Meeting animals are also always in the itinerary for many parents. However not many parents realised that there are more than Asahiyama Zoo.
Personally I love Asahiｙama Zoo as I watched a Japanese movie about how the zoo keepers changed a closing zoo to a No 1 in Japan with the creative layout and education information around the park. The real close up with animals are really wonderful experience to both adults and children. Standing just next to the next acrylic transparent wall, kids can see a hippo so closely that even what it has eaten for lunch can be seen. They have special platform for kids to watch penguins along the transparent wall for penguin show case. With the penguin standing just next to the wall, they seemed to be stand next to you. There are many different types of penguin species too.
Other zoo offer different attraction and experience too. Like Noboribetsu Marine Park Nixe and Otaru aquarium, they are popular choices too.
Zoological Parks
- Asahiyama Zoological Park
http://www5.city.asahikawa.hokkaido.jp/asahiyamazoo/
english link available
Operating hours:
Summer : end Apr - early Nov
29th Apr ～15th Oct ( 2015)
AM9:30～PM5:15
16th Oct～3rd Nov
AM9:30～PM4:30
Winter : early Nov - end Apr 10:00 - 15:30
Closed on 30th Dec- 1st Jan , 8th-28th Apr, 4th -10th Nov
Tickets: Adult & high school student: 820 yen, Sec sch student and below : free
In winter; there are some section not for viewing. Main attraction is Penguin March as penguin walk in snow outdoor. - North Safari Sapporo
http://www.north-safari.com/ver2/index.html
Tickets: Adult & sec school student and above: 1500yen, age 3 and above: 500 yen, 3 and below : free
Direction: http://www.north-safari.com/ver2/category/access/access_top.htm - Maruyama Zoo
https://www.city.sapporo.jp/zoo/
Closed on 29th, 30th, 31st Dec
Tickets: Adult & sec school student and above: 600 yen
Primary school student and below: free
Directions: Subway Maruyama Koen , walk 15mins or by bus 円15, 7 mins journey - Kushiro Zoo
http://www.city.kushiro.lg.jp/zoo/
Closed on Every wed for Dec-Feb ( exclude public holidays), 29th Dec -2nd Jan
Tickets : adult and high school student and above: 570 yen, sec school student and below : free
Directions: http://www.city.kushiro.lg.jp/zoo/access/1001.html - Obihiro Zoo
http://www.city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp/zoo/
Operating hours
Summer : 29 Apr - 30 Sept : 9:00-1630
Winter: 11:00 - 15:00
Directions : http://www.city.obihiro.hokkaido.jp/zoo/information/access.html - Noboribetsu Bear Park
http://www.bearpark.jp/
Operating hours: 1st Apr - 30th June , 1st Oct -31st Jan 8:30～16:30
Tickets ( excluding rope way) : adult 2592 yen, age 4-12: 1296 yen
Directions: JR Noboribetsu station, 15mins journey bus to Noboribetsu Onsen bus terminal, walk 5 mins to ropeway ( cable) entrance to bear park - Wakkanai Fureai Land
http://www.welcome.wakkanai.hokkaido.jp/sightseeing/leisure/fureai_land
Operating hours: 29th Apr - 30th Sept 11:00-16:30
Free
Directions: Wakkanai station by car 30mins
- Noboribetsu Marine Park Nixehttp://www.nixe.co.jp/
Tickets: Adult & sec school student and above : 2450 yen
4- primary school student : 1250, 3 and below : free
Directions: JR登別駅 ( Noboribetsu station ), walk 5 mins
Penguin march available during winter - Sun Piazza Aquarium http://www.sunpiazza-aquarium.com/
Operating hours :
Apr - Sept : 10:00-18:30
Oct - Mar : 10:00-18:00
Tickets: Adult, High school student & above : 900yen, 3- Sec school student : 400 yen, 65 & above : 720yen
Directions : Walk from JR Shin sapporo station 3 mins. Exit 5, inside Sunpizza Mall, towards KFC and Hokkaido Bank. - Onneyu Onsen Aquarium
http://onneyu-aq.com/about
Directions & operating hours : http://onneyu-aq.com/access - Muroran Public Aquarium
http://www.kujiran.net/aquarium/
Directions & operating hours :http://www.kujiran.net/aquarium/access.html
This is the first aquarium in Hokkaido, it is really interesting how it was set up. Check out the history gallery! - Otaru Aquarium
http://otaru-aq.jp/
Closed on 2nd -20th March, 30th Nov - 18th Dec
Tickets : Adult: 1400 yen, Pri-Sec school student: 530 yen, above age 3 is 210 yen
Directions: JR Otaru station, from bus terminal bus stop 3 , 25 mins journey. There are 2 routes: around the mountain or along the coastal line. - Sake no Furusato - Chitose Salmon Aquarium
http://chitose-aq.jp/
Newly opened after renovation with new interesting layout and experience.
Even built next to the river they cultivate Salmon.
Closed on 29th Dec- 1st January, Maintenance : 12th -29th Feb
Tickets : Adult: 800 yen, High school student : 500 yen, Pri-Sec school student: 300 yen, preschooler: free
Directions: JR Chitose station, from East exit ( from platform on the left, after escaltor the door in front ). Walk straight to the traffic light turn right and walk till Surplus,a mini mart. Do note that you will pass a kindergarten with Anpanman characters on your left at the next traffic junction before you reach Surplus. Turn left either at the kindergarten or Surplus , you will see Pizza hut, BBQ restaurants. Then you will see 和平, a famous ramen store. If you ask for direction for this ramen store, you will get discount coupon for the aquarium.
Walking down you will see a caterer ( there is a huge vertical banner with big wordings and price), check out their bento as they are cheap and delicious!!! They are open till 5pm.
Further, you will see 3 trunk like public toilets and a huge safety road park; then a plot of land with show houses. Salmon Park Mall will be the first building you see before aquarium comes in sight. Chitose aquarium is just right on the right, nearer to you. Approximately 10mins.
In the wild
- Crane watching in Kushiro
https://city.hokkai.or.jp/~kkr946/shisetsu_tsurumidai.html
Directions: Take to JR 釧路湿原駅 ( JR Kushiro Shitsugen station)
25 mins from Kushiro station. - Dolphins and whale watching in Muroran
http://www.muro-nc.com/watching.html
Best watching period : June - Aug （98% success rate in watching ) - Killer whale watching in Shiretoko
English speaking reservation available.
http://kamuiwakka.jp/whale/
Insects
- Kuriyama Nature and Wildlife foundation
http://www.town.kuriyama.hokkaido.jp/furusato/
Operating hours early Apr - end Oct 10:00-16:00
Need to email to arrange camps and courses
Directions : JR Kuriyama station, walk 15mins or by car 5 mins - Taima seikai no konchukan bibyonshato
Insect world
Operating hours early Apr - end Oct
http://business4.plala.or.jp/papiyon/
