Visit to Tokyo

Hello! I am going to visit Tokyo this summer(August), and I will love to know what zoo/aquarium is worth visit near Tokyo.I will go to Ueno Zoo, but any other zoo is worth visit and what are their highlights?If any of you have been to Tokyo, please give my some information.

 

Japan has the most efficient, fastest and best train system in the world, so you reach by train for a daytrip also Osaka and Nagoya to vist the Zoos there.

But be warned-don't expect to see world-class zoos with western standards in animal welfare..japanese Zoos are, with the exception of Tama-Zoo and Zoorasia, far away from that. Most of them are in the standard of the 1950ty years.

But despite this fact, you will see in every Zoo in Japan species you've never seen before, of course japanese animals, but also a lot of other asian species-birds, mammals and huge"collections"of reptiles and amphibians.

The Nagoya Zoo is one the worst zoos I've been to in my life, but it has the largest animal inventory with the most species in Japan,so you you should be think about going there, if you are intersted in that. As a said, you can reach it for a day-trip by train very easy and comforbale. All large Cities in Japan do have an excellent public transport sytstem, what are always signed in english, so you will find the way to the zoos also very quick. But you can ask the poeple-the youngers ones spek englisha nd the japanese pepple are extreme friendly and helpful.

You can reach also Kobe and Kyoto Zoo by train, but both are poor, too, and not very recommended.But you have to visit Tama-Zoo in the suburbs of Tokyo, it is the largets zoo in japan with the only Mole and Shrew house in the world, the largest insectarium and butterfly hall in the world .

You also have to got to Yokohama, the neighbour city of Tokyo to vist Zoorasia-it is defenitely the"best"Zoo in Japan and keeps,for example, Proboscis monkey and Douc Langurs-and the last mongolian wild ass outside of china. There are two more zoos in Yokohama-Kanazwa-not too band, a good zoo for hoofstock lovers,( the only pronghorn outside of Northamerica), serow, goral, anoa, gaur, two rhino species,to name just a few.The last zoo in Yokohama is a desaster-Nogeyama Zoo, but the entree is free.

Toky itselfs has three Zoos-Uneo,-Tama and Inokashiarapark Zoo and five aquariums. Japn is defenitely the country for aquariums, not for zoos. Don't miss Toky Sealife Park, Kayiukan Aquarium Osaka and Nagoya Aquarium-at Hakeijima Seapaardise in Yokohama you can see whale sharks and a huge deolphinarium, Nagoya Aquariums keeps orca whales. If you wnat to see more whales, dolphins and a great"collection" of seals, some species you nevers een before-I promise, so you have to go to Kamogawa Seaworld, just a two hours ride by train from Tokyo.

Dont forget to buy the Japan Rail Pass before you go to Japan-you can ordre it in the web and it not available in Japan-it saves you a lot of money, if you want to use the train system. And don't forgot-most zoos and aquariums in Japan are closed for one day in the week-check it out in advance to plan your trip.

If you have time-go to Toba Aquarium-is has nine species of seals, african manatee,dugong, jacobita,seaotter and finless porpoise-it has around 1000 specie sin total, but you have to stay for a night at Toba, because you can't reach the city from tokyo for daytrip, but you need a whole day for this aquarium.

 

Thanks for the information.I really don't think I will go to nagoya and osaka because I don't have much time.I will mainly go to Tokyo and probably yokohama.

 

I also recommend Tama Zoo. Very easy to get to on the Tokyo local trains.

 

Yes, I will go to Tama Zoo

First plan:Ueno Zoo, Tokyo Sea life park,tama zoo and kamogawa sea world

 

Hi Aardvark, I had the pleasure of visiting each of Tokyo's major aquaria in January. I would likely recommend Sumida aquarium (at the base of Skytree tower), but it really depends on your interests and your time constraints.

Sumida aquarium: interesting selection of Japanese fish generally displayed at a high standard, highlights include the jellyfish collection and some fascinating displays of common tropical fish.

Sunshine aquarium: Another array of Japanese marine fish; highlights include an overhead waterway for sealions, a great butterflyfish collection, sea otter (in a poor enclosure) and Baikal seals. The mammal enclosures are mostly on the poorer side.

