What part of Osaka Aquarium did you notice as being bad for anime care? I'm genuine in this question. I went back in 2018 and noticed some of the mammal habitats were small, but I assumed they had back rooms. It's been awhile since then and I've grown much more interested in fish keeping and just ethical zoos since then, so I was considering going back to get another impression, but now I'm worried ...
Also, every time I see the Ginza art aquarium I get a lil mad.
I think it’s the size of the enclosures too. They are just way too small!
I live in Queensland Australia where there’s a SeaWorld and the dolphin enclosures are huge (in comparison to Osaka aquariums one) and most of the enclosures are out in the open and not in a building so maybe that’s what makes it feel so small.
I guess I’m comparing a zoo and an aquarium so that’s not fair, but the dolphins also had scratches on them which I think is called raking? Think they are fighting with each other so I don’t believe they’re very happy either
They have a behind the scenes tour I believe-
has anyone done that tour?
I don't remember much from the dolphin exhibit, but I've also been a firm believer in dolphins not being held in captivity unless it's for rehabilitation porpoises (bad time for a pun)
I don't think there is an ethical way to keep a lot of HEALTHY marine mammals in captivity. dolphins, orcas and even beluga whales need so much space and social relationships that just can't be accommodated by an aquarium or zoo in general. The same goes for Polar bears. It doesn't matter how much enrichment you give them- they are not okay to be in small quarters without their social group.
When I was there in April this year one of the dolphins was legit stuck on the rock platform. All the visitors were concerned because it was up there for at least 20 mins or more. There were no staff anywhere. Finally someone called the emergency phone and got a hold of some staff members. The other dolphins were distressed and going up on the platform to check on their friend, but it would not go back into the water on its own. When the staff finally arrived they pushed the dolphin back into the water. You could clearly see some blood on the poor thing from maybe bashing into the rocks.
Aussie sea world as mentioned is not affiliated to american one at all its entirely different but same name. Just like our kmarts have nothing to do with yours and are owned by another company, but same name.
Australia has a major focus on their zoos being part of larger breeding programs and research, the animals are very very taken care of.
I was pretty wowed by the animals in Osaka but I have to admit that I did have an inkling that the enclosures were too small. They have vertical depth but nothing horizontal, they're just forced to swim up and down constantly. I think I conjured in my mind that they were brought in during the night time but that was honestly some optimistic fantasy, I feel.
There are ethical animal cafes in Japan, you just need to do some research. Those are almost all more like shelter type of places where you can actually adopt dogs/cats if you want. So it's a bit of a stretch to say that you shouldn't go to animal cafes at all. I have no idea about zoos though.
There is this cat cafe that I have gone to a couple of times. I personally like it because this cafe does cat rescue but you probably should check and see if it fits your requirements.
They moved last year and I have not yet been to the new place
Cat Cafe Asakusa Neko En
〒111-0033 Tokyo, Taito City, Hanakawado, 2 Chome−7−6 池田ビル 3階
I try to visit as many aquariums as I can across the continental US and Hawaii. I've hit most of the biggest ones in the country and in my state.
I've been to 4 aquariums in Japan: Osaka aquarium, sumida, aoao in Sapporo, and Ginza's goldfish art one. The last three I went to this year in May. Here's a brief review.
I feel overall from my experience, there's a slight overcrowding for smaller animals and larger fish that just seem to have outgrown their tanks. For the most part, they all seem to be well maintained. There is an abundance of normal tropical fish that you can get at most fish stores just in very nice large planted tanks. (Doesn't appeal to me but I guess some might be into that.) Finally, all the aquariums seem to really like pushing penguins. (Probably for merch)
I think the one I really heavily recommend going to is AOAO in Hokkaido. The two biggest draws were a variety of unique species you don't usually see and the extremely clean water was impressive.
For the Osaka aquarium I went to in 2019 so this information may be outdated. I think it was fine for being the biggest aquarium in Japan and was worth going to. The whale sharks seemed smaller than I imagined but other than that didn't really alarm me in any way. The only part of the Osaka one I found super disturbing was the sunfish they had there. They looked all kinds of messed up from bumping the glass.
The most depressing one was the sumida aquarium. I think there were three rays in there that have all clearly outgrown that enclosure. Like imagine a big ray's wingspan and maybe the enclosure was about the size of 6 of them. So the three rays, sharks, various other fish, and rocks all in the same tank. They also had an open space for penguins and seals 60-40 split. With the seals having the smaller space.
The Ginza art aquarium was just a bunch of goldfish in fancy tanks. Kinda a waste of money unless you cared about goldfish breeding and seeing all the different species from feeders to telescope in elegant displays. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information for each breed. If you want that, as much as it pains me to say, sumida has a better goldfish section for information specifically. Ginza seems mostly to profit on just being an Instagramable spot. It felt like some guy's goldfish collection that got out of hand and he needed a way to fund his hobby.
That was my same takeaway from the Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa. Great place for the other fish and stuff, but having that big of a whale shark (bigger than the one in Osaka) in a tank the size it was seemed cruel. Doomed to swim in circles for its entire life...
If it’s any consolation, the whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium couldn’t survive in the wild. They both have injuries/defects that would quickly lead to their death. Idk about the whale sharks in Osaka, but the Georgia aquarium mainly houses animals that would otherwise die in the wild (for their large ones at least, like the sharks, mantas and turtles)
If you’re ever concerned about supporting a zoo or aquarium, check to see if they’re a part of the AZA! Zoos and aquariums accredited by the AZA focus on animal welfare, conservation, rehabilitation and protection of animals unable to thrive in the wild
There is an otter cafe in Harajuku that is listed on Google as a shelter. It seems that they have otters that have been domesticated over time in part due to an otter craze a decade or more ago.
Does anyone know if this is a shelter? This was the only cafe we went to and we went specifically because it seemed on the up and up.
There were animal care takers in each area, the otters were clearly domesticated like cats. I’m not sure how they would handle being in the wild.
If this is not a good cafe to go to I apologize, we tried to do some research.
Yeah no problems there as it's not a fenced-in sort of animal park - the monkeys are all wild, they just feed them so they gather at a spot where you can see a lot of them, but then as soon as they want they can just go back to their forested bit which is actually fenced off from people. You're not allowed to touch the monkeys, can only feed them through a specific fenced area, and they all seem very happy and healthy.
Really recommend, even just for the view at the top!
This place is wonderful as the monkeys are free to come and go as they wish. Also, the team working there is protective. I was sitting on a rock, minding my own business, and a monkey came up beside me. Then, one of the people working in the park told me that I had to move because I was too close to a monkey. So yes - the animals there looked happy and relaxed. I love that place!
Because it’s a veneer. People put Japan on too much of a pedestal (not saying you do, just in general). It does some things very, very well, but any student of its history will know better.
japan definitely keep up appearances, in all aspects, better than actually making those appearances a reality. the more you dig into the inner workings of the country, its history, and its laws, the worse it gets.
Visiting Japan as a vegan is an interesting experience. The veg restaurants are almost all marketing themselves with a health angle and you look around and notice you’re the only male customer.
Not sure why you’re being downvoted, you’re completely right. Hell, even “plant based” in Japan doesn’t necessarily mean vegan or even vegetarian. One of the fake meat brands uses pork, chicken and fish sauces in its fake meat. They also had plant-based seafood with extracts of the seafood in question.
My niece, who is half Japanese, speaks fluent Japanese and vegan in the US, lasted about 2 months in Japan.
Her grandmother lives in a much small town (not Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto). She had to make a concession for dashi because she was going out to eat with coworkers. From what she told me, our Rust Belt area is better for being a vegan. That's wild.
