Great Family Fun at Utsunomiya Zoo

     My family recently took a trip to a Zoo in Tochigi prefecture, which frequent readers might realize is very far from where we live in Miyagi, but as part of our summer fun initiative, we made the long journey southward and wound up at the zoo's entrance on a day that promised to be very interesting.

     Originally, we're lured there by an advertisement that stated that the manager of the place was a cat. We know it's just a publicity mascot thing but it's still exciting for my kid, who is cat obsessed.       

     Unfortunately, that cat was busy, out making his rounds or doing his job or whatever it is that cats who are also managers do during their work days.

     So we were unable to see him during our visit, but we did see a lot of fun stuff. The first big shock to me was that they had several options to buy small amounts of food and little signs that said which animals you could feed and who you couldn't feed. With the vegetable selections given, I was really surprised that you were welcome to feed the giraffes. 

     Two big things make this interesting and fabulous. One is that the giraffes seem much happier in more responsive than their depressed looking breathren in Yagiyama zoo in Sendai. This is probably due to people meaning potential food source and that they get a nice grassy space instead of a tiny paved quadrant.

     The second awesome thing about this is you actually get to see how a giraffe eats. Its tongue comes out and grips whatever the food is and pulls it into its face. The exciting thing about that is you get to be the person on the other side of that, holding up the piece of cabbage or thing slice of corn on the cob.

     It was an unforgettable experience for my whole family. Addition to the giraffes, you can also feed goats, deer and sheep. There's also a pond with koi fish and a nearby vending machine with food for them, too.

     On the other side of the koi pond is a small amusement park that we were delighted to find mostly uninhabited. We got to ride the biggest roller coaster, the monorail, the ferris wheel, the carousel, and the go-carts, all without waiting in line once!

     We hung around for (and participated in!) the dog show that showcased the talents of four fantastic pooches.

     A lot of the buildings are painted with some excellent wall art, and we signed up so my kid could feed a lion (with tongs) so the whole event was memorable and excellent.

Pet bottle for scale.

     There's also a huge pool attached to the zoo but we didn't have time nor bring our swimsuits.

     If you're looking for some fun that would help a small business stay in business and give you a breath of uncrowded fresh air, Utsunomiya Doubutsuen is a great place to be this summer.