五桂池ふるさと村 花と動物ふれあい広場

First Impressions Looking for something to do to escape the heat of the lowlands, we decided to revisit the Gokatsura Zoo. We had been 3 years previous (in 2015) and wanted to see what - if any, changes had been made. Safe to say, very few changes had been made apart from painting the front stairs and the usual maintenance. A short drive from Meiwa (I don't think there is a bus that goes to the zoo) we arrived to find the place completely empty. (Friday morning - August 4 2018) There are 3 or 4 good sized parking lots (gravel) to park in, and it's a short walk across the road and up some stairs to the main entrance. There is also a wheel chair accessible ramp. Buying tickets is easy - first purchase your tickets from the machines to the right of the entrance, then give the tickets you have just purchased, to the waiting attendant. He/she will tell you to enoy your experience and remind you to keep an eye on your children as some of the animals may peck/nip them if they get too close. (no English was spoken to us but we didn't try either) English I don't think the staff speak much (if any) English. There is a sign at the entrance that says "Admission Ticket", but no further instructions are given. (perhaps they are not needed either - put in your money, press the number of adults you have and/or number of kids and receive your tickets. adults are on the top row of buttons, kids on the bottom) Things we learned Buy some cabbage just inside the entrance. It is 100 yen for a basket of cabbage. Put your money in the bamboo coin collection slot and take the cabbage you paid for. You can come back and buy more cabbage, but it's easiest to get it now. There is a sign on the table that shows you pictures of the animals that enjoy cabbage. There is an air-conditioned petting room where you can see (and touch) baby chicks, hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, turtles etc. (see our photos) The guinea pigs can be picked up and put in the little baskets which you can set on your lap and sit on the camping benches for petting them. The petting room is only open until 15:00 There are stations at various animal enclosures where you can buy food for those specific animals (100 yen) (Ducks, bear, fish, raccoon dog etc) You will get a small box of dry food packed in an ice cream cone-like box. The break up the box and feed it to the animals along with the food inside. Warnings There are a few animals that are living in less-than-desirable habitats at this zoo. The most memorable of these, is the black bear. He is getting older now, so he mostly just sits, but his cage is extremely small. You can find quite a few people voicing their disgust online about this, if you search around. Perhaps the coin is two sided - they are raising awareness of the animals and hopefully fostering some compassion for animals, but at the same time, some of the living conditions could be greatly improved. In conclusion Our boys (6 and 9 years old) had a GREAT time at this zoo. Despite the 38 degree heat and not much shade, they were able to see all and touch many of the animals. (the A/C petting room was REALLY nice on a hot day!) We went early in the morning so that the animals were awake. There are rides for kids both up at the top of the big green hill, as well as down by the entrance. There are a few drink and ice cream machines around which are reasonably priced. Washrooms are at the entrance and about 1/2 around by the duck/peacock enclosure. Get a map from the front desk to keep yourself oriented :--) Admission (2018) is 600 yen for adults, and 400 yen for children. Under 2 y/o is free. The zoo opens at 10:00 and closes at 16:30 in the summer, and 16:00 in the off seasons. (see their website for details)

You can feed for 100 yen ☆ The children were very happy to feed. I love rabbits and there were a lot of rabbits right after I entered, so I was happy and went right away! There were a lot of cute rabbits on the premises divided into male and female, but if you look closely ... Especially the male rabbit is full of injuries and his ears are bitten or his eyes are squinted ... Before the children, he dressed up with a normal heart, but he was so shocked that he couldn't think of the other animals. did. You can buy the food in the bucket for 100 yen (return the bucket) and give cabbage and leaves. But are they the rabbits who eat that much? I wonder if I got grass or pellets ... It's a trauma that I'll never forget.

The facility is old. The staff are warmly worried and can receive attentive service, but since it is an old type facility, everything is "as it is". It's okay to go out with small children, but even elementary school students may be happy. There used to be lions and elephants, but now there are only small animals. However, personally, I can meet the beautiful "Caracal", so that's the only star.

It's a little sad that the rabbits are dirty (because I love rabbits), but there are many safe animals, so animal lovers will feed and catch! It's a good place to feel nostalgic. I think it's one of the sightseeing spots in Matsusaka lol

It is a laid-back and friendly zoo with few people. The good turning point is that it turns slowly for about an hour.