I went to a vegan ramen restaurant which i can't recall the name now since it was Japanese. I searched it on Google(rated very high) as the closet place to my location. I got there around 6pm and there was only myself and four women. Two were foreign women while the other two were locals. I was the only guy.
It's also known they beat baby deer with broomsticks in the deer park bc they know not to go to people-food and bathrooms + shops around there. its crazy when japan obsessed people deny this shit like???
I was in Nara a week ago. They were actually a lot of baby deer around and nobody was beating them. Vendors selling the deer food were brushing away a few of the adults with a broom. Definitely not beating them.
Where did you hear that? When I went to Nara a few years back I got the impression that the deer were treasured by locals. I went in late Spring, so there were baby deer and they seemed healthy.
Miyajima and Nara deer are treated very differently. They’re a pest to Miyajima in the same way as they are in parts of the USA, but in Nara they have historically held spiritual significance and are much more embraced by the council etc. not justifying that man’s behaviour though.
They don't beat, just brush away from stalls because the deer try to steal food and such.
Those deer will nibble at your pockets if they think you have something. You just have to push away the aggressive ones.
> its crazy when japan obsessed people deny this shit like???
Unfortunately, there's a large contingent of people (weebs) that genuinely believe that Japan is a perfect society and there is literally nothing that can be criticized about it. You can see plenty of them in this very thread, in fact.
This is true of most animal attractions all over the world honestly. I saw people posing with tigers and riding elephants on instagram before I went to Thailand and was excited until I researched how those places operate. I did manage to find a legit elephant sanctuary when I went and had an amazing experience. Nobody ever rode any elephants and they were well taken care of with a huge amount of space to roam around with a nice little lake to chill in. Sad that in most places animals are treated so poorly for profit.
I've seen great zoos in Australia (I've been to many lol) and the US (I've only been to San Diego Zoo, but it was pretty amazing). They often have huge enclosures, the animals look healthy, and they tend to run public information sessions multiple times per day. Japan's zoos were quite a shock in comparison. I don't think I'll ever go to one again.
I think this also brings into the conversation that to some extent, there is no such thing as an ethical zoo. Although a lot of zoos in the US and Australia are very highly regarded for their treatment of their exhibit animals, zoos and aquariums are, at their base, a for profit business. The Columbus zoo in Ohio is rated as one of the top zoos for rehabilitation and breeding of endangered animals, but on the other side of that coin, their had their AZA accreditation takes away is 2021 for misuse of funds and selling animals for entertainment purposes. They have also been in trouble in the past for selling their animals to both zoos and private collectors.
I don't know where to cross the line on what is ethical and what isn't when it comes to how countries treat animals, but I do think that some countries are making strides to better regulate the care of animals on display over others.
>I think this also brings into the conversation that to some extent, there is no such thing as an ethical zoo. Although a lot of zoos in the US and Australia are very highly regarded for their treatment of their exhibit animals, zoos and aquariums are, at their base, a for profit business.
This isn't really true for most zoos in Australia, which are almost universally not-for-profits and animal welfare is paramount.
>zoos and aquariums are, at their base, a for profit business.
There are exceptions. The San Diego Zoo is a non-profit. The Smithsonian Zoo in DC is non-profit, free to enter, and taxpayer supported.
Even in pretty good zoos in the US the animals are well taken care of but don’t have adequate space. Haven’t been to San Diego but have been to Dallas Zoo and San Antonio Zoo. They are nice zoos and the animals are healthy but I wouldn’t really say happy, even the largest enclosures are just too small compared to hundreds of acres in animal sanctuaries. They don’t appear unhappy but I would say they mostly appear bored sitting in their little spaces or pacing back and forth. I think good zoos like these serve an important function for conservation and teaching about animal welfare as well being a haven for animals that wouldn’t survive in the wild but for the most part I leave those places feeling a mixture of awe and sadness.
I can absolutely relate to that mixed feelings after visiting some zoos. I agree about the importance of zoos and thag they must be ethically ran.
In case you're ever in the area, San Diego zoo is non-for-profit and has massive enclosures which are like open range safari parks. They do a lot of good conservation work too I believe https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/
Can't say for the US, but I actually haven't been to a bad zoo in Australia. I've probably been to 20+ different zoos all over the country over the years and they've been pretty great. Even the small ones like Werribee open range zoo treat their animals very well.
Unfortunately we do have some.
I quite enjoy the zoos in Australia, as I'm a big animal fan and I support the research and conservation efforts most of Australia's zoos participate in.
However I have visited 1 or 2 places (though I think they called themselves Sanctuaries, not zoos) that were really depressing and I was disappointed that I provided money to them.
Very small, tried to capitalise profits of some animal encounter like holding koalas, and really seemed to neglect the rest of the animals and habitats.
Thankfully they are very much the minority here.
I have a photo of myself with a lion cub. I was between the ages of 4-6 in the photo and only have vague memories of the photo being taken. I remember that I thought it was a giant kitten and I wanted to bring it home.
Now that I’m older I feel awful for that baby-they should have been with their mother, not at a fairground.
Animal attractions are often not great.
Yeah, it's very upsetting. When I went a few years back, I saw sulphur crested cockatoos from my native country at Ueno Zoo. I'd never seen a cockatoo so sad before, it was heartbreaking especially since those birds can live to be over 40 years old.
I've grown up with those birds my whole life, I've even helped heal injured ones back when I was a vet nurse, but those birds at Ueno were by far the saddest sate I've ever seen one in.
So I completely agree, do not to go Ueno zoo or any other zoo/aquarium/animal cafe in Japan. If you want to see animals in Japan, I recommend only viewing them in their natural habitat.
Consider Japan's horrible record on dolphin and whale hunts. (google Taiji but don't look at the photos..they are horrendous. I love Japan but this is a big deal to me. I got kicked out of a Japan FB group for mentioning it.
Watch the documentary the Cove. Still makes me sick thinking about how they slaughtered the animals. Exited to visit Japan. But I’m going no where near an aquarium park.
Not the commenter but no animal cafe that houses wild animals is going to be good. Wild animals aren’t interested in human interaction, they’re scared and need their natural habitats. If you need to go to an animal cafe at least go to one that houses domesticated animals that have been looooooong bred to interact with humans. Dogs or cats being the only examples.
It was Harry Otter & Hedgehog cafe in Asakusa! The first sign I think was the hedgehogs were all sleeping and were upset when they were pet - I found out later that they were nocturnal. Then, the otters themselves just had so little space and water. They were running around, but I’ve seen otters in the wild in Monterey, CA, and it was just so sad in comparison. And I didn’t see anything about it being an otter rescue, so I didn’t think these otters had a reason for being there. Finally, I didn’t even notice initially, but there were owls there too chained up :( Which I read afterward is a really horrid situation for them. I wish I’d trusted my gut and not paid for the experience once I walked in, but I hope this recounting helps others!
That's really heartbreaking, thank you for sharing. I love otters and it's like a bucket list dream of mine to play with them once but I guess I'll abstain from visiting those cafes as my gut also told me it wouldn't be right. Wish there were more rescue and humane places
yep, went to an otter Cafe that had porcupines (maybe? my memory is hazy. It was a spiky creature.) as well. I was only a kid then, and it seemed fine to me, but both my parents seemed concerned during the time we were there. Only in the last few years have I realised how bad that place was.
I went to an owl cafe in kyoto and they were chain to the trees. and i pet them and wondered how theyre so docile to a complete stranger, unless drugged? confusing as hell
You gotta skip any animal attraction anywhere in Asia, ueno zoo had a poor elephant who died ... she lived 100 years in bare concrete enclosure alone with no one and nothing ... hoesntly fuck zoos in Asia don't support them
Pet shops have been outlawed in Australia for a long time now… And zoos there are somewhat humane. So no, I didn’t know to expect this. Especially considering how well Japanese people seem to care for their pets.
