Atagawa Tropical & Alligator Garden Tickets

The seaside onsen town of Atagawa on the Izu Peninsula steams so generously that locals found a second use for all that free heat: raising crocodilians and tropical plants. The Atagawa Tropical & Alligator Garden, known to generations of Japanese holidaymakers as the banana and crocodile park, keeps one of the world’s larger collections of alligators and crocodiles alongside greenhouses of orchids, giant water lilies and fruiting banana palms, all warmed by the springs beneath the town.

What you will see

The park spreads across several sites linked by shuttle, with reptile houses at one end and plant houses climbing the hillside at the other. Beyond the crocodiles, the residents include manatees and a colony of red pandas that have quietly become the stars for many visitors. The greenhouses are at their most enjoyable in winter, when you step from sea wind into equatorial humidity among flowering tropicals.

A slice of showa holiday culture

This is classic Japanese resort sightseeing from an earlier era, cheerfully retro and better for it. Combine it with Atagawa’s seafront foot baths and the sight of steam vents rising between houses for a half day, then continue down the Izu coast.

Getting there

The park entrance is directly beside Izu-Atagawa Station on the Izukyu Line, with limited express Odoriko services running through from Tokyo via Atami in around two and a half hours. From Atami, local Izukyu trains take about 45 minutes.

Frequently asked questions

Why crocodiles in a hot spring town? The abundant geothermal heat made tropical animal and plant keeping practical decades ago, and the park grew from there.

How long does a visit take? Around 90 minutes across the linked sites.

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