Known as Tennoji Dobutsuen in Japanese, Tennoji Zoo might not be up to international standards, but does house a variety of animals from lions and red pandas to penguins and rhinos. If you’re traveling with children, it might be worth a visit; but those concerned about animal welfare may want to give this a miss.
Tennoji Zoo - image © Florentyna Leow
Tennoji Zoo is located in Tennoji-koen Park, and attracts over 1.5 million visitors annually. It’s one of the oldest zoos in Japan, and is home to over 1000 animals across 230 types.
The effort they’ve put into creating the different spaces here is quite impressive. There’s an “African savannah” which has carnivores and herbivores roaming in what looks like the same space; an underwater viewing pool where you can watch hippos swimming with fish; a tropical jungle zone with dozens of different kinds of birds and, of course, chimpanzees and orangutans.
Tennoji Zoo - image © Florentyna Leow
On the one hand, looking at the variety of animals might be a nice learning experience for children. On the other hand, they’re crammed into just 10 hectares of land, with the enclosures clearly being too cramped for the larger animals like polar bears and lions. It’s not exactly the best zoo in the world, and if you’re at all concerned about animal welfare, you may want to skip a visit to Tennoji Zoo.
English name:
Tennoji Zoo
Japanese name:
天王寺動物園
English address:
1-108 Chausuyama-cho, Tennoji-ku, Osaka-shi, 543-0063
Japanese address:
〒543-0063 大阪市天王寺区茶臼山町1-108
Opening hours:
9:30am-5pm (last entry 4pm)
(Saturday, Sunday and national holidays in May and September: 9:30am-6pm, last entry 5pm)
Closed Monday or the following Tuesday when Monday is a national holiday
Admission:
Adults: 500
Junior high and elementary school students: 200
Nearest Transport:
Subway: 5-minute walk from exit 1 of Dobutsuen-mae Station on the Osaka Metro Midosuji and Sakaisuji Lines.
Train and Subway: 7-minute walk from Tennoji Station.
Nearest Hotels:
:: Check availability and pricing for hotels near Tennoji Zoo on Booking.com or Agoda.com.
Telephone:
+81-6-6771-8401
Website:
Official Website (English)
Near To Here:
Tennoji Zoo is located in Osaka's Tennoji and Abeno area. See our complete list of things to do in the Osaka's Tennoji and Abeno area, including places to eat, nightlife and places to stay.
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