Japan Monkey Centre

The Japan Monkey Centre is a specialized zoo that was founded in 1956 for primate research, conservation and education. The JMC claims to have the largest number (over 60) of nonhuman primate species in the world in its collection, and it receives many visitors (including researchers) from around the world.  The JMC is located in Inuyama City, a quiet community outside of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture, and is generally not on the radar for most tourists, both domestic and international.  I was told that the facility usually has only about 140,000 visitors a year, which is a small number compared to the 2,500,000 people who reportedly visited Nagoya’s Higashiyama Zoo in 2015.

Since the JMC is in large part purposed for research, and because some of the enclosures are old, there are some “concrete and cages” exhibits that many visitors will not like. But, at the same time, there are some enclosures which appear to provide good environments for the resident animals that can be quite attractive to the typical tourist.  For people who love monkeys, I think this relatively unknown zoo has the potential to become as popular as the Miyagi Zao Fox Village has become among fox lovers.

This zoo had many exhibits with original names.  I will discuss them one by one.

Monkey Scramble

After entering the JMC, one of the first features that visitors will see is the “Monkey Scramble”, a complex of connected structures which allow some monkey residents a certain amount of freedom of movement between areas. The first of these structures is the “Monkey Skyway” a 100-meter long suspension bridge hanging about 6 meters above the ground. Some parts of the skyway hang over areas where zoo visitors walk, and visitors are warned to be wary of falling objects or liquids (of the organic kind).  

Spider monkey walking on “Monkey Skyway”

A second structure is the “Big Loop”, basically a giant jungle gym for Siamangs (Symphalangus syndactylus).

The third structure is the “Eco dome” which is connected to the “Big Loop” by a sky trail consisting of metal pipes and horizontal handholds.

Squirrel Monkey Land

At the base of one end of the Monkey Skyway is “Squirrel Monkey Land”, an enclosure housing Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys (Saimiri boliviensis).  This area consists of a small island surrounded by a shallow moat. The zookeeper stationed at this exhibit explained that the monkeys cannot swim and are thus deathly afraid of the water barrier. This water barrier and electrified wires on the bridge leading to the island are apparently enough to keep the squirrel monkeys from escaping. The keeper further explained that the monkeys have free run of this island and are not locked away into cages at night.  The island, a little larger than a basketball court, is shown in the photo below:

Visitors cross a bridge and pass through a double gate to gain entrance to the island, and once inside the enclosure, visitors are in the monkeys’ environment.

Signs explaining rules for visitor behavior while inside the enclosure.  Rule number one is “Please don’t touch the monkeys”.  Rule number two prohibits the carrying of food while on the island.

This sign warns of the electrified wires which keep the monkeys from climbing over the bridge.

Other warning signs:

Various photographs of the Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys on the island – very cute little critters

I am not particularly a monkey fan, but I was so charmed by the little Squirrel Monkeys that I would have been willing to spend the better part of a whole day on this island alone. For monkey lovers, this island area alone is probably enough to justify the 600-yen price of admission to this zoo.

Wao Land

Another area for monkey lovers is “Wao Land”, the enclosure for the Ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta).  Similar to “Squirrel Monkey Land”, this enclosure also features a water moat and electrified barriers to keep the lemurs in the designated area.  

There was a considerable amount of grassy area for the lemurs to use, and there was an inner secured area where the lemurs spend each night.

Although the lemurs had the run of a large area, when I visited in a group of about 14 people, the 16 lemurs then on display all crowded towards the back corner of the exhibit where the zookeeper was standing. 

When the zookeeper moved a few meters, the lemurs also moved to follow her.  I am not sure whether they were expecting a treat from her or if they were seeking her protection from the large human intruders from outside.

Wao Land is another area where you can get really close to the monkeys, but you cannot touch or feed them.  Like Squirrel Monkey Land, there was a zookeeper present to monitor visitors’ behavior and answer questions.

Monkey Valley

This enclosure housed the Yakushima Macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui).  These macaques are native to Japan. 

This area featured a scaffold structure on which the macaques could climb.

For 100 yen, visitors could buy small cups of food to give to the macaques.

Feeding the macaques basically meant throwing the food to them from a lookout platform.

This macaque waits for a snack to be thrown his way.

Gibbon’s House

This exhibit included two structures, each had a center building flanked on both sides by a cage-type display area.

