[Relocation Diary] Heading to Shaboten Park with an Annual Pass in Hand (1) | A Peacock Spreading Its Wings in Freedom

Hello.
I'm Asumi, and I've relocated to Izu Kogen.

As I wrote in the post below, I bought an annual passport for the "Izu Shaboten Zoo" located near my new home😊

"Izu Shaboten Zoo" is a theme park where you can encounter about 1,500 species of cacti and succulents collected from all over the world, as well as about 150 species of animals.

Since it's right next to Mt. Omuro, many of you may have visited it as part of a sightseeing trip when coming to Izu Kogen🦒.

Heading out with my DSLR camera

With an annual pass, I can go as much as I want!
And, it's within walking distance from my place!🚶🏻‍♀️

For someone who loves both animals and plants, having visits to a botanical and zoological garden integrated into my daily life is incredibly exciting✨.

I bought the annual pass (10,400 yen) around the second week of May, and I've already been there three times lol (I'm on track to get my money's worth in a month😆).

When I go, I take my DSLR camera to take pictures of the animals and plants, so even though my photos aren't great💦, I think I'll introduce them little by little from now on😊.

A peacock spreading its wings

To begin with, the reason I thought about buying an annual pass was...
When I was taking a walk near Shaboten Park, a male Indian peacock that lives in the park (free-range) happened to be spreading its wings.

But because there was a wire fence, it looked like this.

"I definitely want to see this up close!" I thought, and since I was going to go anyway, I decided to buy an annual pass so I could go as many times as I wanted!

A free-spirited peacock

Indian peacocks are kept free-range in the park, so they freely wander outside the park, and when you're out for a walk, you can see them just walking along the road lol.

When I first moved here, I was surprised, saying "There's a peacock on the road!!", but now it's a normal sight😆

They are also in various places inside the park, and the other day, one was relaxing inside the tortoise enclosure and the giraffe space lol.

The animals roaming freely in the park are not afraid of humans at all, nor do they attack.
Of course, it's different from a wild environment, and it may be because they've learned they can get food, but it's likely also because the keepers treat the animals with care every day💞

A chimpanzee lost in thought

My favorite animal this time, having visited three times, is...
The chimpanzee living on 'Chimpanzee Island' across from the giraffe enclosure.

Their attitudes and expressions are incredibly human-like.

It's truly interesting, as if you are watching a human.

The view is great and refreshing.

Shabotten Park is located on a hill in Izu Kogen (approx. 331.6m above sea level), so the view is excellent.

Besides this, there is also an observation deck in the park where you can see Mount Fuji beautifully.
You can enjoy not only the animals and plants but also the scenery😊

Parking at Shabotten Park costs 1,000 yen (for passenger cars), so you can save money by parking at the neighboring 'Mount Omuro Lift' or 'Sakura no Sato' free parking lots and walking in!

I still haven't grasped all the highlights in the park, so I plan to explore a little bit at a time🦒🌵.

Thank you for reading.

Access

Izu Shabotten Zoo
[Address] 1317-13 Futo, Ito City, Shizuoka Prefecture
Bus service available from 'Ito Station' and 'Izu Kogen Station'

[Business Hours]
March-October: 9:30-17:00
November-February: 9:30-16:00
*Subject to change depending on the season.Official Website must be checked

[Admission Fee]
Weekdays: Adults (Junior high school students and older) 2,800 yen, Elementary school students 1,400 yen, Infants (4 years and older) 700 yen
Holidays (Weekends, holidays, and busy seasons): Adults (Junior high school students and older) 3,000 yen, Elementary school students 1,500 yen, Infants (4 years and older) 800 yen
(As of June 2026)