[Parent-Child Days #024] Super close to the animals! Taking a 2-year-old and a 0-year-old to Nasu Animal Kingdom

Sorry to bother you again!
It's Basha.

This is the 24th article in 'Parent-Child Days,' a record of our outings as a family.

This time, I wrote an article about our family trip to Nasu Animal Kingdom in Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture, with our 2-year-old and 0-year-old children.
I took our 2-year-old and 0-year-old children to Nasu Animal Kingdom,
and wrote an article about our family trip there.

I hope this will be helpful for those looking for zoos or day trip ideas.
I hope this serves as a reference.

[First, the conclusion!]

The distance to the animals is very close,
and it was a zoo that even a 2-year-old could enjoy.

Not only can you see the animals,
but you can also learn about environmental conservation,
which is educational for adults as well.

And the sand cat.
It's as cute as an angel, and it's worth going just for that!

The food at the restaurant was also delicious,
making it a great outing spot for the whole family to enjoy.

[Quick Review]

It's like this!

Excitement level: ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Cost performance: ★★★☆☆ (3.5)
Photo index: ★★★★☆ (4.5)
Parent-child synchronization rate: 80%

Stay duration: 4 hours

Amount spent: 8,000 yen
・Ticket price (for 2 adults)
・Restaurant bill
・Parking fee

[Report & Photos]

From here on, I'll give a rough report along with photos!

The reason we came to Nasu Animal Kingdom this time is because I wanted to see the sand cat that I fell in love with at first sight on TV. lol

I thought it would be fun even with small children, so we went.

・Entrance

The parking lot was large and easy to park in,
and the children were a little excited by the atmosphere at the entrance.

We paid for parking in advance,
and since we had also bought tickets online,
we were able to enter smoothly.

- Town Area

First, we headed to the Town Area.
There was so much to see, so I'll give a rough introduction with plenty of photos!

Wolf Hill.
Pure white Arctic wolves.

I would have liked to see them a bit closer if possible, but
they didn't come near us.

Serval.
They look cool every time I see them!

Penguin Village.
There are many different types of penguins.

Wetland.
Flamingos and shoebills.

How do we live?

Jaguar—I'm scared, so I'm running away. lol

Asian Forest.
The red pandas are at an incredibly close distance.
So cute.

The distance to the animals is quite close, and
the kids reacted to them right away.

It's not just looking through glass;
in some places, the animals are really right next to you.

With a sense of distance where you think, "Wait, they're walking there?"
the animals trot along, so
even adults naturally get excited.

- Conservation Forest

You can see animals whose extinction is a concern, such as the Tsushima leopard cat and the Japanese rock ptarmigan.

About the Tsushima leopard cat.
It's still a bit difficult for a 2-year-old and a 0-year-old to understand, but
it's a place that really makes adults think.

Ptarmigan.
The name sounds cool, but they look round and cute.
Apparently, their numbers are decreasing due to environmental changes.

- Sand Cat

And the main event this time.
The sand cat.

This was just truly adorable.
It's worth coming here just to see the sand cat.

- Moving to the Farm Area

We took the bus to the Farm Area midway through our visit.

We had to wait a little for the bus, but
we were able to fold up our stroller and bring it on board.

The staff were very helpful, so
it didn't feel like much of a struggle even with kids in tow.

My child was super excited about the cute bus.

- Farm Area

The Farm Area is spacious and has an open feel.

You can see the animals up close, and
the scenery is beautiful, making it a very pleasant area.

It costs about 300 yen, but
the feeding experience is highly recommended.

We fed the horses and sheep.

Alpacas, ponies, and a hawk.

And Valais Blacknose sheep.
The kind you often see in anime!

Kangaroo Farm.
Lots of lazy kangaroos. lol

The Farm Area has some slopes, so
it can be a bit tough to push a stroller in some places,
so parents should be prepared! lol

We actually wanted to see the show, but
we couldn't make the timing work this time.

If you're going specifically for the show,
I recommend checking the schedule in advance.

- Restaurant

Yamaneko Terrace for
lunch.

A restaurant where you can dine while looking out at the nature of Nasu.

They use 'Tsushima Leopard Cat Rice' for their white rice,
so you can learn a little about conservation efforts through your meal.

Nasu Wagyu Beef Curry and Kids' Curry.
The stewed meat was tender and delicious!

Yamaneko Lunch.
What my wife had.

・Bacon skewers

Found this while walking.
I was surprised at how incredibly delicious this was too!

・Others

A Nasu character with not much explanation
and a face-in-hole photo board.

Beautiful scenery.

There is also a well-equipped baby room.
The inside was spacious and clean.

As someone with a 0-year-old,
having a well-equipped baby room was a huge help.

[Good Points]

・Close proximity to animals

The sense of distance from the animals is very close.
You can see them much closer than at any other zoo I've been to before.

In some places,
they even walk right in front of you.

