Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido | Japan is Nippon

Japan's northernmost zoo, famous for showing animals swimming and leaping as they would in the wild. In winter, king penguins go for walks on the snow.

Snowy paths of Asahiyama Zoo running down a gentle hillside, with Asahikawa city beyond — Photo: Yamaguchi Yoshiaki from Japan, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Polar bear standing on the edge of its enclosure at Asahiyama Zoo — Photo: senryuto, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A zoo that came back from the brink with "behavioural exhibits"

Asahiyama Zoo is run by the city of Asahikawa in Hokkaido and opened in 1967. Hokkaido's official tourism website calls it "Japan's northernmost zoo". It sits on a gentle slope with views of the Daisetsuzan mountains.

In 1994 an outbreak of an infectious disease (echinococcosis) forced the zoo to close part-way through the season, and visitor numbers fell from a peak of about 600,000 in 1983 to about 260,000 in 1996. Amid rumours that the zoo would close for good, work on new facilities began in 1997, based on sketches the keepers had drawn of their ideal zoo.

The aim was not to line up rare animals but to let people see the abilities and movements that animals naturally have, an approach called "behavioural exhibits". Visitor numbers rose sharply, passing 3 million a year in 2007 and 2008.

Highlights

Each animal has its own specially designed building, such as the Polar Bear House, Seal House, Penguin House and Big Cat House. The Seal House has a cylindrical tank where you can watch the seals swim from all 360 degrees. In 2022 the Ezo Brown Bear House opened, showing the brown bears that live in Hokkaido.

There are also "mogumogu time" sessions (feeding times when you can watch the animals eat while a keeper explains). Which animals and what times change from day to day, so check the notices at the zoo or on the official website.

A winter favourite: the penguin walk

Once the snow settles, king penguins walk in a line along the paths in the "penguin walk". It is not a show put on for visitors but a way to stop them getting too little exercise in winter, and it makes use of the penguins' habit of following the one in front. It usually runs from around late December to around mid-March, until the snow is gone.

It may be cancelled or changed depending on the penguins' health and the state of the snow. If you want to see it, check the announcements on the official website before you go.

Getting there and opening periods

It takes about 30 minutes by route bus from JR Asahikawa Station, or about 25 minutes by car from Asahikawa Airport. In summer there is also a direct bus from the airport on weekends, public holidays and some other days (it runs on a limited number of days only).

Opening hours vary a lot by season, and to switch between the summer and winter seasons the zoo closes for about three weeks in April and about a week in early November. It is also closed over the New Year (30 December to 1 January). Opening hours and admission fees may change, so check the official website.

Tips

The zoo is on a hillside, so there are lots of slopes. The official website recommends allowing at least about three hours.
Pushchairs and wheelchairs can be borrowed free of charge at the ticket office at each gate (they may not be available in some weather). There are also coin lockers near the ticket office at each gate.
The zoo has closed periods in April and early November, so check the opening calendar before you fix your travel dates.