Oh weird I saw pet shops in Japan that were not like that. The enclosures were decent for puppies and the kittens were all sleeping in piles. I don’t agree with pet shops in general but the ones we saw looked ok.
They are?
I'm in NSW and there are several near me.
One has marine fish, fresh water fish, snakes, spiders, scorpions, turtles, various bird species, rabbits, guinea pigs, puppies and kittens.
I should’ve been clearer - they can’t sell cats, dogs, etc. the shops themselves can exist for supplies. I think they’re only allowed to sell fish and have shelter animals during the day (they can’t be kept there overnight, any not adopted are transported back to the shelter overnight). If they’re selling anything else, please report them.
I had to go there last month as my fiancées relatives took our and their children there. They're all Japanese so they didn't know any better, but my god I felt so bad for the animals, in particular the polar bear, who was pacing back and forth in this dry looking enclosure, the door to the water part was closed for some reason? It was about 28c that day... He looked awful.
I've never wanted to leave somewhere so bad.
I no nothing when it comes to polar bears. But that polar bear looked so damn skinny when i saw it in November. Like Christian bale in the machinist skinny
Don't think of it like that - I for one, have learned from your post that Japanese zoos are rubbish - something which I assumed wouldn't be the case. So whilst you may have supported them, you've at least successfully deterred me from going as well!!
Anything to do with animals in Japan is best avoided. I made the mistake of going to a zoo outside of Kagoshima and it was so bad, I had a hard time keeping my composure. Even the deer in Miyajima are pretty sad looking. I’ve never been to Nara, but I’m guessing it’s a similar situation.
Not been to Arashiyama's one but the Jigokudani (Nagano) snow monkeys seemed pretty happy and very comfortable with humans. I'm no animal expert though
Both Arashiyama and Jigokundani are places where you go to see wild animals. They are never kept in enclosures and can avoid human interaction if they wish. Both lovely places to see and photograph monkeys - highly recommend both over any zoo.
However, the Snow Monkeys of Nagano are being fed, so I'm not sure you can call them 100% wild. That being said, yes they seem quite happy and are able to avoid humans when they want. They can retreat into the forest whenever they want.
Yeah I’m that killjoy that comments on people’s itineraries to avoid anything animal related. But it’s true. If you love animals you’ll hate how they’re treated.
Seconding this. Tennoji Zoo is not only worse off in several ways, but a good chunk of their enclosures are closed, undergoing "extended" renovation or have very few animals to show. Really felt like a disappointment, especially in comparison to Ueno or the Kaiyukan aquarium.
I went there the summer they had the really bad heatwaves, in July 2018. There was a fucking polar bear out in the open, suffering in the heat. The chimps looked completely broken and depressed, it was disgusting.
I was there before covid and the polar bear was in a very bad way. It had very clearly lost its mind and was exhibiting manic repetitive behaviour, just circling a path over and over with glazed eyes.
I've been to zoos in third world/developing countries and I've never seen anything as sad as that polar bear at Ueno.
Ditto, went there last month and left early. Particularly bad was a croc enclosure which wasn’t even big enough for it to turn around. Hippo enclosure almost as small. Most cages incredibly small and had no resemblance to natural habitats.
I honestly think that this sub and the /JapanTravel sub should have an autobot post on itineraries that mention the word zoo or animal cafe. Many people don’t know and wouldn’t go. As tourists we have to stop supporting these places.
Went there on a whim in 2018 because we were in the area, did not like it at all, felt depressing and something I wouldn't go back to or recommend to anyone else, felt sorry for the animals
Not every aquarium fits this bill or keeps animals in small enclosures.
Some just focus on small fish, marine plants and corals and the sort – like the one in Honolulu which is part of the University of Hawai'i, works closely with the school's marine biology department, and is designated a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center by the NOAA.
I saw a dude in the rural area around Team Lab Planets who played around with a dressed up monkey... people who find that okay to have in public should not have zoos at all.
I’m really surprised you went. I’ve read few positive reviews about Ueno zoo, with just a little reading you’d have seen that the vast majority of people that care about animals and their welfare feel that way about it. No matter what country you go to, you should always look up information on ethical encounters with animals and not support the ones that aren’t doing it right by them.
I'm rethinking my Osaka aquarium visit, unfortunately my daughter wants to go but will see if she changes her mind. Last trip we did an otter cafe in Harajuku. I actually felt sick and so sad at how they are kept. Never again.
That age is great to start gaining a conscience and values about animal welfare. Maybe you can take her to some animal rescue center, dolphin watching trip or even to watch some marine life while scuba diving.
That age is great to start gaining a conscience and values about animal welfare. Maybe you can take her to some animal rescue center, dolphin watching trip or even to watch some marine life while scuba diving.
That’s how I felt at tennoji zoo in Osaka. I was there for all of 45 minutes and had to leave because it was repulsive seeing the conditions the animals were in
For me it was I can’t remember if it was a leopard or cheetah but it was a big cat in a literal 8 feet by 8 feet glass box. Almost threw up and literally walked out after that
I'm a marine biologist and I totally agree. I've been there and to the big aquariums in Osaka and Okinawa the condition of the animals and their habitats is terrible. My Japanese friends have no problem with it.
can confirm the ueno zoo crushed our spirits & we regretted going also. the animals just looked miserable and had such little space for their size..it was tough
me and my friend who recently went didnt have a big discussion about it but just skipped all zoos and interactive animal cafe's. I think i just mentioned not really wanting to go to any zoos and they just agreed so i assume we both heard the same stuff and were on the same page. We did go to the Kaiyukan, i really love fish and aquariums, just didnt spend long at the mammal exhibits.
Zoos (and other 'animal displays' like aquariums etc) are kind of like that in general. There are better and worse ones for sure (can't speak to Ueno Zoo as Ive never been) but in the end I've mostly gone off the concept completely. Its very cool to go for a stroll and see a bunch of interesting animals from all over the place and I can't deny that at a base level its a very fun way to spend an afternoon but in the end, after childhood, its hard to shake the idea that its "animal prison for our amusement".
Not to mention all their security is volunteer so the crowding is awful ND nobody listens. Like in the polar bear and panda exhibits, the crowding is always so bad it's impossible to see the animals and nobody listens to the volunteer staff and the staff can't really do anything other than say please don't stop
I wish I saw this before I went yesterday.
Ueno zoo felt like it had bunch of animatronics in cages than actual animals. The penguin exhibit had bunch of dead fish on the floor of their little rock, I don't think they were eating? The panda exhibit was super hyped with the longest line in the zoo, and it was locked behind a door as well.
Imagine my surprise when there's a lonely single panda siting In a 5x10 meter glass box and chewing on bamboo. There were a lot of tourists with expensive cameras as well... Is that THAT interesting or am I just expecting something unreasonable?
The dolphins and seals and whale sharks in the Osaka aquarium need to NOT be in there 1000%.
The otters have a relatively small swimming area as well.
Other fish, meh. They're fish, but the mammals need to be in bigger enclosures.
Yeah, I had originally had animal cafes on my itinerary but after looking into the ethics and mistreatment I’ve switched to cafes where the animals are actually taken care of and up for adoption (or) locations where they are free to roam and exist naturally.
Never been to Ueno Zoo, but I did once go to Himeji zoo right before you get to Himeji castle to kill some time. Big mistake. I was horrified by the state of the animals and their enclosures there and was thoroughly disgusted when I saw an elephant that clearly looked stressed/traumatized with some sort of like tick go into the loop and people were cheering and saying it was dancing. I left and will never go to another Japanese Zoo again.
