Gokatsura Pond Furusato Village, Zoo in Taki, Japan.
Gokatsura Pond Furusato Village is a zoo in Taki, Japan, set on green grounds with animal enclosures housing around 49 species, including lions and wallabies. The site also has a restaurant and a farmers market where local growers sell fresh produce from nearby fields.
The site was created in the 1980s as a community project after citrus farming declined in the Gokatsura area, leaving the local economy in need of new activity. The zoo and market were built together as a way to bring people back to the area.
The restaurant on the grounds is a training space where students from Taki High School cook and serve real visitors as part of their studies. Their work has earned recognition at national competitions.
The grounds are easy to walk around, with flat paths connecting the animal areas and the market space, so comfortable shoes are enough. Visiting on a weekday tends to be quieter, which makes it easier to take your time with both the animals and the stalls.
Although it is a zoo, the grounds sit directly next to working farmland, so visitors can see animals and crops at the same time. The farmers market on site sells produce grown literally within sight of the animal enclosures.
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