Tennōji Zoo Explained

is a 11-hectare (27-acre) zoo located at Tennōji Park in Tennōji-ku, Osaka, Japan, opened on January 1, 1915. It is the third zoo to be built in Japan and is located southwest of the Shitennō-ji temple, the first Buddhist temple in Japan.

Attractions and Animals

African Savanna Zone

African SavannaThe habitat features expansive habitats for African animals. These habitats are arranged so that predators like lions and hyenas appear to be sharing the same space with their prey.^[1]

• Common dwarf mongoose
• Common eland
• Eastern black rhinoceros
• Egyptian goose
• Grant's zebra
• Hippopotamus
• Lesser flamingo
• Lion
• Marabou stork
• Nile tilapia
• Reticulated giraffe
• Rock hyrax
• Spotted hyena

IFAR Reptile House

• Aldabra giant tortoise
• American alligator
• Burmese python
• Chinese alligator
• Gila monster
• Japanese giant salamander
• Alligator snapping turtle
• Asian water monitor
• Nile monitor
• Radiated tortoise
• Japanese pond turtle

Other animals

• Andean condor
• Amur tiger
• Jaguar
• Japanese golden eagle
• Mongolian wolf
• Mouflon
• Red panda

Asian Tropical Rainforest Zone and Friendship Garden

Themed after a Southeast Asian rainforest, this zone formerly housed Asian elephants, the last of which, a female named Hiroko passed away in 2018.^[2]

Friendship GardenEstablished in April 2022, visitors are allowed to interact with domestic animals.^{[3] [4]}

• Goat
• Guinea pig
• Noma horse
• Sheep

Nocturnal HouseThe zoo is the only zoo in Japan to house kiwis.^[5] In 2024, concerns were raised over the suitability of the kiwi enclosure.^[6]

• Egyptian fruit bat
• Japanese raccoon dog
• North Island brown kiwi

Chimpanzee, Monkey and Baboon House

• Black-and-white ruffed lemur
• Chimpanzee
• De Brazza's monkey
• Drill
• François' langur
• Grivet
• Lion-tailed macaque
• Siamang
• Tufted capuchin

Other animals

• Sika deer
• Emu

World of Birds and Surrounding Area

Crane House

• Demoiselle crane
• Grey crowned crane
• Hooded crane
• Red-crowned crane

World of BirdsOpened on November 21, 2023.^[7]

• Edwards's pheasant
• Pink and grey cockatoo
• Helmeted guineafowl
• Guineafowl
• Laughing kookaburra
• Satyr tragopan
• Temminck's tragopan
• Green pheasant
• Palawan peacock-pheasant
• Snowy owl
• Mallard
• Mandarin duck
• Eastern spot-billed duck
• Japanese night heron

Other

• American flamingo
• Chilean flamingo
• Oriental stork
• White cockatoo

Aviary Zone and Surrounding Area

Flight Aviary Home to free-flying waterbirds, the aviary has springs, dams, streams and forest, recreating a natural environment.^[8]

• Eastern spot-billed duck
• Little egret
• Mallard
• Mandarin duck
• White stork

Penguin Park & Sea Lion WharfOpened on April 26, 2023.^[9]

• California sea lion
• Humboldt penguin

Bear House

• Polar bear
• Spectacled bear
• Sun bear

Access

• Osaka Municipal Subway Midosuji Line: Dobutsuen-mae Station
• Osaka Municipal Subway Sakaisuji Line: Ebisucho Station
• JR West, Osaka Municipal Subway: Tennoji Station
• JR West, Nankai Railway: Shin-Imamiya Station
• Hankai Tramway Hankai Line: Minami-Kasumicho Station
• Kintetsu Minami Osaka Line: Osaka Abenobashi Station
• Osaka City Bus: Dobutsuen-mae, Tennoji-koen-mae (Shinsekai Gate), Abenobashi (Tennoji Gate)

External links

• • Osaka Municipal Recreation and Tourism Bureau
• Official site

Notes and References

1. Web site: Tennoji Zoo "Zoo21 Project" . www.city.osaka.lg.jp.
2. Web site: Hiroko at Osaka Tennoji Zoo in Japan - Elephant Encyclopedia and Database. www.elephant.se.
3. Web site: ふれあい広場からおしらせ. 28 March 2022.
4. Web site: 新施設「ふれんどしっぷガーデン」がオープンします. 14 April 2022.
5. Web site: Asian Tropical Rainforest Zone and Surrounding Area . Osaka Tennoji Zoo.
6. News: Kiwi filmed in 'bright and tiny' enclosure at Japanese zoo . 20 January 2024 . . Perry . Wilton.
7. Web site: 新施設「鳥のセカイ」がオープンします . ja . New facility "Bird World" opens.
8. Web site: Aviary Zone and Surrounding Area . Osaka Tennoji Zoo .
9. Web site: 新施設「ペンギンパーク＆アシカワーフ」がオープンします. 10 April 2023.