Ichikawa City Zoological and Botanical Garden

In Ōmachi, Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, there has been a zoological and botanical garden since 1987. The grounds span approximately 60,000 square meters. About 40 species and roughly 300 animals coexist with plant areas including a rose garden and tropical plant greenhouse, a scale that rewards a full day of exploration. Just a 15-minute walk from Ōmachi Station on the Hokusō Line, it draws families on weekends.

The Red Panda Garden

Ten red pandas live here, among Japan's largest populations. You'll notice distinct personalities. Some curl into sleeping balls in trees, while others trudge along the ground at their own pace. Their activity levels shift throughout the day, so visiting at different times may reveal entirely different moods.

Close Encounters with Animals

Three Sumatran orangutans inhabit the grounds, and watching them traverse ropes with their long arms is a breathtaking sight. Panchi-kun, a Japanese macaque, became a social media sensation in early 2026, and many visitors now return to witness his growth.

In the Monkey Zone, a new facility called Osarūmu (monkey-room) will open on March 20, 2026. This shared habitat, funded through crowdfunding, will be used on a rotating basis by Bolivian squirrel monkeys, ruffed lemurs, and mandrills. An elevated aerial pathway lets visitors look up and watch the primates walk overhead.

In the petting area, you can touch guinea pigs and miniature pigs directly, giving even young children an intimate experience with the animals.

The Flowing Asian Small-Clawed Otter

This signature facility features otters swimming through pipes as they move about the garden. You can follow them at eye level as they zip past overhead and underfoot with splashing water. Their underwater speed is astonishing, yet on land they immediately begin grooming. That contrast between their frantic and leisurely moments, along with their unhurried nature, never grows old to watch.

Facilities for Children

At the Mini Railway Plaza, a 110-yen ride takes you aboard a miniature train. The vehicle moves gently through the garden's green spaces, just the right speed for a young child's first railway adventure.

A grass slope carved into a natural hill offers sliding in all seasons. The sensation changes from lush spring grass to dry autumn straw.

Plants Through the Seasons

Adjacent to the zoological garden, the Nature Observation Garden is free to enter. Wetlands and forests remain preserved here, and you can walk the wooden boardwalks while listening to birdsong.

The rose garden contains approximately 110 varieties and 934 plants in total, peaking in bloom from May to June and October to November. At their height, red, white, and pink blossoms fill the low hedges, and their sweet fragrance drifts through the pathways.

The Tropical Plant Greenhouse's ornamental plant garden showcases varieties that cannot survive outdoors in Japan, viewable year-round. Even in winter, the greenhouse stays lush with greenery. The temperature difference from outside may surprise you.

Visitor Information

Opening hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with admission until 4:00 p.m. The garden closes every Monday, though if Monday falls on a national holiday, closure shifts to the following day. The garden is also closed during the New Year period.

Admission

• Adults 440 yen
• Elementary and junior high school students 110 yen
• Preschool children free

Access

In addition to Ōmachi Station, the garden is accessible by bus from Motoyawata Station or Ichikawa-Ōno Station.

The official website provides detailed route guidance from major airports and stations, so be sure to take advantage of it.