Komoro City Zoo, Animal park in Komoro Castle grounds, Japan
Komoro City Zoo is a public zoo inside Kaikoen Park in Komoro, Nagano Prefecture. It houses native Japanese animals alongside species from other parts of the world, with enclosures spread across a green, hilly park area.
The zoo opened in 1926 on the grounds of Komoro Castle, a 16th-century fortress that once belonged to the Makino clan. The castle ruins were never removed and remain part of the park to this day.
The Kawakami dogs on display are a rare Japanese breed closely tied to the Nagano region, and seeing them here feels like encountering something genuinely local. Visitors can watch them up close in a way that is rarely possible elsewhere in Japan.
The park sits on uneven ground, so sturdy shoes are a good idea if you plan to walk through all sections. Going early in the day tends to mean fewer people around the animal enclosures.
This zoo is one of very few in Japan built directly on the grounds of a former castle, so old stone walls and tower foundations appear between the animal enclosures as you walk around. Some enclosures are actually built against the remaining fortification walls.
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