Zao Fox Village (蔵王キツネ村): One of the Cutest Days of Your Life

Tohoku Tour Sendai

2019.05.17

Head to Sendai for a day packed full of foxes!

Spend a Day Outside with the Foxes!

If you're heading to Northern Japan any time soon, you'll probably spend some time in the Sendai area. While you're there, you can't miss the Fox Village, or Kitsune Mura (キツネ村). Populated by numerous adorable canids, if you like spending time with animals, the place is a must-see!

How to Get There

By Plane:
Take a flight right to Sendai Airport!

By Bullet Train:
Take the Tohoku Line Bullet Train from Tokyo to Sendai Station.
(An hour and a half, approximately 11,000 yen, ~$100.)

Or, get off at Shiroishi Zao Station, and take the Castle Kun Bus right to the Fox Village. (Let the bus driver know you want to get off there!)

Once you're in Sendai, the easiest way there is by car.

Let's Meet Some Foxes!

Our buddy the gorilla says admission is 1,000 yen.
Our very first fox friend!

Approximately 100 foxes freely roam the grounds, calling the village their home. All of these foxes are officially wild, but they're still looked after, and given things like parasite protection.

The foxes make great models, so you're free to take plenty of photos. Lots of visitors come to do just this, since word of mouth has made the place popular among foreign visitors in recent years.

All of these foxes are truly living lives of leisure. They may be wild, but this fox village is a pretty cushy place to live!

These foxes are definitely wild animals, though!
Some warnings to keep both humans and animals safe.

The majority of the foxes at the village aren't domesticated, so they will bite if bothered! There are different rules for different animals at the village; it's best to read warnings carefully and listen to any rules you're told! They may all be totally adorable, but if the sign says they're wild animals who might bite, you should probably heed that warning. If you do that, you and the foxes will all enjoy your visit!

Interact with the Foxes!

Fox treats.
Tossing our fox friend a snack.

The Fox Village offers a couple different interaction experiences, so you can spend some more quality time with the foxes.

On weekends, and the occasional weekday, you can feed the foxes snacks! You get a handful of treats, and you can toss them to the foxes as if you were giving your own puppy a biscuit.
(200 yen)

If you want to get even closer to the foxes, and really hands-on, you can take part in a fox-hugging experience! Hold a fox in your arms, and imagine they're yours to call your own. (If only!) This event happens three times a day, so keep an eye on your watch, and don't miss it!
(10:30 to 11:00 / 13:00 to 13:30 / 14:30 to 15:00)

Of course, if the fox starts feeling uncomfortable, these experiences might be cut short. It's disappointing, but we don't want any unhappy foxes now, do we?

A fox-hugging experience.
Imagine holding this little rascal in your arms!

Make Your Way Over and Make Some New Fox Friends!

If you're in Sendai, why not rent a car and head right over? You too could be holding foxes in your arms in a matter of hours. To tell the truth, I'm hard-pressed to think of a better way to spend an afternoon, how about you?

Zao Fox Village (宮城蔵王キツネ村)
Address: 11-3 Kawarago, Fukuokayatsumiya, Shiroishi, Miyagi
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00, closed Wednesdays
Official Website

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⇩ Check out our video to see the foxes in action! ⇩