Ehime Prefectural Tobe Zoo, Ehime: What to See and How to Get There

One of western Japan's largest zoos, home to Peace, the first polar bear in Japan raised by hand. Few fences, so you see the animals up close.

African elephants in their enclosure at Tobe Zoo, Ehime — Photo: Jeremy Hall さん https://www.flickr.com/photos/wallslide/ (opens in a new tab), CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

White rocky enclosure with a turquoise pool at Tobe Zoo — Photo: Jeremy Hall さん https://www.flickr.com/photos/wallslide/ (opens in a new tab), CC BY 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons

A prefectural zoo in Tobe, just south of Matsuyama

Ehime Prefectural Tobe Zoo opened in 1988 in Tobe town, which borders Matsuyama city to the south. It is one of the largest zoos in western Japan, with a great many species shown in 10 zones grouped by habitat and type of animal.

The zoo is built into the natural lie of the land. Its hallmark is the "panorama display", which uses as few cages and fences as possible and separates animals from people with drops and moats instead, so you see the animals in something close to their natural setting, in three dimensions. The trees planted when the zoo opened have grown tall, and the grounds are very green.

Peace the polar bear

The zoo's star is Peace, a female polar bear born here on 2 December 1999. At the time, very few polar bear cubs born in Japan survived, and hand-rearing (people feeding milk and raising a cub in place of its mother) had never once succeeded. Peace was raised by her keepers and became the first polar bear in Japan to be successfully hand-reared.

Peace was off display for a while after falling ill, but she went back on public view on 7 April 2026. The zoo keeps a close eye on her, with her health as its top priority, and posts how she is doing each day in "Today's Peace" on its official website.

More highlights

Many exhibits let you watch animals up close: a family of African elephants, a penguin house where you can see them swim through the glass, otters darting around an acrylic pool, kangaroos that come right up to you, and more. In 2014 the zoo added an aviary where you can see wild birds found in Ehime right in front of you, and the 13-metre-high Chimpanzee Forest.

There is also Nakayoshi Hiroba (the "Friendship Square"), where you can meet small animals, and on weekends and public holidays there is a hippo-feeding event, first come, first served. The official website suggests taking your time with the animals you are most interested in rather than rushing round to see everything.

Getting there

From Iyotetsu's Matsuyama-shi Station (stop 3), take the Iyotetsu bus on the Tobe Line (via Jizomachi) bound for Ehime Kodomo no Shiro, and get off at Tobe Dobutsuen-mae. By car it is about 10 minutes south on National Route 33 from Matsuyama Interchange. Check opening hours, closing days and admission fees on the official website.

Tips

The zoo is closed on Mondays (or the following day when Monday is a public holiday) and over the New Year holidays.
There is a panoramic restaurant, SKY GARDEN, plus a café and shops, so you can take breaks as you go round.
If you want to see Peace, check "Today's Peace" and the news on the official website before you go to find out whether she is on view.

Sources

Updated 30 September 2026. Opening hours and prices change, so check the official site before you go.

Ehime Prefectural Tobe Zoo