Kobe Animal Kingdom | Spend a Day in Kobe with Animals from Around the World
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Kobe Animal Kingdom lets you get close and hang out with some new animal friends.
Kobe is a city of unique sights and sounds, from its little Chinatown neighborhood (created thanks to a long history of international exchange) to the view out over Osaka Bay. There's only one place, however, that brings together people young and old, animals from around the world, and those animals' natural habitats: Kobe Animal Kingdom! Constructed to encourage learning and close interaction, Kobe Animal Kingdom is an unusual zoo in a city of rare sights.
7-1-9 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
Admission:
Adults 1,800 yen / Elementary School Students 1,000 yen / Children 4-5 y.o. 300 yen / Seniors 65+ 1,300 yen
Hours vary, please check before departing.
Official Website (en)
3 Reasons Why We Recommend This“Kingdom”
Easy Access
Kobe Animal Kingdom is easily accessible by tram―the station exit is just meters from the zoo entrance! (There's parking for road trippers, too.)
Surprises from the Start
The moment you step into Kobe Animal Kingdom, you'll see a pretty exciting welcome party there to greet you: an alpaca! Alpacas are beloved in Japan, so don't miss the opportunity to pat its head and appreciate its magnificent coat.
New Areas
When the Japankuru team visited Kobe Animal Kingdom in 2018, a new area called the "Rocky Valley" had just opened, bringing a variety of new North American animals to the zoo. We're always excited to see what new animals might join the family next!
3 Shows to Discover
The zookeepers get lots of the animals to participate in special activities or take them out of their enclosures throughout the day, for special shows and events. You can see a basic schedule on their English website, or use google translate to check the even more detailed schedules on their Japanese website.
The Bird Show
Every day the birds of Kobe Animal Kingdom leave their perches for special bird-based performances! The show may be in Japanese, but you don't need to understand to enjoy the ferocious raptors and surprisingly cute owls.
Meet the Lemurs
Every day, zookeepers come to the ring-tailed lemur enclosure to talk about the lemurs and show off everything they can do. These adorable primates can pull off some impressive tricks.
Sheepdog Herding
Even if you own a sheepdog, if you've never seen them herding sheep, this show might just open your eyes. Each dog works differently, and the sheep have their own personalities, but watching them all work together is mesmerizing.
Lunch Break!
There are several places to eat lunch and dinner on the grounds, but after our visit we recommend buffet-style restaurant Flower Forest. It's more than just a place to sit down and refuel in the afternoon―the environment is a great place to relax for a moment and enjoy your surroundings.
A day at the zoo means a day on your feet. Take a load off and eat lunch in the restaurant's sunny, cheerful dining area, complete with a flower-covered ceiling similar to the one at Yomiuriland's Hana-Biyori botanical garden.
Hours:
Weekdays 11:00 – 15:30
Weekends/Holidays 10:30 – 16:30
Buffet Prices:
Adults 1,650 yen / Elementary School Students 1,000 yen / Younger Children 700 yen
(Children under 3 eat free.)
Some of Our Favorite Kobe Animal Kingdom Residents
The lazy red panda.
The striking white-throated toucan.
The friendly-faced American brown bear.
This lovely owl, who was probably just tolerating our presence.
And so many guinea pigs! It was hard not to scoop up a few to take home.
A trip to the Kobe Animal Kingdom means a day full of wonderful animals of all kinds. If the sun starts to set and you still haven't gotten quite enough, there are plenty of adorable souvenirs to bring home with you too, like these little capybara cookies. Full of flowers and fun animal experiences, the zoo is definitely a great choice for traveling families (or perhaps couples looking for a date spot). When you visit Kansai, after trips to the ever-popular Osaka Castle and Kyoto's picturesque Higashiyama area, don't forget to add Kobe Animal Kingdom to your itinerary!
↓See more of the zoo's red pandas in our video from Japankuru's Taiwanese editors!
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NAME:Kobe Animal Kingdom
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7-1-9 Minatojima Minamimachi, Chuo-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo
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Niseko is about two hours from New Chitose Airport, in the western part of Hokkaido. It's one of Japan's most noted winter resort areas, and a frequent destination for international visitors. That's all because of the super high-quality powder snow, which wins the hearts of beginners and experts alike, bringing them back for repeat visits. That's not all, though, it's also a great place to enjoy Hokkaido's culinary scene and some beautiful onsen (hot springs).
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Niigata is a prefecture on Japan's main island of Honshu, situated right on the coast of the Sea of Japan, and abundant with the gifts of nature. It's known for popular ski resorts such as Echigo-Yuzawa, Japanese national parks, and natural hot spring baths, plus local products like fresh seafood, rice, and sake. Visitors often spend time in the prefectural capital, Niigata City, or venture across the water to Sado Island.
