{"id":4514,"date":"2021-03-24T11:31:28","date_gmt":"2021-03-24T02:31:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/hiroshima-asa-zoo\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T11:34:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T02:34:07","slug":"hiroshima-asa-zoo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hrcjapan.com\/en\/hiroshima-asa-zoo\/","title":{"rendered":"Hiroshima Asa Zoological Garden"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re visiting Hiroshima or here for a few months, you can probably give this a miss and look for other ways to spend your weekend. But for diehard zoo aficionados or families with children, Asa Zoo makes for a good day out. <\/span><\/p>\n

Several online reviews for the zoo say it\u2019s small, but I suspect some of these folks missed a turn or two. It\u2019s not San Diego, but with eight areas spread out over 25.6 hectares for the animal exhibits (and roughly twice that if you include park and playground space), the 160 or so species (represented by some 1500 individual animals<\/strong>) on display here are more than enough to satisfy most visitors. And as a bonus, even smaller children can see them all in a single visit.<\/span><\/p>\n

Getting around Hiroshima Asa Zoological Garden<\/h2>\n

As you enter the zoo, the first thing you\u2019ll see (and smell) is the large olive baboon enclosure, an artificial mountain where dozens of the apes clamber up and down and over one another, mothers carrying babies and larger males occasionally having noisy quarrels. One of the main draws here is the tunnel that leads through the mountain\u2019s interior, offering a closer look at the baboons through the thick glass and even the chance to play tug-of-war using a heavy steel chain. Be warned: baboon wins.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you continue to the right, you\u2019ll find an information center where you can learn a little more about many of the animals you\u2019ll be seeing. This one simulated, tug-of-war game lets you pit your might against animals from a sheep to an African elephant.<\/span><\/p>\n

As for the elephants themselves (and their improbable closest living relative, the tiny rock hyrax), you\u2019ll need to wander down the long path past the savannah terrace, where zebra and ostriches join a group of giraffes. A viewing platform puts you at eye level with the giraffes, a big hit with some kids. <\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s lots more to see, and you should definitely ask for a map when you buy your ticket. I wasn\u2019t kidding when I said that some people probably miss parts of the zoo, and the otters are worth seeing. The petting zoo is top-rated, with pony rides, a stream to play in, pigs, sheep, and goats to pet, and guinea pigs and rabbits that can be held. There\u2019s also a reptile and nocturnal animal house, which can be great fun when the animals are cooperative. I\u2019m especially fond of the slow loris. This is a good place to see the local giant salamander, too. When you finally spot the thing, it really is, er, giant. On the other hand, the crocodile is a pygmy crocodile and has been sitting in the same corner with his (or her) mouth open on so many visits that I\u2019ve begun to wonder whether he\u2019s stuffed.<\/span><\/p>\n

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If you need a break or want to stop for lunch, you have several options. There are two small restaurants, one in the petting zoo area and another at the zoo\u2019s center, by a carp-filled pond. There are also many places where you\u2019re free to sit down with a picnic lunch you\u2019ve brought in yourself. A couple of playgrounds round out the possibilities for any child who needs a breather between wild encounters. The walking paths extend across an area nearly half again the main animal exhibits’ size for those who want to stretch their legs.<\/span><\/p>\n

What you can see in Hiroshima Asa Zoological Garden and where to find it<\/h2>\n

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Carnivorous<\/b>\u00a0Zone<\/strong><\/p>\n