Kobe Animal Kingdom | Spend a Day in Kobe with Animals from Around the World

Kansai Entertainment Zoo

2020.07.07

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.

Kobe Animal Kingdom
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!