Experience the best of Asahiyama Zoo

Discover innovative exhibits at Hokkaido's Asahiyama Zoo. Get close to penguins, polar bears, and snow leopards.

Loved by over 55 million guests worldwide

Slide 1 of 12, King penguins walking in snow at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan, with visitors observing.

Snow sculpture of a deer at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan, with visitors nearby.

Spotted seal swimming in icy water at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan.

Arctic wolves resting in snow at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan.

Clark's Departure Bell monument at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan, surrounded by snow and trees.

Amur leopard behind bars at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan, with snowy background.

Red panda eating bamboo at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan.

King penguins walking on snow at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan.

King penguins walking in a snowy enclosure at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan.

Giraffes in snowy enclosure at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan.

Red panda walking on a snowy rope bridge at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan.

A fox in the snow at Asahiyama Zoo, Hokkaido, Japan.

Asahiyama Zoo Tickets

Explore at your pace

Entry to Asahiyama Zoo, one of Japan’s most popular zoos, known for behavior-focused animal exhibits.
See penguins glide underwater, seals swim vertically, and polar bears move between land and water.
Innovative enclosures let you observe animals from multiple angles, without visual barriers.
Features wildlife from Hokkaido and animals from around the world, all in thoughtfully designed habitats.

More details

Entry to Asahiyama Zoo, one of Japan’s most popular zoos, known for behavior-focused animal exhibits.
See penguins glide underwater, seals swim vertically, and polar bears move between land and water.
Innovative enclosures let you observe animals from multiple angles, without visual barriers.
Features wildlife from Hokkaido and animals from around the world, all in thoughtfully designed habitats.

from

¥1,002

Pro tips to help you make a pick

Standard admission is the basic ticket: it covers same-day entry, all regular exhibits, and scheduled keeper talks or feedings. Transport, food, drinks, souvenirs, and guided service are not included.

Official admission fees and concessions can change because the zoo is run by Asahikawa City. Check the current zoo or city page before you travel instead of relying on older blog prices.

There is no confirmed official skip-the-line or priority-entry ticket. Even if you use a pre-purchased voucher, you may still wait at the gate and at popular exhibits inside.

If you are coming from Sapporo, compare DIY travel with a package day trip. Packages usually include round-trip coach transport and zoo admission, but fixed schedules can feel rushed in winter.

JR Hokkaido passes can help with the Sapporo to Asahikawa train segment, but they do not cover zoo admission or the local bus from Asahikawa Station to the zoo.

No audio guide or English guided tour is confirmed in the research. Standard admission is self-guided, and many exhibit explanations are mainly in Japanese, so screenshot a map before you arrive.

Check the seasonal calendar before booking trains, buses, or tours. Opening hours change between summer and winter, and the zoo usually closes for short maintenance periods between seasons.

In winter, build your day around the penguin walk rather than just the entrance line. Arrive early, confirm that day’s schedule, and head to the route 20–30 minutes before it starts for a better view.

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About Asahiyama Zoo

Asahiyama Zoo is built around action exhibitions, a design approach that shows how animals swim, climb, and roam rather than keeping them static behind a single barrier. That is why penguins rush past visitors in an underwater tunnel, spotted seals move through tall acrylic tubes, and orangutans cross overhead on long ropes. The result feels notably different from a conventional city zoo.

Did you know?

Asahiyama Zoo opened in 1967, and Asahikawa City describes it as Hokkaido’s northernmost zoo.

The zoo’s core design idea is action exhibitions, with enclosures planned to show movement and behavior from multiple angles rather than from one viewing line.

According to the zoo, its underwater penguin viewing tunnel was one of Japan’s first of its kind and helped reverse a period of declining attendance.

The grounds sit on a hillside at the foot of Mount Asahi, so some upper sections look out over Asahikawa and the surrounding mountains.

It is not open every day year-round; the zoo usually has short maintenance closures between its winter and summer seasons.

Why visit Asahiyama Zoo?

360° Penguin Views in the Underwater Tunnel

The Penguin House includes an underwater viewing tunnel where king, gentoo, and Humboldt penguins race overhead and alongside visitors. Instead of looking through one barrier, you watch them move from multiple angles as they seem to fly through the water.

Vertical Seal Swims Through Acrylic Tubes

Seal House is built around tall cylindrical underwater tubes used by spotted seals. The design lets you see the animals move up and down repeatedly, so the same exhibit reveals surface, midwater, and near-glass views within a few minutes.

Polar Bear Views from Several Angles

The Polar Bear Pavilion combines underwater windows, overhead views, rock structures, and a water feature. Bears can appear suddenly at the glass, making the enclosure feel close-up while still showing how they move across land and water.

Orangutans Crossing Overhead on Long Ropes

In the orangutan and primate area, high ropes span long distances above visitor paths. When orangutans use them, you can watch climbing and balance from below instead of seeing the animals stay at ground level.

Half-Day Layout with Indoor Warm-Up Breaks

Most visitors spend about 3–4 hours here, which makes the zoo manageable as a half-day outing from Asahikawa or a day-trip stop from Sapporo. Several indoor houses, rest areas, restaurants, and snack stands help break up the hillside walking, especially in winter.

Plan your visit

Main Entrance

This is the primary public entrance at the front of the zoo complex, close to the Asahiyama Dōbutsuen bus stop and the main parking lots. All general visitors arriving by bus, car, or taxi should use this gate. You can buy tickets at the entrance ticket office or present pre-purchased admission here before entering. Queues are usually shorter on regular weekdays and longer around opening on weekends, national holidays, and busy winter penguin-walk days. Access from the bus stop and parking appears mostly level, but detailed step-free information is not fully documented. Follow the signposted path from the bus stop or parking area to reach the gate.