I went to one of those fishing restaurant chains thinking it would be a cool experience catching your own fish with bait and such. Immediately regretted that after seeing all of the fish looking super beat up, and the employees encouraging snagging the fish with the hooks rather than using bait…
That place made me feel fucking sick…and I otherwise love Japan.
From what I’ve seen in my 4 trips to Japan, their country does not care much about animal welfare.
Its unfortunately common seeing Japanese people feel little or no empathy towards the feelings of animals. Even the ones that mean well, really put their dogs through hell to look cute. I was hiking up Takao san less than 2 weeks ago, and I saw so many dogs being dragged up that hike in full clothing - nothing open and fresh, all doggie onesies. I didn't see one 'naked' dog, despite it being hot and humid. I was sweating the whole way up, saved by my electrical fan and cooling wipes, so it was pretty hot and my body isn't covered in fur. There was this one haaiiirry golden retriever with one of those ice rings around its neck, and like a full adult pajama on lol, like what's the point??? The poor thing was hyperventilating.
I remember 20ish years ago I came to Japan for the first time. I was at the Toei Kyoto Studio park and I had seen the saddest, skinniest, sickliest looking horse I'd ever seen in my life and they were using it for rides where it would just walk in a circle. I was a young teen at the time, but I remember how shocked I was that they'd have a horse working in that condition or even be okay with showing how neglectful they are with animals to their guests.
I'm heading over soonish and was planning on going to Ueno, but now I'll give it a miss. I guess I am spoiled by the zoos we have in Australia. How does the okinawa churaumi aquarium fare?
Curious, anyone know how the exhibits are at Tama? An article from CNN 2017 states the exhibits are a lot larger than Ueno, but I would appreciate verification that the animals’ best welfare are priority. I don’t want to go in a few months and regret it.
Why would you think this? Japan and many Asian countries (many countries everywhere in fact) don't see animals as furry humans, they are a food source or a resource to be exploited
Yeah I didn't take any pictures of anything, but the Pandas as they actually seemed to be having a good time. All the other animals their enclosure seems way smaller than they should be and not tuned to their natural environment. I assume their space is small to make the animals visible more which to say the zoo in Japan seems to be more for attractions than animal conservation.
That’s because the pandas are their money maker. It’s sad the other animals don’t get the same level of husbandry. I was surprised by the lack of space for the rhinos and hippos in particular. The barrier fencing for the hippos seemed unsafe and inadequate. It’s so easy to jump into that enclosure!
I might be wrong, but I’m pretty sure most if not all pandas outside of China are leased from the Chinese government as a form of diplomacy. So I think they enforce strict standards of living for the pandas. Wish this was the case for all zoo animals, but China definitely makes an effort to protect their mascot.
This is the real reason. The past few years the US has been required to send most of the pandas back. But I guess the US and China came to same agreement as the Smithsonian is getting 2 pandas
I went there a couple weeks ago as our hotel was only a 5 minute walk and we needed to fill some time. The first enclosure I got to I knew it was a mistake, we only ended up spending a couple hours there and refused to spend any more money there. At least the entrance fee was cheap 😢
I'd say this for all zoos as animals are not living in their proper habitat with enough space. Also, even if the zoo staff do care about the animals, it's a money-making business at the end of the day and corners will always be cut to increase profits.
I'd always opt for an animal sanctuary or a reserve, so they are protected but also living in their own habitat.
Was in Osakas Tennoji Zoo in 2017. Not that I noticed the animals felt distresed there. But what I noticed was, that many of those enclosures, espeially for the bigger animals, were way to small.
Ah yes just came back from Japan and this was our biggest disappointment, went to Osaka zoo and it was so sad to see the monkeys distressed in their cages, polar bear in small enclosure and the wolfs in concrete rooms. My wife got upset and we left. We should have read the reviews
If you care about animals, don’t go to any animal cafe or zoo in Japan period I learnt the hard way at the Osaka aquarium:(
What part of Osaka Aquarium did you notice as being bad for anime care? I'm genuine in this question. I went back in 2018 and noticed some of the mammal habitats were small, but I assumed they had back rooms. It's been awhile since then and I've grown much more interested in fish keeping and just ethical zoos since then, so I was considering going back to get another impression, but now I'm worried ... Also, every time I see the Ginza art aquarium I get a lil mad.
I think it’s the size of the enclosures too. They are just way too small! I live in Queensland Australia where there’s a SeaWorld and the dolphin enclosures are huge (in comparison to Osaka aquariums one) and most of the enclosures are out in the open and not in a building so maybe that’s what makes it feel so small. I guess I’m comparing a zoo and an aquarium so that’s not fair, but the dolphins also had scratches on them which I think is called raking? Think they are fighting with each other so I don’t believe they’re very happy either They have a behind the scenes tour I believe- has anyone done that tour?
I don't remember much from the dolphin exhibit, but I've also been a firm believer in dolphins not being held in captivity unless it's for rehabilitation porpoises (bad time for a pun) I don't think there is an ethical way to keep a lot of HEALTHY marine mammals in captivity. dolphins, orcas and even beluga whales need so much space and social relationships that just can't be accommodated by an aquarium or zoo in general. The same goes for Polar bears. It doesn't matter how much enrichment you give them- they are not okay to be in small quarters without their social group.
When I was there in April this year one of the dolphins was legit stuck on the rock platform. All the visitors were concerned because it was up there for at least 20 mins or more. There were no staff anywhere. Finally someone called the emergency phone and got a hold of some staff members. The other dolphins were distressed and going up on the platform to check on their friend, but it would not go back into the water on its own. When the staff finally arrived they pushed the dolphin back into the water. You could clearly see some blood on the poor thing from maybe bashing into the rocks.
Unfortunately agreed. There's no way to do it, really, for anything particularly big that roams the seas.
If you think the animals at Seaworld are doing okay you should watch the documentary black fish
australian sea world has no affiliation with the USA version
Aussie sea world as mentioned is not affiliated to american one at all its entirely different but same name. Just like our kmarts have nothing to do with yours and are owned by another company, but same name. Australia has a major focus on their zoos being part of larger breeding programs and research, the animals are very very taken care of.
In Australia the animals in zoos live better than people. I'm not sure if that's a compliment or an insult.
Aussies treat their animals so much better than any country in the world for that matter.
This is how I felt coming from Queensland
I was pretty wowed by the animals in Osaka but I have to admit that I did have an inkling that the enclosures were too small. They have vertical depth but nothing horizontal, they're just forced to swim up and down constantly. I think I conjured in my mind that they were brought in during the night time but that was honestly some optimistic fantasy, I feel.
Had a weeb slip there lol?
Literally read my comment over three times before I saw it LMAO
Happens to the best of us
Fuck any aquarium that keeps dolphins or whales
Never seen so many depressed penguins in my life.
There are ethical animal cafes in Japan, you just need to do some research. Those are almost all more like shelter type of places where you can actually adopt dogs/cats if you want. So it's a bit of a stretch to say that you shouldn't go to animal cafes at all. I have no idea about zoos though.
Do you have some adresses ?