・Sand cats are incredibly cute

It's worth coming here
just to see the sand cats.

The sand cats were our family's goal. lol

Their cuteness is off the charts.

・Many indoor areas

There are many indoor and covered areas,
so you can enjoy it even if the weather is bad.

Zoos are often at the mercy of the weather,
but since there are many places to enjoy indoors,
I felt like you could still have fun even if the weather was a bit bad.

・You can learn about environmental conservation

It was also good that there were exhibits where you can learn about environmental conservation.

It might be difficult content while the children are still small,
but once they get a little older, we can think about it together,
and it was a place that was educational for adults as well.

Being able to think a little about the environment where animals live
is a unique charm of Nasu Animal Kingdom.

・The restaurant is delicious

We had lunch at Yamaneko Terrace,
and it was incredibly delicious.

Tsushima leopard cat rice was used for the white rice,
and it was great that eating it leads to conservation efforts.

Lunch gets crowded, so an early time is recommended.

[Bad Points]

・The farm area has some slopes

There are many slopes,
and whether on foot or with a stroller,
it is a bit hard to walk around.

・Sometimes the shows are not running

Shows are one of the attractions when it comes to Nasu Animal Kingdom, but
this time the timing didn't work out and we couldn't see them.

Since the schedule seems to change depending on the season and day,
if you are going for the purpose of seeing a show,
it seems better to check the schedule on the official website in advance.

・The bus for moving between areas has a bit of a wait

For the bus that moves between areas,
you may have to wait in line for a while depending on the timing.

Strollers can be folded and brought on board,
and the staff handled it very politely.

・The fees are a bit high

Compared to other zoos,
the fees might be a little high.

When going as a family, including the admission fee, parking fee, and meal costs,
it adds up to a considerable amount.

[Basic Information/Access]

◆Facility Name
Nasu Animal Kingdom

◆ Operating Period/Hours
Open all year round
Weekdays: 10:00 - 16:30
Weekends and Holidays: 9:00 - 17:00
* Animal exhibits close 30 minutes before the park closes.
* Closed: Wednesdays
* Operating days and hours may change depending on the season or day.

◆ Location
1042-1 Oshima, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi 329-3223

◆ Admission Fees
Adults (Junior high school students and older): 2,900 yen
Children (3 years old to elementary school students): 1,300 yen
Under 3 years old: Free

Parking fee: 1,000 yen per passenger car or larger
Motorcycles: Free

◆ Access (Train)
Accessible from Nasushiobara Station or Shin-Shirakawa Station on the Tohoku Shinkansen.
For local JR lines, Shin-Shirakawa Station or Kuroiso Station are the nearest options.

・About 50 minutes by car from Nasushiobara Station
・About 30 minutes by car from Shin-Shirakawa Station
・About 35 minutes by car from Kuroiso Station

* Using a taxi or rental car from the station is the standard method.
* A free shuttle bus is available from Nasushiobara Station. It requires a web reservation by 17:00 the previous day.

◆ Access (Car)
Use the Tohoku Expressway.

From Tokyo:
・About 15 minutes from the Nasu Kogen SA Smart IC
・About 30 minutes from the Nasu IC

From Sendai/Fukushima:
・About 20 minutes from the Shirakawa IC

* The Nasu Kogen SA Smart IC is for ETC users only.

◆ Remarks
Surrounding roads can get congested during long holidays, summer vacation, and autumn break.
If the parking lot in front of the park is full, a free shuttle bus may operate from a temporary parking lot.
In winter, road surfaces may freeze, so it is recommended to prepare winter tires or tire chains.

◆ Official Website

* Please check the official website.

[Summary & Overall Rating]

The distance to the animals is so close that
it is a zoo that is fun for both children and adults just to walk around in.

The sense of distance, as if the animals are walking right next to you,
is something you rarely experience at other zoos.

There is a lot to learn about environmental conservation,
and the food is delicious.

And the sand cats are just too cute.

Our family went specifically for the sand cats, but
the other animals were also quite charming.

Our stay was about 4 hours.
We were able to enjoy the Town Area, Farm Area, and lunch, but
if you want to see the shows properly, it might be better to have a little more time.

As for points of concern,
the admission fee is a bit high, and
there are slopes in the Farm Area, but
it was still a zoo that I am glad we visited.

Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5)

Highly recommended for those looking for Nasu trips, day trips in the Kanto region, or places to go with children.

If you love cute animals,
you absolutely must go to see the sand cats.

To everyone who loves horses, see you next time.

[Special Thanks]

We are supported by the izakaya "Kabukiya" in Shin-Matsudo.

It's a restaurant with the best yakitori.
A few minutes' walk from Shin-Matsudo Station. If you're interested, please check it out!

I introduce it in detail in this article.

I would be happy if you read it as well!

▼ Parent-Child Days Summary

▼ Tama Zoological Park

▼ Omiya Railway Museum