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Shizuoka Prefecture is sandwiched between eastern and western Japan, giving the prefecture easy access to both Tokyo and Osaka. Not only is it known for beautiful natural attractions, with everything from Mount Fuji to Suruga Bay, Lake Hamanako, and Sumata Pass―Shizuoka's Izu Peninsula is known as a go-to spot for hot springs lovers, with famous onsen like Atami, Ito, Shimoda, Shuzenji, and Dogashima. Shizuoka attracts all kinds of travelers thanks to historic connections with the Tokugawa clan, the Oigawa Railway, fresh eel cuisine, Hamamatsu gyoza, and famously high-quality green tea.
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Kansai (関西) is a region that includes Mie, Nara, Wakayama, Kyoto, Osaka, Hyogo, and Shiga Prefectures. Kansai contained Japan's ancient capital for hundreds of years, and it's making a comeback as one of the most popular parts of Japan. Kyoto's temples and shrines, Osaka Castle, and the deer of Nara are all considered must-sees. Plus, the people of Kansai are especially friendly, making it a fun place to hang out.
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KYOTO
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Kyoto flourished as the capital of Japan between the years 794 and 1100, becoming a center for poilitics and culture, and to this day it's a great place for close encounters with Japanese history. The cobbled streets of Gion, the atmospheric road to Kiyomizudera Temple, Kinkakuji's golden walls and countless historic attractions, even Arashiyama's Togetsukyo Bridge―Kyoto is a place of many attractions. With new charms to experience throughout the seasons, travelers can't stop themselves from returning again and again.
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NARA
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Nara Prefecture's important history reaches back to 710, a time now called the Nara era, when it was once capital of Japan. Called "Heijo-kyo" during its time as a capital, it's said that nara was once the end of the silk road, leading it to flourish as a uniquely international region and produce important cultural properties of all kinds. To make the most of each season, travelers head to Nara Park, where the Nara deer who wander freely, or climb Mount Yoshino, a famous cherry blossom spot.
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OSAKA
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Osaka is known for friendly (and funny) people, but its history is nothing to laugh at, playing a major part in Toyotomi Hideyoshi's 16th century unification of Japan. Thanks to long years of economic activity, it's one of Japan's biggest cities, and Osaka's popular food culture earned it the nickname "The Kitchen of the Nation." To this day Osaka is the model of western Japan, and alongside historic structures like Osaka Castle, it also has major shopping malls like Umeda's Grand Front Osaka and Tennoji's Abeno Harukas. Osaka is a place to eat, eat, eat, with local specialties like takoyaki, okonomiyaki, and kushi-katsu, and for extra fun, it's home to Universal Studios Japan.
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CHUGOKU
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The Chugoku Region (中国地方) consists of five prefectures: Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori, and Yamaguchi. In Chugoku you’ll find the sand dunes of Tottori, and Hiroshima’s atomic bomb site, plus centers of ancient history like Grand Shrine of Izumo.
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Hiroshima Prefecture has everything, from world heritage sites to beautiful nature and delicious local cuisine, and it's either an hour and a half from Tokyo by plane, or four hours by train. Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island and the Atomic Bomb Dome, two Hiroshima UNESCO sites, are famous around the world, but in Japan it's also famous for food. Seafood from the Seto Inland Sea, especially oysters, Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, and Setouchi lemons are all popular, and the natural scenery alone is worth seeing.
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SHIKOKU
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On the other side of the Seto Inland Sea opposite Japan’s main island, Shikoku (四国) is a region made up of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. The area is famous for its udon (in Kagawa), and the beautiful Dogo Onsen hot springs (in Ehime).
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KAGAWA
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Kagawa Prefecture is on the northern part of the island of Shikoku, facing Japan's main island and the Seto Inland Sea. It's known for being the smallest prefecture in Japan, by area, but at the same time Kagawa is called the "Udon Prefecture" thanks to its famous sanuki udon. Aside from Kotohiragu Shrine and Ritsurin Garden, the prefecture's small islands are popular, and Kagawa is full of unique destinations, like Angel Road. They say that if you lay eyes on Zenigata Sunae, a huge Kagawa sand painting, you'll never have money troubles ever again.
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KYUSHU
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Located in the most southwestern part of Japan, Kyushu (九州) is an island of 7 prefectures: Fukuoka, Saga, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima. The island's unique culture has been influenced by Chinese and Dutch trade, along with missionaries coming in through Nagasaki's port. Modern-day travelers love the lush natural scenery and fresh food, plus the natural hot springs found all throughout the area (thanks to volcanic activity)!
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FUKUOKA
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Fukuoka Prefecture has the highest population on the southern island of Kyushu, with two major cities: Fukuoka and Kitakyushu. Thanks to growing transportation networks, Fukuoka is more accessible than ever, and so are the many local attractions. On top of historical spots like Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, travelers shouldn't miss Fukuoka's food scene, with motsu nabe (offal hotpot), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), and famous Hakata ramen―best eaten from a food stall in the Nakasu area of Hakata. Plus, it's full of all sorts of destinations for travelers, like trendy shopping centers, and the beautiful nature of Itoshima and Yanagawa.
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KAGOSHIMA
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Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
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OKINAWA
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The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.
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