Tokyo Zoos with Kids: The Full Comparison Guide
Which zoo is actually worth the trip — and which one’s better as a “we’re free this afternoon” outing?
Tokyo has more zoos within day-trip range than most cities its size, and they’re not interchangeable. Some are genuine full-day destinations, some are a couple of hours you tack onto a walk in the park, and one isn’t really a “zoo” in the traditional sense at all. Here’s an honest breakdown of six, based on what my kids and I actually experienced (plus careful research on the one we haven’t been to yet).
Quick comparison
| Zoo | Prefecture / Ward | Nearby landmark | Visited? | Time needed | Adult / Child admission* | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ueno Zoo | Tokyo — Taito Ward | Ueno Park / Ueno Station | ✓ | Full day possible | ¥600 adult / ¥200 jr. high / free elementary & under | Pandas, biggest name-recognition, huge variety |
| Tama Zoo | Tokyo — Hino City | Near Takao, Keio line | ✓ | Full day | ¥600 adult / ¥200 jr. high / free elementary & under | Huge grounds, safari-style Lion Bus |
| Inokashira Park Zoo | Tokyo — Musashino City | Kichijoji Station / Inokashira Park | ✓ | A few hours (animals only) – half day (with the playground) | ¥400 adult / ¥150 jr. high / free elementary & under | Toddlers, a cheap annual pass if you live nearby, pairing with Kichijoji |
| Tobu Zoo | Saitama Pref. — Miyashiro Town | Tobu Zoo Station | — | Full day | From ¥2,300 (zoo only) up to ¥5,900 (zoo + amusement park combo) | A full day out — zoo, rides, and a pool in summer, all in one |
| Zoorasia (Yokohama) | Kanagawa Pref. — Yokohama (Asahi Ward) | Yokohama | ✓ | Full day | See | Scale, walk-through habitat zones |
| Hamura City Zoo | Tokyo — Hamura City | Western Tokyo, near Ōme | ✓ | Half day | ¥500 adult — check site for child pricing | Compact and cheap, giraffes, an easy in-and-out visit |
*Prices change often — always double-check the official site before you go. All of these get busy on weekends and holidays; weekdays are noticeably calmer everywhere on this list.
The big three: already reviewed in full
Ueno, Tama, and Zoorasia are all destinations in their own right — big enough that they deserve their own dedicated write-ups rather than a paragraph each here. Quick summary of each, with the full review linked:
Ueno Zoo is the one everyone’s heard of — Japan’s oldest zoo, and probably the most recognizable name on this list. Its location in Ueno Park also makes it an easy choice if you’re already visiting the area. One thing to know before you go: the giant pandas returned to China in January 2026, so there are currently no pandas at Ueno Zoo (or anywhere else in Japan). → Ueno Zoo with Kids: A Local Mom’s Guide →Ueno Zoo with Kids: A Local Mom’s Guide
Tama Zoo trades central-Tokyo convenience for space — the grounds are enormous, and the Lion Bus safari-style ride is the standout for kids. → Tama Zoo with Kids: A Local Mom’s Guide (Tokyo’s Best-Value Zoo?)
Zoorasia, out in Yokohama, is built around walk-through habitat zones grouped by region of the world rather than the traditional cage-by-cage layout. → Zoorasia Yokohama with Kids: A Local Mom’s Guide
The smaller, closer-to-home options
Inokashira Park Zoo — the toddler-and-locals one
Musashino City, Tokyo — inside Inokashira Park, a short walk from Kichijoji Station.
Compared to Ueno or Zoorasia, this one is noticeably small, and if you’re coming from far away specifically for the animals, it might feel a little underwhelming — honestly. But that’s not really what it’s for. There’s a squirrel path (リスの小径) where, with some luck, you can get genuinely close to the squirrels — my kids light up every time with an excited “a squirrel!” and turn it into a mini treasure hunt. Budget a few hours for the animal side alone, or half a day if you add the small amusement rides on site, which make it a place a 1–4 year old could happily spend a full day at.
The zoo is also historically known for Hanako the elephant, though we didn’t come away with the sense that it’s worth a special trip from far away just for that. Where it really shines is for people who live nearby: the annual pass is cheap, so if you’re local, it’s a strong pick for repeat visits rather than a single big day out. It also pairs naturally with a stroll around Kichijoji, one of Tokyo’s more pleasant neighborhoods to wander.
Hamura City Zoo — the compact, budget one
Hamura City, Tokyo — western Tokyo, near Ōme.
Hamura is a small zoo, and no, there aren’t elephants — but you do get giraffes for ¥500. The zoo’s compact size actually works in its favor: it’s easy to walk around without feeling like you’re covering huge distances with a stroller. The penguin enclosure was a highlight for my kids, who stood there watching for a long while — the zoo keeps a fairly large number of them.
Realistically, this is a half-day visit. And worth being honest about the trade-off: other Tokyo metropolitan zoos (Ueno, Tama, Inokashira) are similarly priced in the ¥400–600 range, so Hamura’s appeal isn’t really “cheaper than the alternatives” — it’s more about being a easy, low-key, compact outing if you’re already in the western Tokyo area, rather than a destination worth a special trip from across the city.
The different kind of day out: Tobu Zoo
Miyashiro Town, Saitama Prefecture — about 30 minutes from central Tokyo via the Tobu line, with free parking on-site.
I haven’t been to this one myself, so this section is researched rather than lived-in. Tobu Zoo isn’t really comparable to the others on this list — it’s a combined zoo, amusement park, and (in summer) pool, spread across a genuinely large site with around 120 species and roughly 1,200 animals, including white tigers. Reviews consistently describe it as a full-day destination: plan to arrive early and expect to do a fair amount of walking, since the grounds are large.
Admission works differently depending on what you want: zoo-only tickets start from around ¥2,300, while combined zoo-and-amusement-park tickets run up to around ¥5,900. It gets genuinely crowded on weekends and holidays — some visitors describe surprising crowd levels even on a random Sunday — though the size of the grounds means it doesn’t feel as packed as a smaller venue would. If your family wants animals and rides in the same day rather than picking one, this is the option built for exactly that.
So which one should you pick?
- First time in Tokyo and want the most iconic zoo: Ueno — especially if you’re already planning to visit Ueno Park. It’s easy to get to and still feels like the classic Tokyo zoo experience, even without the pandas.
- Want space to roam and a bit of a safari feel: Tama Zoo, especially if the Lion Bus appeals to your kids.
- Traveling with a toddler and want something low-key: Inokashira Park Zoo, especially if you’re already planning a Kichijoji visit.
- Live in the Tokyo area and want a repeatable, easy outing: Inokashira (annual pass) or Hamura, depending on which side of the city you’re on.
- Want zoo + rides + pool in one full day: Tobu Zoo.
- Want the most modern, scenery-driven zoo experience: Zoorasia.
- Budget is the main concern: Hamura (¥500) or any of the Tokyo metropolitan zoos (Ueno, Tama, Inokashira — all under ¥600) beat Tobu Zoo and Zoorasia by a wide margin.
