Ueno Zoo — Tokyo's Oldest Metropolitan Zoo in Ueno Park

Ueno Zoo (恩賜上野動物園) is the Tokyo Metropolitan zoo set inside Ueno Park in Taito Ward. Opened on 20 March 1882, it is the oldest zoo in Japan and today houses roughly 500 species across a compact 14-hectare site divided into East and West gardens.

How Ueno Zoo sits in the Ueno area

Ueno Zoo occupies part of Ueno Park and is the long-established municipal zoological garden for Tokyo. Its main gate sits a short walk from the park side of Ueno Station, making the zoo one of the most accessible and historically prominent animal collections in the city. The grounds are split into East and West gardens, joined by a pedestrian bridge named Isoppu Bridge; the two sides present different line-ups of enclosures and visitor flows.

Getting there and the main entrance

The zoo’s main gate faces Ueno Park and is about a five-minute walk from Ueno Station (Park Exit). The gate has been referred to as the main gate; until 2022 its older name was Omote-mon. For much of the 20th century the site also operated a short internal monorail: the Ueno Zoo Monorail opened on 17 December 1957 as Japan’s first permanent monorail, was put into suspension on 1 November 2019 and was officially abolished on 27 December 2023.

Layout and notable enclosures (east and west)

Ueno Zoo occupies approximately 14 hectares and is divided into East and West gardens connected by Isoppu Bridge. The East Garden contains long-established and modernised exhibits: the Gorilla & Tiger Forest (opened in spring 1996) displays Sumatran tigers and western lowland gorillas; the Polar Bear and Sea of Seals building opened on 28 October 2011 and houses polar bears, ringed seals, Svalbard ptarmigan and snowy owls; the Elephant Forest (opened 2004) keeps Asian elephants, recorded in the collection with named individuals Surya and Utai (females) and Arun (male). The East Garden also includes the long-standing Monkey Mountain (completed 15 October 1931), the Bear Hill exhibit (opened 28 April 2006) with Ezo brown bears and Japanese black bears, and a number of bird and small-mammal houses (some of which are listed in the source as currently under refurbishment).

The West Garden contains the Panda Forest (opened 8 September 2020), enclosures for small mammals, the Penguin Pool (Cape/African penguins), the Shoebill house, and the Amphibian & Reptile House (opened 20 July 1999) with Japanese giant salamander, Nile and other crocodilians, Galápagos tortoises and a large collection of reptiles and amphibians. Other West Garden facilities include the Aye-aye Forest (opened 23 May 2009) and a renewed Children’s Zoo Step (reopened 11 July 2017) that focuses on domesticated and approachable species.

Signature species, breeding achievements and changing collections

Ueno Zoo has kept several species that draw attention for rarity or conservation history. The collection has included Sumatran tigers, western lowland gorillas, pygmy hippopotamus (counted among the world’s rarer terrestrial mammals), and giant pandas during multiple periods. The zoo has documented many early breeding achievements in Japan: it was the site of Japan’s first giraffe birth (1937) and first common hippopotamus breeding (1938). Later milestones include Japan’s first orangutan and California sea lion breeding (1961), first successful breeding of jaguars and pygmy hippos in Japan (1962), the world’s first captive breeding of the West African dwarf crocodile (1972), and a range of notable firsts in artificial insemination and captive breeding across the later 20th century. The amphibian and reptile collection, the aye-aye exhibit and other newer houses reflect decades of changing husbandry and conservation priorities.

Giant pandas have been a recurring presence and influence on attendance. Pandas were first exhibited from 1972; after a hiatus the zoo received panda loan animals in 2011 (the pair arrived 21 February 2011 and were given the Japanese names “Leilei” and “Shinshin”, with public display beginning 22 March 2011). Later panda births and loan extensions occurred, and children born at the zoo were publicised. The zoo’s panda displays were recorded as running through 2026, and on 25 January 2026 the exhibition of giant pandas ended.

History, incidents and wartime loss

Ueno Zoo opened in 1882 as a facility attached to the Bureau of the Museum of the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce; its initial grounds were about one hectare. Over time administration passed from the national ministry to the Imperial Household Agency, then to Tokyo City and the Tokyo Metropolitan Construction Bureau. In wartime, August–September 1943 saw the culling of a number of large animals: by official order, 14 species and 27 individuals (including elephants, bears, lions, tigers and other large species) were destroyed as part of wartime measures. In 1936 the escape of a black panther created a major incident: the animal was captured after twelve hours, and the episode is remembered in contemporary lists as one of several headline events of Showa 11 (1936). The zoo’s staff history includes a record of on-site fatal accidents in the 20th century tied to elephant handling; the first fatal keeper accident at the zoo is recorded on 15 September 1931.

Management and visitor numbers

Ueno Zoo is now run under Tokyo’s designated manager system by the Tokyo Zoological Park Society (a public-interest incorporated foundation). The collection comprises roughly 500 species. Ueno Zoo leads Japan in annual visitor numbers: while Asahikawa’s Asahiyama Zoo has outdrawn Ueno in some months, Ueno Zoo has retained the top annual attendance overall. Specific figures recorded in the source include about 3.5 million visitors to Ueno in fiscal 2006 while Asahiyama recorded about 3.04 million that year; attendance fell to roughly 2.9 million in fiscal 2008, when Asahiyama recorded around 2.77 million and the margin narrowed. The zoo also participates with other Tokyo metropolitan zoos such as Tama Zoo and Inokashira Park’s facility in the “Zoo Stock Plan” for coordinated animal management and conservation.

FAQ

When did Ueno Zoo open?

Ueno Zoo opened on 20 March 1882.

How large is Ueno Zoo and how is it laid out?

The zoo covers 14 hectares and is divided into East and West gardens connected by Isoppu Bridge.

What is the nearest station to the main gate?

The main gate is about a five-minute walk from Ueno Station (Park Exit).

Are giant pandas on display at Ueno Zoo now?

The giant panda exhibition ended on 25 January 2026.