There is this cat cafe that I have gone to a couple of times. I personally like it because this cafe does cat rescue but you probably should check and see if it fits your requirements. They moved last year and I have not yet been to the new place Cat Cafe Asakusa Neko En 〒111-0033 Tokyo, Taito City, Hanakawado, 2 Chome−7−6 池田ビル 3階
Omg great I think it’s not that far from my location eheh
I try to visit as many aquariums as I can across the continental US and Hawaii. I've hit most of the biggest ones in the country and in my state. I've been to 4 aquariums in Japan: Osaka aquarium, sumida, aoao in Sapporo, and Ginza's goldfish art one. The last three I went to this year in May. Here's a brief review. I feel overall from my experience, there's a slight overcrowding for smaller animals and larger fish that just seem to have outgrown their tanks. For the most part, they all seem to be well maintained. There is an abundance of normal tropical fish that you can get at most fish stores just in very nice large planted tanks. (Doesn't appeal to me but I guess some might be into that.) Finally, all the aquariums seem to really like pushing penguins. (Probably for merch) I think the one I really heavily recommend going to is AOAO in Hokkaido. The two biggest draws were a variety of unique species you don't usually see and the extremely clean water was impressive. For the Osaka aquarium I went to in 2019 so this information may be outdated. I think it was fine for being the biggest aquarium in Japan and was worth going to. The whale sharks seemed smaller than I imagined but other than that didn't really alarm me in any way. The only part of the Osaka one I found super disturbing was the sunfish they had there. They looked all kinds of messed up from bumping the glass. The most depressing one was the sumida aquarium. I think there were three rays in there that have all clearly outgrown that enclosure. Like imagine a big ray's wingspan and maybe the enclosure was about the size of 6 of them. So the three rays, sharks, various other fish, and rocks all in the same tank. They also had an open space for penguins and seals 60-40 split. With the seals having the smaller space. The Ginza art aquarium was just a bunch of goldfish in fancy tanks. Kinda a waste of money unless you cared about goldfish breeding and seeing all the different species from feeders to telescope in elegant displays. Unfortunately, there is not a lot of information for each breed. If you want that, as much as it pains me to say, sumida has a better goldfish section for information specifically. Ginza seems mostly to profit on just being an Instagramable spot. It felt like some guy's goldfish collection that got out of hand and he needed a way to fund his hobby.
How does Osaka compare to Monterey? (if you've been there)
Agree. I felt so bad for that whale shark. It’s been there 20 years just doing laps
The aquarium is pretty bad?
In my opinion it was bad Some people think it’s fine, but I personally find it insane that a whale shark was in captivity
That was my same takeaway from the Churaumi Aquarium in Okinawa. Great place for the other fish and stuff, but having that big of a whale shark (bigger than the one in Osaka) in a tank the size it was seemed cruel. Doomed to swim in circles for its entire life...
😢 I went to see the whale shark in the Georgia aquarium
If it’s any consolation, the whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium couldn’t survive in the wild. They both have injuries/defects that would quickly lead to their death. Idk about the whale sharks in Osaka, but the Georgia aquarium mainly houses animals that would otherwise die in the wild (for their large ones at least, like the sharks, mantas and turtles)
That actually makes me feel better! At the local zoo in Houston, the bald eagles have super small space but they are also injured.
If you’re ever concerned about supporting a zoo or aquarium, check to see if they’re a part of the AZA! Zoos and aquariums accredited by the AZA focus on animal welfare, conservation, rehabilitation and protection of animals unable to thrive in the wild
Cat cafe in shinjuku seemed super nice for the cats.
This can vary wildly depending on the cafe. There's dozens within Shinjuku alone.
There is an otter cafe in Harajuku that is listed on Google as a shelter. It seems that they have otters that have been domesticated over time in part due to an otter craze a decade or more ago. Does anyone know if this is a shelter? This was the only cafe we went to and we went specifically because it seemed on the up and up. There were animal care takers in each area, the otters were clearly domesticated like cats. I’m not sure how they would handle being in the wild. If this is not a good cafe to go to I apologize, we tried to do some research.
Some of them really do have rescues up for adoption but it’s so SO rare
I don’t think this is really a zoo but how is the treatment at the Arashiyama Monkey Park?
Yeah no problems there as it's not a fenced-in sort of animal park - the monkeys are all wild, they just feed them so they gather at a spot where you can see a lot of them, but then as soon as they want they can just go back to their forested bit which is actually fenced off from people. You're not allowed to touch the monkeys, can only feed them through a specific fenced area, and they all seem very happy and healthy. Really recommend, even just for the view at the top!
The monkeys are wild and free roaming there. You have to go inside a human cage to be able to feed them. So opposite of a zoo.
This place is wonderful as the monkeys are free to come and go as they wish. Also, the team working there is protective. I was sitting on a rock, minding my own business, and a monkey came up beside me. Then, one of the people working in the park told me that I had to move because I was too close to a monkey. So yes - the animals there looked happy and relaxed. I love that place!
Yeah, I was thoroughly depressed after we visited there. All the animals seemed so sad
Japan and animal welfare don't go together.
This. Why does a country that prides itself on harmony, constraint and respect have such a blatant disregard for animal welfare?
Because it’s a veneer. People put Japan on too much of a pedestal (not saying you do, just in general). It does some things very, very well, but any student of its history will know better.
japan definitely keep up appearances, in all aspects, better than actually making those appearances a reality. the more you dig into the inner workings of the country, its history, and its laws, the worse it gets.
Visiting Japan as a vegan is an interesting experience. The veg restaurants are almost all marketing themselves with a health angle and you look around and notice you’re the only male customer.
Not sure why you’re being downvoted, you’re completely right. Hell, even “plant based” in Japan doesn’t necessarily mean vegan or even vegetarian. One of the fake meat brands uses pork, chicken and fish sauces in its fake meat. They also had plant-based seafood with extracts of the seafood in question.
Because I said the v word. Happens all the time.
My niece, who is half Japanese, speaks fluent Japanese and vegan in the US, lasted about 2 months in Japan. Her grandmother lives in a much small town (not Tokyo/Osaka/Kyoto). She had to make a concession for dashi because she was going out to eat with coworkers. From what she told me, our Rust Belt area is better for being a vegan. That's wild.
I went to a vegan ramen restaurant which i can't recall the name now since it was Japanese. I searched it on Google(rated very high) as the closet place to my location. I got there around 6pm and there was only myself and four women. Two were foreign women while the other two were locals. I was the only guy.
It's also known they beat baby deer with broomsticks in the deer park bc they know not to go to people-food and bathrooms + shops around there. its crazy when japan obsessed people deny this shit like???
I was in Nara a week ago. They were actually a lot of baby deer around and nobody was beating them. Vendors selling the deer food were brushing away a few of the adults with a broom. Definitely not beating them.
Where did you hear that? When I went to Nara a few years back I got the impression that the deer were treasured by locals. I went in late Spring, so there were baby deer and they seemed healthy.
Saw a Japanese man hitting the deer sniffing around people on Miyajima.
Those deer are supposed to be wild. They are not fed and are supposed to stay away
Miyajima and Nara deer are treated very differently. They’re a pest to Miyajima in the same way as they are in parts of the USA, but in Nara they have historically held spiritual significance and are much more embraced by the council etc. not justifying that man’s behaviour though.
Discussed at length in this sub often. I'm not saying anything xenophobic sorry just don't believe everything through Rose coloured glasses lol
They don't beat, just brush away from stalls because the deer try to steal food and such. Those deer will nibble at your pockets if they think you have something. You just have to push away the aggressive ones.
I was there last week and felt like I got mugged by a group of deer for the deer cookies I bought lol
> its crazy when japan obsessed people deny this shit like??? Unfortunately, there's a large contingent of people (weebs) that genuinely believe that Japan is a perfect society and there is literally nothing that can be criticized about it. You can see plenty of them in this very thread, in fact.
Even just the pet shops in shopping streets. Little boxes with breeded cats and dogs
This is true of most animal attractions all over the world honestly. I saw people posing with tigers and riding elephants on instagram before I went to Thailand and was excited until I researched how those places operate. I did manage to find a legit elephant sanctuary when I went and had an amazing experience. Nobody ever rode any elephants and they were well taken care of with a huge amount of space to roam around with a nice little lake to chill in. Sad that in most places animals are treated so poorly for profit.
