Gunma Safari Park Tickets

Gunma Safari Park lets you drive among lions, giraffes and rhinos in the hills of Tomioka, northwest of Tokyo, one of the few genuine drive through safari experiences in eastern Japan. Around a hundred species roam its zoned enclosures, and whether you take your own car or the park’s guided safari bus, the animals come to you rather than the reverse.

How the safari works

The route winds through African and Asian zones where herbivores wander freely around the vehicles, followed by the big predator enclosures entered through double gates. The park’s white tigers are its emblem, and a Japanese wildlife section adds bears and native deer you rarely see well in the wild. Feeding buses with caged windows let you hand food to some species at nose length, the ride most children remember. A walking area with smaller animals and an amusement corner rounds out the visit.

Making it a day

The safari pairs naturally with the UNESCO listed Tomioka Silk Mill fifteen minutes away, Japan’s first modern silk factory, which makes the trip out from Tokyo feel like two attractions for one journey. Winter visits have their own appeal, with animals lively in the cold and the crowds thin.

Getting there

By car, the park is a few minutes from the Tomioka interchange on the Joshinetsu Expressway, about two hours from central Tokyo. By rail, take the Joshin Dentetsu line from Takasaki to Joshu-Tomioka and continue by taxi; Takasaki is under an hour from Tokyo by shinkansen.

Frequently asked questions

Can you visit without a car? Yes, park safari buses run the course, and the feeding bus is arguably the better experience anyway.

How long does the circuit take? Around an hour driving, plus the walking zones.

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