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Zoo · Kansai

Tennoji Zoo

OsakaMostly outdoors
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Overview

Overview

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.

Address
1-108 Chausuyama-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka
Closed
Mondays (or the next weekday if Monday is a holiday), December 29 – January 1
Time needed
2–3 hours (the official model courses come in 1-hour and 2-hour versions)
Official website
https://www.tennojizoo.jp/
Official website (English) ↗
Highlights

Highlights

The zoo is known for habitat-style exhibits that recreate the animals' natural environments, and the African Savanna Zone with giraffes and zebras is especially popular. There's also the Penguin Park & Sea Lion Wharf and the reptile house "IFAR." You can even see animals found nowhere else in Japan, such as the drill.

Hours

Opening hours

Opening hours9:30–17:00

Entry until 16:00. Some animals are not on view after 15:00

Night ZOO (2026)9:30–20:00

Last entry 19:30. Held October 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25 (also held in August and September). Lights come on around 17:00

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

Tickets

Prices & tickets

Adults (high school and older)¥800

Revised July 1, 2026. Ticket with donation: ¥1,000

Elementary & junior high students (outside Osaka City)¥200

Ticket with donation: ¥400

Elementary & junior high students (Osaka City) / preschoolersFree
Osaka City residents age 65+Free
Disability certificate holdersFree
Annual pass (adults)¥3,200

¥800 for elementary & junior high students from outside Osaka City

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

🎫 How to buy tickets
  • →No reservation needed. Same-day tickets are sold at the Tenshiba Gate and Shinsekai Gate ticket counters
  • →Official web tickets (via Asoview) are valid for one month after purchase on any opening day. On busy holidays, you can skip the ticket counter line
  • →Web tickets cannot be canceled for personal reasons after purchase
  • →Gate ticket counters accept credit cards, transit IC cards, e-money, and QR code payments
  • →Same-day re-entry allowed. Keep your ticket stub or web ticket when you exit
Tickets & tours for this attractionPR
Tips

Tips for travelers

  • ✓Short on time? The official 1-hour course is handy: from the Shinsekai Gate, focus on lions and red pandas; from the Tenshiba Gate, on polar bears and penguins
  • ✓There's also an official model course covering animals you can only see here, such as the drill
  • ✓On rainy days, borrow a free umbrella at the gate and shelter in the reptile house and Penguin Park
  • ✓On October weekends, Night ZOO keeps the zoo open until 20:00 (2026). See nocturnal animals in the illuminated grounds
  • ✓Tsutenkaku, Shinsekai, and Abeno Harukas are all within walking distance, making it ideal for a half-day sightseeing combo
Access

Getting there

Nearest station
  • Dobutsuen-mae Station (Osaka Metro Midosuji Line / Sakaisuji Line)About 5 min walkShinsekai Gate side
  • Tennoji Station (JR / Osaka Metro Midosuji Line / Tanimachi Line)About 10 min walkTenshiba Gate side. An elevator-accessible route is available
  • Shin-Imamiya Station (JR)Use the Tsutenkaku Exit (East Exit) for the Shinsekai Gate
From major stations & airports
  • Umeda / Shin-Osaka: Osaka Metro Midosuji Line to Dobutsuen-mae Station or Tennoji Station
  • Kansai International Airport: JR Kanku Rapid or Limited Express Haruka to Tennoji Station, or the Nankai Line to Shin-Imamiya Station
IC cards
Transit IC cards work on both JR and Osaka Metro, and can also be used to pay admission
Getting back
  • There are two gates: Shinsekai and Tennoji (Tenshiba). Pick your exit—kushikatsu in Shinsekai, or Abeno Harukas on the Tennoji side
  • Entry closes at 16:00 and some animals aren't on view after 15:00, so arrive early
Open in Google Maps ↗
Crowds

Crowds & best time to go

Busy
Consecutive holidays such as Golden Week, weekends, and holidays. Night ZOO days
Time needed
2–3 hours (the official model courses come in 1-hour and 2-hour versions)
Weather

Weather & what to wear

Spring

A pleasant season for combining the zoo with a stroll around Tennoji Park.

Summer

Mostly outdoors and very hot. On some summer holiday dates, the zoo stayed open into the evening for Night ZOO (2026).

Autumn

Animals tend to be more active. On October weekends, Night ZOO lets you see the animals after dark (2026).

Winter

Chilly outdoors, but indoor exhibits such as the IFAR reptile house are available. Closed December 29 – January 1.

☂ Rainy days
Most exhibits are outdoors. You can shelter from the rain at the IFAR reptile house and Penguin Park. Free umbrellas are lent at both gates on rainy days
Heat
You'll be walking outdoors, so a hat and hydration are essential. Bringing your own drinks is allowed
Cold
Mostly outdoors, so dress warmly. Warm up in the indoor exhibits as you go
What to wear & bring
The zoo is large, so wear comfortable walking shoes. Balls, balloons, bubbles, skateboards, and other wheeled toys are not allowed
☁ Kansai weather by month
JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
Rules

Rules & what you can bring

  • !Outside food and drink are allowed. However, alcohol is not allowed, you may not enter after drinking, and feeding the animals is prohibited
  • !Balls, balloons, bubbles, skateboards, and other wheeled toys are not allowed
  • !No flash, strobes, or reflectors when photographing animals. Disruptive live streaming and unauthorized commercial filming are also prohibited
  • !No pets (except service dogs)
Facilities

Facilities & services

Lockers & luggage
Paid coin lockers on the left just inside both the Shinsekai Gate and Tenshiba Gate
Payment
Entrance gates accept credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, JCB, Amex, etc.), transit IC cards, e-money, and QR code payments such as PayPay and au PAY
Strollers & wheelchairs
Paid stroller rental (3- and 4-wheel) at the plaza by the Shinsekai Gate and on the left inside the Tenshiba Gate. Free wheelchair loans (5 at Shinsekai Gate, 4 at Tenshiba Gate, plus 1 power-assisted at each; first come, first served)
Accessibility
Official barrier-free route available. Nursing rooms (FooZoo, Shinsekai Gate, Friendship Garden, near the Chinese alligators) and a first-aid room (Shinsekai Gate). Service dogs allowed with advance consultation
Language support
The official website has English and Chinese pages
Food

Food

Must-try
Giraffe-patterned "Giraffe Dog" (FooZoo food court)Polar bear crepe (in FooZoo)Soft-serve ice cream and shaved ice at the Savanna Shop
Where to Stay · Agoda

Places to Stay near Tennoji ZooPR

PRSee more places to stay near Tennoji Zoo on Agoda →

Prices and availability are shown on Agoda.

Events

Events & festivals in Osaka

July

Tenjin Matsuri

Kansai ・ Osaka

Every year on July 24 (Yoimiya) and 25 (Hongu). Related events from late June

2027: Jul 24 (Yoimiya) & Jul 25 (Hongu) (held on the same dates every year)

September–October

Kishiwada Danjiri Festival

Kansai ・ Osaka

The September festival is usually on a weekend in mid- to late September, and the October festival on a weekend in early to mid-October (2 days each)

Next: 2026 October festival (Higashi-Kishiwada district and others), Oct 10 – Oct 11. The 2026 September festival was held Sep 19 – Sep 20

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
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.

Zoo

Kyoto City Zoo

Kansai ・ Okazaki, Kyoto

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.

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

PRKlookTennoji Zoo Admission TicketAdmission ticket with QR code entry (plans with donation or a capsule-toy badge available)View