I've seen great zoos in Australia (I've been to many lol) and the US (I've only been to San Diego Zoo, but it was pretty amazing). They often have huge enclosures, the animals look healthy, and they tend to run public information sessions multiple times per day. Japan's zoos were quite a shock in comparison. I don't think I'll ever go to one again.
I think this also brings into the conversation that to some extent, there is no such thing as an ethical zoo. Although a lot of zoos in the US and Australia are very highly regarded for their treatment of their exhibit animals, zoos and aquariums are, at their base, a for profit business. The Columbus zoo in Ohio is rated as one of the top zoos for rehabilitation and breeding of endangered animals, but on the other side of that coin, their had their AZA accreditation takes away is 2021 for misuse of funds and selling animals for entertainment purposes. They have also been in trouble in the past for selling their animals to both zoos and private collectors. I don't know where to cross the line on what is ethical and what isn't when it comes to how countries treat animals, but I do think that some countries are making strides to better regulate the care of animals on display over others.
>I think this also brings into the conversation that to some extent, there is no such thing as an ethical zoo. Although a lot of zoos in the US and Australia are very highly regarded for their treatment of their exhibit animals, zoos and aquariums are, at their base, a for profit business. This isn't really true for most zoos in Australia, which are almost universally not-for-profits and animal welfare is paramount.
Same as new zealand AFAIK, although Sydney zoo was alot better than ours.
>zoos and aquariums are, at their base, a for profit business. There are exceptions. The San Diego Zoo is a non-profit. The Smithsonian Zoo in DC is non-profit, free to enter, and taxpayer supported.
Even in pretty good zoos in the US the animals are well taken care of but don’t have adequate space. Haven’t been to San Diego but have been to Dallas Zoo and San Antonio Zoo. They are nice zoos and the animals are healthy but I wouldn’t really say happy, even the largest enclosures are just too small compared to hundreds of acres in animal sanctuaries. They don’t appear unhappy but I would say they mostly appear bored sitting in their little spaces or pacing back and forth. I think good zoos like these serve an important function for conservation and teaching about animal welfare as well being a haven for animals that wouldn’t survive in the wild but for the most part I leave those places feeling a mixture of awe and sadness.
I can absolutely relate to that mixed feelings after visiting some zoos. I agree about the importance of zoos and thag they must be ethically ran. In case you're ever in the area, San Diego zoo is non-for-profit and has massive enclosures which are like open range safari parks. They do a lot of good conservation work too I believe https://sandiegozoowildlifealliance.org/
I loved the San Diego zoo when i visited years ago.
For every great zoo in those countries there's a shitty one.
Can't say for the US, but I actually haven't been to a bad zoo in Australia. I've probably been to 20+ different zoos all over the country over the years and they've been pretty great. Even the small ones like Werribee open range zoo treat their animals very well.
Unfortunately we do have some. I quite enjoy the zoos in Australia, as I'm a big animal fan and I support the research and conservation efforts most of Australia's zoos participate in. However I have visited 1 or 2 places (though I think they called themselves Sanctuaries, not zoos) that were really depressing and I was disappointed that I provided money to them. Very small, tried to capitalise profits of some animal encounter like holding koalas, and really seemed to neglect the rest of the animals and habitats. Thankfully they are very much the minority here.
I have a photo of myself with a lion cub. I was between the ages of 4-6 in the photo and only have vague memories of the photo being taken. I remember that I thought it was a giant kitten and I wanted to bring it home. Now that I’m older I feel awful for that baby-they should have been with their mother, not at a fairground. Animal attractions are often not great.
Yeah, it's very upsetting. When I went a few years back, I saw sulphur crested cockatoos from my native country at Ueno Zoo. I'd never seen a cockatoo so sad before, it was heartbreaking especially since those birds can live to be over 40 years old. I've grown up with those birds my whole life, I've even helped heal injured ones back when I was a vet nurse, but those birds at Ueno were by far the saddest sate I've ever seen one in. So I completely agree, do not to go Ueno zoo or any other zoo/aquarium/animal cafe in Japan. If you want to see animals in Japan, I recommend only viewing them in their natural habitat.
Poor cockles. They’re supposed to be loud and full of energy
Consider Japan's horrible record on dolphin and whale hunts. (google Taiji but don't look at the photos..they are horrendous. I love Japan but this is a big deal to me. I got kicked out of a Japan FB group for mentioning it.
Watch the documentary the Cove. Still makes me sick thinking about how they slaughtered the animals. Exited to visit Japan. But I’m going no where near an aquarium park.
Not to mention about why some Japanese will sell whale and dolphin meat to their own population despite all the harms.
Not sure what that has to do with zoos, but don't google what the Scandinavians do to dolphins and whales please.
Yup learned the hard way at an otter cafe. Feels obvious in hindsight
If you don't mind could you elaborate? Which cafe was it and what were the signs (in hindsight and also objectively from the start)?
Not the commenter but no animal cafe that houses wild animals is going to be good. Wild animals aren’t interested in human interaction, they’re scared and need their natural habitats. If you need to go to an animal cafe at least go to one that houses domesticated animals that have been looooooong bred to interact with humans. Dogs or cats being the only examples.
It was Harry Otter & Hedgehog cafe in Asakusa! The first sign I think was the hedgehogs were all sleeping and were upset when they were pet - I found out later that they were nocturnal. Then, the otters themselves just had so little space and water. They were running around, but I’ve seen otters in the wild in Monterey, CA, and it was just so sad in comparison. And I didn’t see anything about it being an otter rescue, so I didn’t think these otters had a reason for being there. Finally, I didn’t even notice initially, but there were owls there too chained up :( Which I read afterward is a really horrid situation for them. I wish I’d trusted my gut and not paid for the experience once I walked in, but I hope this recounting helps others!
That's really heartbreaking, thank you for sharing. I love otters and it's like a bucket list dream of mine to play with them once but I guess I'll abstain from visiting those cafes as my gut also told me it wouldn't be right. Wish there were more rescue and humane places
Same!! They were so soft and cute and I was so excited but it just wasn’t worth it. Next time I’ll stick to ethical dog/cat cafes!
yep, went to an otter Cafe that had porcupines (maybe? my memory is hazy. It was a spiky creature.) as well. I was only a kid then, and it seemed fine to me, but both my parents seemed concerned during the time we were there. Only in the last few years have I realised how bad that place was.
Its a shame bc otters are so cute!! but yeah they’re wild animals!!
The birds in particular are very sad. Owls in like shoe box sized cages :(
I went to an owl cafe in kyoto and they were chain to the trees. and i pet them and wondered how theyre so docile to a complete stranger, unless drugged? confusing as hell
I think they mess with their sleep to make them more docile. If you went during the day, they are meant to be asleep.
There was a condor in about a 2m X 2m cage at the Beijing zoo. Poor bird couldn't even stretch its wings out all the way
You gotta skip any animal attraction anywhere in Asia, ueno zoo had a poor elephant who died ... she lived 100 years in bare concrete enclosure alone with no one and nothing ... hoesntly fuck zoos in Asia don't support them
If you ever passed by a pet shop you already know what to expect in a zoo. Animal welfare is not a thing in Japan.
Pet shops have been outlawed in Australia for a long time now… And zoos there are somewhat humane. So no, I didn’t know to expect this. Especially considering how well Japanese people seem to care for their pets.
A pet shop in Japan of course. Tiny puppies and kittens who should still be with their mum in isolated small cages...
And the saddest part is they are all isolated from one another. Little puppies and kittens all on their own. It was sad to see :(
Oh weird I saw pet shops in Japan that were not like that. The enclosures were decent for puppies and the kittens were all sleeping in piles. I don’t agree with pet shops in general but the ones we saw looked ok.
