This is the best zoo I've ever been to and one of the best experiences we had in Japan!!!
Almost every exhibition had the option to feed the animals from really close distance! For 100-300 Yen you can buy food the zoo leaves for the animals and feed them! Penguins, fennec foxes, binturong, monkeys, lemurs, otters, and especially red pandas - you can buy food and feed them!
It is possible to pet some pf the animals, some of them roam free and in some cases it is you whi walk inside their exhibiton!
The Red Panda house has two feedings a day, it is limited so be there in time! You can't touch tyem but you can get really close and feed them with a feeding stick.
But it is such a unique experience!
The zoo has great atmosphere and views, fun music, creative exhibitions, great gift shop and great food (with stuffed animals in the restaurant) and the cactus shop is also cool!
You can but tickets in advance or at the park entrance, no need for tickets for feeding.
Worth every Yen, ans you can see that the zoo and staff care a lot about the animals and the experience! Highly recommended!
You can also visit mt. Omaru and Sakura No Sato sakura park which has more than 100 types of sakura trees! Izu craft house is also very close by, allowing you to experience art workshops.
Who doesn’t love a good zoo? 🦙🦜 What’s wild about Izu Shaboten Zoo is how close you can get to the animals — many of them roam almost freely around the park. You’ll find yourself just inches away from them at times. Honestly, you could touch a lot of them… although you probably shouldn’t 😅 Still, it makes the whole experience feel unique and memorable.
There are very few cages, and the animals seem relaxed and comfortable, which makes walking around even more enjoyable. I love this place — it’s easily one of the highlights of the Izu Peninsula and a must‑visit if you’re in the area 🌿
They also have a petting area where you can touch and feed some of the animals without getting in trouble 🤣 It’s perfect for kids, and honestly, adults too.
Overall, such a fun, lively, and surprisingly up‑close experience. Highly recommend!
A beautiful zoo with exotic animals. The zoo itself very different from the regular ones, very well maintained and beautiful photo spots. Loved the cactus showcase such a brilliant touch to the park. Even though it was a rainy day we enjoyed every bit of the park, feeding the otter by catching the lively fish from the fish tank was truly enjoyable to the kids. It was a very good experience. Missing the show of the day was a bit disappointing but enjoyed every bit of the time we spent there.
Came here for the Capybaras! They were so cute!!! Aside from that I enjoyed the zoo as there was a lot of other animals and you can feed almost all of them. They have food for around 200 yen in front of every enclosure. There is a separate feeding area for the capybaras as you cannot feed the ones in the hot bath.
The zoo is close to Mt.Omuro lifts and there is paid parking. You can buy tickets on the spot but recommend buying on klook for 100 yen off and if you don't want to line up.
Enjoyable activity in Izu!
You’d probably come here regardless because the capybaras are so cute — but even then if you went to Mt Omuro if you kept the ticket there’s a discount for the zoo’s admission fee.
The capybaras soak in the onsen from winter all the way to April. After that, there are many cherry blossom trees lining the zoo waterway. There are an abundance of ducks and peacocks along the pathways too.
For parking it is a 1000 yen to enter.
