Kobe Animal Kingdom (Kobe Doubutsu Oukoku)

This animal collection originally opened in 2006 under the name “Kachoen” (Japanese for “Bird – Flower Park”), and became known for its collection of owls and beautiful floral blooms.  The facility is constructed as a complex of large one-storied greenhouses appropriate for cultivating flowers year-round, and features a central pond designed to house water birds.  In 2014, the facility was renamed “Kobe Doubutsu Oukoku”, and accordingly, the present focus is on animals in general, not just birds.  Kobe Animal Kingdom promotes itself as a park where people can encounter flowers and animals, and the animals housed here appear to have been chosen for their willingness to allow people to touch them.  The park is divided into a number of zones, and I will describe them in the order I encountered them.

Contact Animals Zone

Upon first entering the indoor facility, one sees a room where visitors can play with dogs and cats.  I skipped this area and moved onto the area with the rabbits and guinea pigs.  These animals are displayed in a manner that allows visitors easy access to touch and pet them.  Some might say that there is too much access to the animals.

Rabbit and guinea pig area

Watch where you step: rabbits are everywhere.  And although signs tell visitors to leave the animals alone if they move into certain marked off areas, there really was nowhere for the animals to escape from overeager, excited young children.

The guinea pigs were kept in elevated pens at a height at which adults and older children could easily reach them.

There was a sign explaining the guinea pig’s scientific name, characteristics, eating habits, and original habitat range.  Similar signs were posted for all of the various animals in the park.

This panel board featured photos of each of the guinea pigs in this area, complete with their names.

These signs set out rules for visitor behavior.

Fish Handling and Water Lilies Zone

This area featured two pools of water.  The smaller pool contained small fish, and for 300 yen, visitors could rest their feet in the pool and have the fish eat the dead skin off their legs.  This experience supposedly leaves the visitor with smooth skin, but since the idea of fish sucking on my toes with their bacteria laden lips gives me the creeps, I passed on this activity.  

Visitors could also buy fish food for 100 yen.

The larger pool was full of giant water lilies.  This area was used for bird shows featuring trained Macaws and small owls.

Flower Shower Area

The next area featured many giant hanging planters with various colorful flowers.

There was also a small corner with four owls that were identified as: a Verraux’s Eagle Owl, a Rock Eagle Owl, a Barn Owl, and a White-Faced Scops Owl.  These owls were secured by rope tethers to two large logs, and visitors were allowed to get within one meter of the animals.

White-faced Scops Owl

Pelican Lagoon Zone

Located in the middle of the greenhouses, the Pelican Lagoon is a large shallow pool only centimeters deep.  In the middle of the pool, there was an artificial island which provided a habitat for many of the animals.  Below are photos of some of the birds and other animals kept in this area.

White pelican

Grey-crowned Crane

Scarlet Ibis

Ruddy Shelduck

Female Mandarin duck

Black-necked Stilt

Sitatunga

A zookeeper did a “show-and-tell” program about the Ring-tailed Lemurs.

Tropical Forest Zone

This zone housed what was labeled as African spurred tortoises, Aldabra giant tortoises, a Burmese black forest tortoise, and a Red-footed tortoise.  Although visitors were free to touch the animals, it appeared the animals preferred to move away from the visitors, especially the young children who seemed to regard them as toys.

Food for the tortoises was 100 yen.

Two-toed sloth display

Keeper feeding sloth

Birds overhead

Toco toucans

One cup of bird feed for 100 yen.

Aqua Valley Zone

This area featured American Beavers, South American Fur Seals, Capybaras, and Patagonian Cavys (Mara).  Visitors were allowed, and even encouraged, to feed and touch the Capybaras and Maras.

American Beaver tank

South American Fur Seal

Capybara area

Buy a ticket to feed the Capybaras - 100 yen, or six tickets for 500 yen.

Mara 

Outside Area

Stepping outside of the greenhouse complex, visitors can interact with a number of animals housed outdoors.

“Penguin Walk” area with African Penguins

“Kangaroo Farm”

Visitor contact with the Red Kangaroos was supervised by a zookeeper

“Alpaca Space”

“Sheeps Hill”

Pygmy goat in sheeps’ area

Bactrian Camel in “Camel Corner”

“Horse Ride” area

African Wetland

This area housed a pair of Shoe-Billed Storks, Maribou Storks, and Red River Hogs.

People were allowed to get very close to the Shoe-billed Stork.  Amazingly, the stork didn’t show much of a response.

Animal Promenade

This area served as a second entrance to the facility for visitors who came by car.  (There is a large parking lot on this side of the facility.) 

Below is a photo of the exhibit area for Ringtailed Coatis.  The floor was concrete slab, and the walls were made of wood and glass.  In this area there were various small Owls, Meerkats, Cape Hyraxes, a Fennec fox, and a Bintarong in similar quarters. 

There was also a Bald Eagle.  The enclosure for this eagle was about 4 meters long and about 2 to 3 meters from window to the wall.

Food and Souvenirs

There were three places to buy food in the facility: a burger counter, an all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant, and a café counter.  I decided to try the buffet which was priced at 1430 yen for adults.

This is what I picked up from the buffet: curry and rice, French fries, fried chicken karaage, meatballs, and some vegetables.  Lots of fried foods – not very healthy.

There was a very well stocked souvenir store with lots of snacks and branded goods. 

There were also lots of stuffed toys…

…and even a plant shop.

Getting There

Visitors should first make their way to the Sannomiya area where the Hankyu Railways, the JR Railways, and Hanshin Railways each have a station.  At Sannomiya, visitors should look for the Port Liner monorail which is located in the building adjacent to the JR Sannomiya Station.  At the Port Liner station, visitors board the monorail heading for Kobe Airport.  Kobe Animal Kingdom is located immediately in front of the “Kei Computer Mae” station, the last stop before Kobe Airport.  The ride from Sannomiya to “Kei Computer Mae” takes about 14 minutes.  Visitors should be careful when boarding the monorail as some departures do a circuit around Port Island and do not go as far as “Kei Computer Mae”. 

Below is a view of Kobe Animal Kingdom as seen from the monorail station.

The view as you descend the stairs from the monorail station.

Admission was 1500 yen for adults, 800 yen for children under 12 years old, 300 yen for children 4 to 5 years old, and 1100 yen for seniors over 65 years old.

(Note: All photos taken in this post were taken during a visit on August 15, 2015.  The comments in this post are based on observations made on that day.  Conditions may have since changed.  Please check it out for yourself!)