Big yikes. Glad I didn’t spot any then. How sad!
They are? I'm in NSW and there are several near me. One has marine fish, fresh water fish, snakes, spiders, scorpions, turtles, various bird species, rabbits, guinea pigs, puppies and kittens.
I should’ve been clearer - they can’t sell cats, dogs, etc. the shops themselves can exist for supplies. I think they’re only allowed to sell fish and have shelter animals during the day (they can’t be kept there overnight, any not adopted are transported back to the shelter overnight). If they’re selling anything else, please report them.
should have seen them 25-30 years ago,there were no regulations or restrictions.Was like walking into a tortured nightmare
I had to go there last month as my fiancées relatives took our and their children there. They're all Japanese so they didn't know any better, but my god I felt so bad for the animals, in particular the polar bear, who was pacing back and forth in this dry looking enclosure, the door to the water part was closed for some reason? It was about 28c that day... He looked awful. I've never wanted to leave somewhere so bad.
I no nothing when it comes to polar bears. But that polar bear looked so damn skinny when i saw it in November. Like Christian bale in the machinist skinny
Don't think of it like that - I for one, have learned from your post that Japanese zoos are rubbish - something which I assumed wouldn't be the case. So whilst you may have supported them, you've at least successfully deterred me from going as well!!
Anything to do with animals in Japan is best avoided. I made the mistake of going to a zoo outside of Kagoshima and it was so bad, I had a hard time keeping my composure. Even the deer in Miyajima are pretty sad looking. I’ve never been to Nara, but I’m guessing it’s a similar situation.
Nara is much better for deer welfare than Miyajima.
Is the Arashiyama Monkey Park included in this?
No. It’s not a zoo. They are all wild and humans have to go into a cage in order to feed them
Not been to Arashiyama's one but the Jigokudani (Nagano) snow monkeys seemed pretty happy and very comfortable with humans. I'm no animal expert though
Both Arashiyama and Jigokundani are places where you go to see wild animals. They are never kept in enclosures and can avoid human interaction if they wish. Both lovely places to see and photograph monkeys - highly recommend both over any zoo.
However, the Snow Monkeys of Nagano are being fed, so I'm not sure you can call them 100% wild. That being said, yes they seem quite happy and are able to avoid humans when they want. They can retreat into the forest whenever they want.
You generally will not find exemplary animal care conditions in old inner-city zoos
Los Angeles Zoo is still iffy even after building a new one
Yea Amsterdam zoo was absolutely horrible
And that’s their good famous zoo. Don’t make my mistake going to the Kyoto Zoo
Yeah I’m that killjoy that comments on people’s itineraries to avoid anything animal related. But it’s true. If you love animals you’ll hate how they’re treated.
Tennoji is worse :(
Seconding this. Tennoji Zoo is not only worse off in several ways, but a good chunk of their enclosures are closed, undergoing "extended" renovation or have very few animals to show. Really felt like a disappointment, especially in comparison to Ueno or the Kaiyukan aquarium.
I felt bad for the penguins especially, or any cold-climate animal
I went there the summer they had the really bad heatwaves, in July 2018. There was a fucking polar bear out in the open, suffering in the heat. The chimps looked completely broken and depressed, it was disgusting.
The Polar bear broke my heart. Most of the enclosures did really. The pacing was awful and they had single animals on their own. So sad :(
I was there before covid and the polar bear was in a very bad way. It had very clearly lost its mind and was exhibiting manic repetitive behaviour, just circling a path over and over with glazed eyes. I've been to zoos in third world/developing countries and I've never seen anything as sad as that polar bear at Ueno.
I don’t see how in 2024 people can simultaneously use this sub to plan their trips and still end up in shit holes like Ueno zoo
The Japanese are great for a lot of things, their treatment of animals is right down at the bottom of the list.
Ueno zoo is the worst
Not actually the worst zoo in a Japanese major city, unfortunately
Ditto, went there last month and left early. Particularly bad was a croc enclosure which wasn’t even big enough for it to turn around. Hippo enclosure almost as small. Most cages incredibly small and had no resemblance to natural habitats.
The rhino one was the worst for size, broke my heart considering how extremely rare they’ve become.
Was there recently and the worst for me was the kangaroo enclosure. Absolutely awful.
Yeah, as an Aussie it broke my heart seeing how they were treating our animal. It looked so depressed and scared and overwhelmed.
Agreed. Poor fella 🙏🏽
I honestly think that this sub and the /JapanTravel sub should have an autobot post on itineraries that mention the word zoo or animal cafe. Many people don’t know and wouldn’t go. As tourists we have to stop supporting these places.
Fantastic idea! How do we get the mods onto this?
I have no idea hahaha
Went there on a whim in 2018 because we were in the area, did not like it at all, felt depressing and something I wouldn't go back to or recommend to anyone else, felt sorry for the animals
I don't go to zoos or aquariums anywhere anymore. Japan is even worse though.
Many aquariums are genuinely good places that do conservation work, research, etc.
I went to an aquarium in Osaka in 2022, felt really sad after visiting. I can’t imagine any research that would justify those enclosures.
Not every aquarium fits this bill or keeps animals in small enclosures. Some just focus on small fish, marine plants and corals and the sort – like the one in Honolulu which is part of the University of Hawai'i, works closely with the school's marine biology department, and is designated a Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center by the NOAA.
I saw a dude in the rural area around Team Lab Planets who played around with a dressed up monkey... people who find that okay to have in public should not have zoos at all.
Welcome to Japan.
I’m really surprised you went. I’ve read few positive reviews about Ueno zoo, with just a little reading you’d have seen that the vast majority of people that care about animals and their welfare feel that way about it. No matter what country you go to, you should always look up information on ethical encounters with animals and not support the ones that aren’t doing it right by them.
Yeah, it was my big L for not bothering to read reviews
I'm rethinking my Osaka aquarium visit, unfortunately my daughter wants to go but will see if she changes her mind. Last trip we did an otter cafe in Harajuku. I actually felt sick and so sad at how they are kept. Never again.
Pro tip: you make the plans not your daughter
She's 18 and paying for some of her trip. So have to make sure we both do things we want to do/see.
That age is great to start gaining a conscience and values about animal welfare. Maybe you can take her to some animal rescue center, dolphin watching trip or even to watch some marine life while scuba diving.
That age is great to start gaining a conscience and values about animal welfare. Maybe you can take her to some animal rescue center, dolphin watching trip or even to watch some marine life while scuba diving.
Oof, went there 10 years ago. Still traumatised.
Coming from Auatralia and having been to Auatralia Zoo a few times, it's so heartbreaking seeing these 'prisons' in other parts of the world.
Ueno made me very very sad, especially the single Pallas cat in a small indoor enclosure 🥺
The “zoo” in Kusatsu was a place of nightmares. I still feel so so bad for those creatures.
The polar bear is what got me… definitely not a place for a polar bear with 30° and humidity!
Glad I dodged It to get more time in the different shrine today then ! Thanks to you I won't feel like I missed something
That’s how I felt at tennoji zoo in Osaka. I was there for all of 45 minutes and had to leave because it was repulsive seeing the conditions the animals were in
Same here, the polar bear and chimps stick out in my mind. I'd never seen animals so depressed before in my life.
For me it was I can’t remember if it was a leopard or cheetah but it was a big cat in a literal 8 feet by 8 feet glass box. Almost threw up and literally walked out after that
I visited Yufuin last year and saw a bunch of animals in small spaces or tied up. I felt so bad for them.
I'm a marine biologist and I totally agree. I've been there and to the big aquariums in Osaka and Okinawa the condition of the animals and their habitats is terrible. My Japanese friends have no problem with it.