EPSON Aqua Park: A bright and fancy aquarium designed to look good but not very educational. Having said that, a manta ray and two species of sawfish hold some appeal to enthusiasts.

Tokyo Tower Aquarium: A small place filled with stacks of fish store-style tanks displaying an amazing array of unusual fish from around the world. Mostly small fish but you're almost guaranteed to see some new species here. Conveniently located in the foyer of the Tokyo Tower.

Tokyo Sea Life Park: A good choice. This aquarium has links and exchange programs with a variety

Kamogawa Sea World was too far out for me - I elected to spend a day in Yokohama, with the morning in Zoorasia and the afternoon/evening at Hakkeijima Sea Paradise (where I found a live goblin shark and tiger shark!). It was the best day of my brief trip. I would recommend a similar mix, if you can manage it, although I did get pushed for time in the aquarium. Hakkeijima Sea Paradise also holds five species of cetacean.

 

As a Japanese person living in Japan, I would recommend Zoorasia and Tama Zoo.

Ueno Zoo has the rarest animals, such as Aye-aye. Although some of the exhibits have shown great improvement in recent years, like the one for gorillas (there's an expecting mother in the group right now), on the whole there is a strange depressing atmosphere. You should also be careful of the terrible heat if you are visiting in August; I suffered a temporary heat shock at the Polar bear exhibit on an extremely hot day in July.

Zoorasia is one of the most beautiful zoos in Japan. Although the number of species of animal is around 110, it is the only Japanese zoo taking care of Douc langurs and Proboscis monkeys. The newest addition to the Proboscis monkey group is a baby which was born this May; her face should still be blue-grey if you visit there in August.

Many of Tama Zoo's exhibits are arranged functionally, which means you can see the animals move frequently. By the way - Tama Zoo will start exhibition of Tasmanian devils TODAY (11th June)! Tama Zoo is the only zoo with Tasmanian devils in the Asian region, so I think it should be well worth seeing.

I am not a frequent aquarium visitor, so I don't have much to say about Japanese aquaria.

 

Thanks for the information@francosielangur. I'm not really afraid of the weather because I live in HK which the weather is about 36C in August .

Also, I will definitely visit Ueno, Tama and Tokyo sea life park and would probably visit Zoorasia, Hajikukama Sea Paradise(Wonder how to spell it) and Kamogawa sea world,.

 

Also I have seen both douc langurs and Proboscis monkeys in Singapore so that will not be my first choice.

 

Sumida aquarium,Sunshine aquarium,Tokyo sea life park
Which is the best?

 

All three are good; Sumida and Sea Life Park are the better two but it depends what you want to see. Tokyo Sea Life Park has impressive displays of marine life from around the world with many interesting animals, and is a much bigger aquarium, but Sumida has a few of the more conventional touches (like a big shark tank) and also houses many interesting animals.

With the late closure of many of Tokyo's aquaria I think you could easily squeeze in a couple; Sumida is one of the easiest to add on given that it is next to Skytree Tower.

 

I'll go to Japan a month later,in 17th August.Here is my second plan.

Ueno Zoo,Tama Zoo,Kamogawa sea world,Yokohama sea paradise

Probably:sumida aquarium,zoorasia and tokyo sea life park

 

Another zoo I would probably go for is Nogeyama zoo because it have kagu and it is free.

 

You may like to see also okapi, aardvark250? Wich zoos in Japan are holding this elusive artiodactylid?

 

I know Ueno zoo and Zoorasia have them.I will go to Ueno zoo but probably not Zoorasia because it is too far away and I don't have enough time.

 

Kanazawa zoo also have them according to their website.I would probably not go to kanazawa zoo because I'm not a fan a ungulate.

 

Oh Yes, you are greatest fan of invertebrates, aardvarks (not aardwarks), anteaters.. ?

 

*aardvarks.

Yes,I love aardvarks.Another animal I love is aye-ayes!

 

I will start my trip from 17-21 August.This is a family trip(I'm not old enough to go.I'm just 13) so I can't go to many zoo.2 zoo and 2 aquarium is my choice. Ueno Zoo,Tama Zoo,Yokohama sea paradise and Kamogawa sea world.Lots of highlights such as aardvarks,aye aye,tasmanian devil,commerson's dolphin,whale shark,flying fish is coming!

I will write a detailed review and species list after my visit.