Located in Sakyo-ku, Kyoto City Zoo is a smaller cousin to the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo. Bearing this in mind, there is still a good selection of animals, with well over a hundred different species to gaze at. Tending to be quieter than the bigger zoos, you actually get more of a chance to see the animals without crowds of people pushing you out of the way. Admission fees are very good value at only ¥600 for adults, and free for children! If like me you have a Kyoto Sightseeing one or two day pass, you’ll have a few vouchers that can be used at different locations. Kyoto Zoo is one of those, and the voucher lowers admission to an even better ¥500.
I’ve personally never really been a fan of zoos, but coming to Kyoto City Zoo and seeing the animals up close is an impressive opportunity. There’s a huge selection of exotic birds for you to have a look at, including a lovely little Hedwig for any of you Harry Potter fans out there!
I’d like to see you find a kid that doesn’t love the aspect of seeing all of the animals at a zoo. Kyoto Zoo is definitely a place to bring the kids and distract them for a few hours, leaving them happy, and you in their good books! There’s also a petting section for the kids, so they can interact with some of the animals, real close up and personal.
I enjoyed the newest addition to the zoo, the ape housing. There’s a family of gorillas to view, the youngest of which seemed to like swinging around in front of everyone!
There’s a café and a restaurant if you get thirsty or hungry, as well as a shop for some cute souvenirs. Near the back of the Zoo you’ll find a building full of stuffed animals and facts, pretty much like a mini museum. This is obviously included in the price; so don’t worry about any additional fees!
Being in a quieter area of Kyoto, there are plenty of beautiful and peaceful parks and gardens for you to rest in after your trip to the zoo!