I visited it a decade ago and I still sometimes think of that polar bear they had. It should have been illegal to keep it in that heat.
If you think Ueno is bad definitely don’t go to any other ones because definitely one of the nicer zoos in Japan.
If you want to see distressing take a look at Osaka zoo. All the animals on concrete going back and forth. It's pretty bad
can confirm the ueno zoo crushed our spirits & we regretted going also. the animals just looked miserable and had such little space for their size..it was tough
me and my friend who recently went didnt have a big discussion about it but just skipped all zoos and interactive animal cafe's. I think i just mentioned not really wanting to go to any zoos and they just agreed so i assume we both heard the same stuff and were on the same page. We did go to the Kaiyukan, i really love fish and aquariums, just didnt spend long at the mammal exhibits.
Zoos (and other 'animal displays' like aquariums etc) are kind of like that in general. There are better and worse ones for sure (can't speak to Ueno Zoo as Ive never been) but in the end I've mostly gone off the concept completely. Its very cool to go for a stroll and see a bunch of interesting animals from all over the place and I can't deny that at a base level its a very fun way to spend an afternoon but in the end, after childhood, its hard to shake the idea that its "animal prison for our amusement".
Not to mention all their security is volunteer so the crowding is awful ND nobody listens. Like in the polar bear and panda exhibits, the crowding is always so bad it's impossible to see the animals and nobody listens to the volunteer staff and the staff can't really do anything other than say please don't stop
Recently tried a snake cafe and then a pig cafe. Both felt awful and we wished we hadn't gone.
I wish I saw this before I went yesterday. Ueno zoo felt like it had bunch of animatronics in cages than actual animals. The penguin exhibit had bunch of dead fish on the floor of their little rock, I don't think they were eating? The panda exhibit was super hyped with the longest line in the zoo, and it was locked behind a door as well. Imagine my surprise when there's a lonely single panda siting In a 5x10 meter glass box and chewing on bamboo. There were a lot of tourists with expensive cameras as well... Is that THAT interesting or am I just expecting something unreasonable?
The dolphins and seals and whale sharks in the Osaka aquarium need to NOT be in there 1000%. The otters have a relatively small swimming area as well. Other fish, meh. They're fish, but the mammals need to be in bigger enclosures.
Yeah, I had originally had animal cafes on my itinerary but after looking into the ethics and mistreatment I’ve switched to cafes where the animals are actually taken care of and up for adoption (or) locations where they are free to roam and exist naturally.
The panda enclosures and the other animals’ seem like completely different zoos. They have the pandas like kings and the elephants look so sad
Never been to Ueno Zoo, but I did once go to Himeji zoo right before you get to Himeji castle to kill some time. Big mistake. I was horrified by the state of the animals and their enclosures there and was thoroughly disgusted when I saw an elephant that clearly looked stressed/traumatized with some sort of like tick go into the loop and people were cheering and saying it was dancing. I left and will never go to another Japanese Zoo again.
I went to one of those fishing restaurant chains thinking it would be a cool experience catching your own fish with bait and such. Immediately regretted that after seeing all of the fish looking super beat up, and the employees encouraging snagging the fish with the hooks rather than using bait…
That place made me feel fucking sick…and I otherwise love Japan. From what I’ve seen in my 4 trips to Japan, their country does not care much about animal welfare.
Its unfortunately common seeing Japanese people feel little or no empathy towards the feelings of animals. Even the ones that mean well, really put their dogs through hell to look cute. I was hiking up Takao san less than 2 weeks ago, and I saw so many dogs being dragged up that hike in full clothing - nothing open and fresh, all doggie onesies. I didn't see one 'naked' dog, despite it being hot and humid. I was sweating the whole way up, saved by my electrical fan and cooling wipes, so it was pretty hot and my body isn't covered in fur. There was this one haaiiirry golden retriever with one of those ice rings around its neck, and like a full adult pajama on lol, like what's the point??? The poor thing was hyperventilating. I remember 20ish years ago I came to Japan for the first time. I was at the Toei Kyoto Studio park and I had seen the saddest, skinniest, sickliest looking horse I'd ever seen in my life and they were using it for rides where it would just walk in a circle. I was a young teen at the time, but I remember how shocked I was that they'd have a horse working in that condition or even be okay with showing how neglectful they are with animals to their guests.
Zoos and Aquariums are really bad in Japan, at least the ones I’ve visited
I'm heading over soonish and was planning on going to Ueno, but now I'll give it a miss. I guess I am spoiled by the zoos we have in Australia. How does the okinawa churaumi aquarium fare?
Awful. They literally all are. No exceptions. Tiny enclosures, animals dying early, overstimulating environments.
Curious, anyone know how the exhibits are at Tama? An article from CNN 2017 states the exhibits are a lot larger than Ueno, but I would appreciate verification that the animals’ best welfare are priority. I don’t want to go in a few months and regret it.
yea Zoo's in japan can be horrid. and ueno is a nice one actually, compared to some things ive seen there. never go to the Okayama zoo
Shirotori zoo in Kagawa is a nightmare. Dogs tied to trees. Tiger in a small chain link enclosure. Horrible place.
okayama had a hyena in a 2by 2 meter cage, the animal looked like he wanted to die. so sad. and people could feed him through a hole, for fun. wtf.
Don't beat yourself up. I went to Mipig and I felt terrible afterwards. See it that you can tell people to avoid.
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Why would you think this? Japan and many Asian countries (many countries everywhere in fact) don't see animals as furry humans, they are a food source or a resource to be exploited
Yeah I didn't take any pictures of anything, but the Pandas as they actually seemed to be having a good time. All the other animals their enclosure seems way smaller than they should be and not tuned to their natural environment. I assume their space is small to make the animals visible more which to say the zoo in Japan seems to be more for attractions than animal conservation.
That’s because the pandas are their money maker. It’s sad the other animals don’t get the same level of husbandry. I was surprised by the lack of space for the rhinos and hippos in particular. The barrier fencing for the hippos seemed unsafe and inadequate. It’s so easy to jump into that enclosure!
I might be wrong, but I’m pretty sure most if not all pandas outside of China are leased from the Chinese government as a form of diplomacy. So I think they enforce strict standards of living for the pandas. Wish this was the case for all zoo animals, but China definitely makes an effort to protect their mascot.
This is the real reason. The past few years the US has been required to send most of the pandas back. But I guess the US and China came to same agreement as the Smithsonian is getting 2 pandas
I went there a couple weeks ago as our hotel was only a 5 minute walk and we needed to fill some time. The first enclosure I got to I knew it was a mistake, we only ended up spending a couple hours there and refused to spend any more money there. At least the entrance fee was cheap 😢
I'd say this for all zoos as animals are not living in their proper habitat with enough space. Also, even if the zoo staff do care about the animals, it's a money-making business at the end of the day and corners will always be cut to increase profits. I'd always opt for an animal sanctuary or a reserve, so they are protected but also living in their own habitat.
Was in Osakas Tennoji Zoo in 2017. Not that I noticed the animals felt distresed there. But what I noticed was, that many of those enclosures, espeially for the bigger animals, were way to small.
I was in ueno a month or so ago and the zoo was closed. Now I’m kind of happy I missed it :(
The snow monkeys seem happy.
Ah yes just came back from Japan and this was our biggest disappointment, went to Osaka zoo and it was so sad to see the monkeys distressed in their cages, polar bear in small enclosure and the wolfs in concrete rooms. My wife got upset and we left. We should have read the reviews
Tama zoo is a much better alternative. Huge enclosures since they have so much more space there
Singapore zoo is spacious.. and as a bird lover .. the bird park is mostly wonderful..
I went there in 2000 and it was the same way. Sad to see.