on foot. Seasonal facilities include a pool in summer and an ice rink in winter.

Zoo

Adventure World

Kansai ・ Shirahama, Wakayama

A theme park in Nanki-Shirahama that combines a zoo, an aquarium, and an amusement park. With Safari World for land animals, Marine World for sea creatures, a petting area, and the "Play Zone" amusement park, it easily fills a full day. All four giant pandas left for China in June 2025, so the highlights now center on penguins, the safari, and marine shows.

Amusement park

Hirakata Park

Kansai ・ Hirakata

Opened at its current location in 1912 (Taisho 1), it's the oldest continuously operating amusement park in Japan. It has about 40 kinds of attractions and is just a short walk from Hirakatakoen Station on the Keihan Main Line. It's about 30 minutes by train from both Osaka and Kyoto.

Photo coming soonExperience

Nintendo Museum

Kansai ・ Uji

A museum in Uji, Kyoto, that displays Nintendo's products through the years and lets you play hands-on exhibits. Tickets are date- and time-specific and must be reserved in advance, through a monthly lottery or first-come, first-served sales of slots that open up. If you want to include it in your itinerary, applying from the lottery 3 months before your visit is the surest way.

☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendlyAdvance, date-specific tickets required
Aquarium

Toba Aquarium

Kansai ・ Ise & Shima

An aquarium facing Toba Bay that claims the largest number of species kept in Japan (about 1,200). It's the only aquarium in Japan where you can see a dugong, and its sea otters and walruses are also popular. The building is all-weather, and it's within walking distance of JR/Kintetsu Toba Station.

☂ Mostly indoors · rain-friendly
Theme park

Shima Spain Village PARQUE ESPAÑA

Kansai ・ Ise & Shima

A Spain-themed park in Ise-Shima. From thrilling roller coasters to rides for kids, parades, and flamenco shows, it offers a full day of fun. A hotel and the Himawari no Yu hot spring are also on site.

Photo coming soonTheme park

UZUMASA KYOTO VILLAGE

Kansai ・ Uzumasa

Toei Kyoto Studio Park, a samurai-drama theme park that opened in 1975, reopened on March 28, 2026 as UZUMASA KYOTO VILLAGE after the first phase of its renewal. It is now an immersive park for adults built around the concept of wandering into Kyoto in the Edo period, with the second phase scheduled to open in spring 2027. It stays open until 21:00.

Zoo

Kobe Animal Kingdom

Kansai ・ Port Island, Kobe

A zoo on Kobe's Port Island where you can interact with flowers and animals. Its exhibits bring you close to the animals, including shoebills, capybaras, and alpacas. It has extensive indoor areas and is easy to reach, about 14 minutes from Sannomiya on the Port Liner.

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

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