White-handed gibbon (Hylobates lar)

Zoo directory map featuring colorful characters

Castle of Baboons

This enclosure housing the Anubis baboons (Papio Anubis) had a distinctly old-fashioned kind of atmosphere.  It featured a structure of wooden logs fastened to metal poles upon which the baboons could climb.  This structure sat upon a bare concrete mound (I was told this was referred to as a “Hageyama” or “Bald Mountain”) and was surrounded by a tall concrete wall.  Visitors could look down into the enclosure from a walkway on top of the wall, or from windows located at the front of the structure.

Just like at “Monkey Valley”, they sold 100-yen cups of food that could be thrown to the baboons.

African Center

This complex housed the chimpanzees, gorilla, and mandrills.

We were told that the Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) enclosure used to feature only a “Hageyama” (bald mountain) like the one in the “Castle of Baboons”, but then it was decided to plant vegetation in the enclosure to allow the chimpanzees a little privacy.

On the day of my visit, there was a mother and child chimpanzee out in the exhibit area.

Outdoor portion of Mandrill enclosure – this was connected to an indoor area.  Due to darker lighting conditions I failed to get a usable photo of the indoor portion of this enclosure.

Indoor portion of Lowland Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) enclosure

Outdoor portion of Gorilla enclosure

Indoor portion of second Chimpanzee enclosure

Outdoor portion of second Chimpanzee enclosure

Madagascar House

This area housed Black lemurs, Brown lemurs, and Ruffed lemurs. The enclosures were arranged in a row and could be viewed through windows.

View of lemur through window.

The lemurs’ indoor enclosures were connected to three outdoor areas separated by electrified fences and surrounded by a water barrier.  In this set-up, three sets of lemurs could be allowed outside at any one time.

South American House

This building had an outdoor portion and an indoor portion.  The indoor portion housed different varieties of marmosets and tamarins.

The indoor temperature was kept at about 25 degrees Celsius, and because humidity is controlled to replicate the environment found in the South American rainforest, it was slightly uncomfortable.  Making matters worse, the indoor areas have the strong smell of urine.  According to the JMC homepage, these animals communicate a lot using smell, so they do a lot of scent marking.

Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)

Asian House and African House

These two areas consisted mostly of concrete and cage designed enclosures, and it was impossible to get a good photo of any of these specimens.

Abyssinian Colobus (Colobus guereza)

Tibetan Macaque (Macaca thibetana)

Opportunities for Animal Encounters

Basically, the rule throughout the JMC is that visitors may not touch the monkeys.  The only place that visitors could touch any animals was the “Kid’s Zoo”, a small area which cost an additional 200 yen to enter.  According to the homepage, there are fluffy animals such as goats, degus, guinea pigs, and rabbits, exotic animals such as Madagascar hissing cockroaches and leopard geckos, and domestic favorites like beetles. On the day I visited, it was quite hot, and except for the goats and turtles and fish, the staff rotated animals in and out of an air-conditioned building.

Educational Efforts: Visitor Center

As mentioned earlier, the JMC was founded in 1956 for primate research, conservation, and education. In 1957, the JMC was registered under Japanese law as a museum. The visitor center has an auditorium room for lectures and workshop rooms for many educational activities.  There are also educational displays and taxidermy specimens of many of the species housed at JMC. 

The displays were interesting, but most could have used more English.

Food and Souvenirs

There were two places to buy food at JMC.  There was a restaurant that served modern Japanese dishes like curry rice, ramen noodles, udon noodles, and miso-cutlet plates.

There was also a small food concession that sold wieners on a stick, corn dogs, French fries, and shaved ice.

Inside of the Visitor Center, there was a small corner of gifts and souvenirs.  Only a few items had the Japan Monkey Centre name or logo on it.

These small hand towels were very cute.

One of the more charming items was the lemur dolls that were handmade in Madagascar.

Getting There

To get to the Japan Monkey Centre from Nagoya Station, take the Meitetsu line to Meitetsu Inuyama Station.  If you ride an express train, the ride should take less than 30 minutes. From Meitetsu Inuyama station, it takes about 5 to 10 minutes by bus or taxi. I caught a taxi, and it cost me 1050 yen.  The JMC homepage also mentioned being able to walk from the train station to the JMC in 20 minutes, but in the mid-summer heat, I didn’t want to try it.  Admission was 600 yen for adults, 400 yen for elementary and junior high school students, 300 yen for preschool children (age 3 years and up), and free for children under 2 years old. The JMC is closed every Tuesday and Wednesday and some other weekdays. Visitors should check the homepage calendar before making the trip.

(Note: The photos taken in this post were taken during a visit on July 8, 2017.  The comments in this post are based on observations made on that day.  Conditions may have since changed.  Please check it out for yourself!)