Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens

The Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens (東山動植物園, Higashiyama Dōshokubutsuen) is a joint zoo and botanical garden located at Chikusa-ku, Nagoya, Japan. It is open every day except Monday, and charges a modest admission fee.

Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens

Botanical Gardens

Established in 1937, the Higashiyama Zoo is one of Asia's largest attractions, featuring a botanical garden and an amusement park. The Zoo contains more than 125 species of mammals, including bears, elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, and tigers, numerous reptiles and birds, and medaka tropical fish that flew on the space shuttle with one of Japan's astronauts. The logo for the koala exhibit was designed by manga artist Akira Toriyama in 1984.[1]

Garden collections include Aconitum, Camellia, Gentiana, Glycyrrhiza, Papaver, Rheum, and native wild flora, as well as a greenhouse, insect hall, and a Japanese garden. The Higashiyama Sky Tower allows visitors a view of Nagoya from its observation decks, and also features a restaurant 100 metres above ground.

As of 2010, Higashiyama Zoo had the 2nd most annual park visits of any zoo in Japan, behind only the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo.