Saitama Children's Zoo, Zoo and nature park in Higashimatsuyama, Japan.
Saitama Children's Zoo is a zoo and nature park in Higashimatsuyama spanning 46 hectares with 160 animal species distributed across several themed zones. The facility divides into areas for domestic animals, exotic species, and rotating exhibits that introduce visitors to different habitats and behaviors.
The facility opened on May 5, 1980, as part of Saitama Prefecture's efforts to provide regional residents with access to nature education. Koala keeping began in 1986 through an agreement with Queensland, bringing the first representatives of this species to Saitama.
The name connects the site with young visitors, reflected in the low enclosures and feeding areas that allow children direct views of animals. Families use the petting zones and open pathways between enclosures for shared exploration tours through different climate zones.
The park opens daily at 9:30 in the morning and closes at 5:00 in the afternoon, giving visitors several hours to explore. The flat pathways and shaded trees make the circuit comfortable even on warm days, especially for groups with small children.
The park keeps quokkas from Australia and gundis from North Africa as the only facility in Japan housing these species. Both animals regularly draw visitors who would otherwise need to travel very far to see them in the wild or in other zoos.
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