Shirotori Zoo Kagawa

Shirotori Zoo in eastern Kagawa has built a devoted following across Japan for one reason: closeness. This small, family run style zoo lets animals and visitors mingle to a degree big city zoos never could, with free roaming residents, constant feeding opportunities and a famously relaxed atmosphere.

A zoo without distance

Capybara, tortoises, peacocks and other easygoing residents wander the grounds among visitors, while feeding cups let you win the attention of everything from deer to hippos at astonishingly close range. The zoo is best known for its big cats, with cubs raised in view of the public in many seasons, and its keeper videos have made minor internet celebrities of several residents. It is hands on in a way that turns even reluctant zoo goers into participants; allow more time than the compact grounds suggest.

Worth knowing

This corner of Kagawa is quiet, so the zoo rarely feels crowded outside holidays. Combining it with udon country’s famous noodle shops toward Takamatsu, or the pilgrimage temples of eastern Shikoku, makes a satisfying off the beaten path day.

Getting there

Take the JR Kotoku Line from Takamatsu toward Sanbonmatsu Station in around an hour, then a taxi for the final stretch; a rental car is the simpler option and opens up the region. From Tokushima the drive takes under an hour.

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