What other travelers are saying about Kobe Oji Zoo
We love Kobe Oji zoo!! Our 3 boys had a blast. Our youngest boys loves the petting area, the animals are very friendly and the staff is amazing. We had one of the staff named Yuika helping us pet some of the animals and she was so kind and patient. The giraffes were also amazing to see, they have good food selections, and some attractions and plenty of places to sit down and take a break or have a snack. Lots of shade as well. Definitely they placed a visit when you are in Kobe. Plenty of parking and walking distance from JR or Hankyu train station.
We visited Oji Zoo (Kobe Oji Zoo) as a family, and overall it was a decent experience. The zoo has a nice variety of animals and is great for kids, but it gets very crowded, especially on weekends.
Parking was quite difficult — the parking lot gets full quickly, and finding a spot can take a while. If you’re planning to visit by car, it’s best to go early in the morning or consider using public transportation.
The atmosphere itself is pleasant, but the large number of visitors made it a bit tiring at times. For a more relaxed experience, I’d recommend visiting on a weekday if possible.
A good family spot, but timing is everything!
(2025/08/28)
I wake up very early when I'm in Japan, so I usually need to go somewhere to kill time until 10am-11am. This zoo was fortunately open at 9am. I had a great time here, which I didn't expect as an adult in a very kid-themed park.
- The mini-amusement park was fun.
- The post-showa 90s arcade was to walk through and feel the nostalgia. They even have some chonky Pikachus from the gen1 days that have games inside them.
- There is a gift shop, which surprised me.
- The zoo has good diversity of animals: decent enough to keep me engaged while walking around.
- The pandas are no longer around :(
- The polar bear exhibit is kind of sad & the bear looks unnaturally thin (since it doesn't need as much fur for Japan's hot and humid weather).
- A lot of the exhibits would be better if they were larger and more reflective of the animals' natural environments. The park being stuck in the past does make it more fun, but this would be the 1 change I would make (even if it means less animals).
We had to leave after being here for about an hour, we couldn’t stand to see anymore... Animals were kept in very small enclosures - most were either pacing back and forth or not moving at all. The elephant enclosure was hardly large enough for it to even pace. Saw quite a few kept in small cages, one the bear wasn’t moving at all and the others were listed as needing “sun therapy” due to being underweight. They continue to advertise the panda, however the last one passed in early 2024. It was incredibly distressing to see the state of some of these animals, especially coming from a place with larger opn zoos where animals have space to roam and be as much of an animal as they can be in a zoo enclosure. These animals just looked sad.
The buildings were very outdated, however they did appear to be well maintained by staff. But that’s about the only positive thing I can say.
Unfortunately, the panda passed away last year and there are some animals that were not in the enclosures. However, it's a nice cheap old zoo. The entrance fee is 600 Yen. I'd say the one in Tennoji is better and more accessible for the same price but this one was nice too. Apparently there are some renovations going on and will look better in a couple of years.
Yes, the zoo features a reptile house, a nocturnal animal exhibit, and a petting zoo where visitors can interact with smaller animals.
The zoo provides a range of educational programs, including animal feeding demonstrations, keeper talks, and hands-on activities designed to teach visitors about wildlife conservation and animal behavior.
Yes, visitors are welcome to bring their own food and enjoy picnics in designated areas within the zoo.
The zoo is mostly accessible, with ramps, accessible restrooms, and designated viewing areas. Wheelchairs are available for rent at the entrance.
The zoo hosts various seasonal events such as Halloween celebrations, Christmas light displays, and summer night zoo events, where the zoo stays open later in the evening.
