5 Stars – An Unforgettable Animal Experience for All Ages
Kobe Animal Kingdom is a newly developed, state-of-the-art zoo that offers a refreshing and highly interactive experience. Unlike traditional zoos, this park allows visitors to truly connect with the animals—you can feed, pet, and observe them up close. These special encounters require free timed tickets, which help manage crowding and ensure a calm, enjoyable experience.
The park boasts a surprisingly diverse collection of species, including pygmy hippos, pumas, and lesser-known wildcats—animals rarely seen in most zoos. The enclosures are designed with care, offering excellent visibility from all angles, even for small children, making the park extremely family-friendly.
What really stands out is the close interaction between visitors, animals, and zookeepers. It’s clear that the staff are passionate and knowledgeable, and they actively engage with guests, creating a meaningful and educational environment.
While the entrance fee is slightly above average, the quality of the experience makes it well worth it. Inside, you’ll find several restaurants offering tasty and affordable food, but guests are also welcome to bring their own meals and enjoy the many seating areas and picnic spots.
In short, Kobe Animal Kingdom is much more than a zoo—it’s an immersive, hands-on experience that’s perfect for curious kids and animal-loving adults alike. Whether you’re a family or a solo traveler, this park promises a memorable and heartwarming day out
Best zoo I’ve ever been to (maybe the best on earth) - animals all look healthy and well taken care of. You get to interact directly with many of the animals from only a few feet away. Never been so close to my favorite animals before. Staff are friendly and clearly love their animals. Such a nice calm place to spend an afternoon on our trip to Japan.
For an unforgettable experience in Kobe, look no further! This zoo offers an incredible opportunity to see a wide variety of animals, including some incredibly rare ones.
What makes it truly special is the chance to get up close and personal with the wildlife – you might even find animals casually strolling near you without realizing it at first! It's a highly recommended visit.
A small tip, you can buy a combo set at Port Liner Sannomiya st., which includes round-trip Port Liner ticket and an admission ticket, with the same price as buying the admission ticket at the zoo directly!
By the way, you can get a combination ticket for Kobe Animal Kingdom and Portliner Train at the Station. It's like getting the train ride free. Make a note! (As of May 2025)
One of my favorite experiences in Japan! We had fun petting all of the animals. Expect to pay 100-300 yen extra for food at each area. But it's worth it.
We went here on a weekday in February. There were quite a lot of visitors & school trips but it wasn’t too crowded or overwhelming.
Made a day trip to Kobe from Osaka just to let our kids experience the semi open zoo. It was indeed a pleasant experience to be close up with many of the animals - some you can feed & pet. Even got to run around with the lemurs.
Really love how they only charge ¥100 yen for the food to feed the animals. Yes, sold in very small portion but you’re paying for the experience.
There seemed to be a specific time allocation to get inside the petting area for rabbits / cats&dogs , there was quite a long line for these areas. And we only managed to get inside the rabbit area. If the waiting time is not too long, it’s worth the queue.
There were a lott more animals than we expected. We don’t get this kind of zoo back in Malaysia so we really felt like it was worth it coming here.
Zoo was really clean. Staffs were helpful and friendly as well despite the language barrier.
Highly recommended if you’re visiting Kobe :)
**Bought our tickets in advance from Klook but there didn’t seem to be any line for the tickets on a weekday.
